Aaron's Kiss Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 7) (42 page)

Her computer skills had come naturally to her. She had made herself a nuisance at Toby’s computer store the summer she turned eighteen and he had let her work for him selling computers. He also let her fiddle with the returns, more often than not fixing them. When he offered to pay for her to take a night class a couple of times a week, then she would pay him back, she jumped at the chance. It was not long before she had earned a reputation for being the best at what she did. Toby had started having people call her directly if they needed something major done and she became an independent geek. She never forgot what he had done for her and brought in as much business as she could. But she was also right in that she was not a thief. She brought customers to him, but she didn’t receive or take anything more than good service from him when she needed it.

After a few minutes of calming herself down, Pete moved over behind the women who were going nuts over the “pretty” laptops.

“Have you decided what you will need them for? That will determine how much memory, or storage area you’ll need. Say, for example, you were using this one in the kitchen, I’d recommend a desk top. They’re stationary and do take up a little more room, but they have more bang for your buck. You can surf the web, or search for things, keep track of a budget, plan menus and file all of your favorite recipes on it. Also, you can download movies and programs, plus watch a DVD on it.” Pete pointed to the desk tops just behind her.

“The office computers can be either, but again, I’d go with desk for all the same reasons. With a desk, you can also put in more memory and the parts can be replaced cheaper than on a lap. If the lap gets messed up, then replacement is usually the only option. I can tear into a desk and fix most anything for less than a hundred bucks, sometimes a little more, but not much.”

Pete went over every option with them, recommending some, nixing others. She always made sure they knew what they were looking at, and the price it would cost to replace it, or add in later.

When Mel wandered over to the game systems with Pete in tow, she showed the woman which ones had better games versus the ones that were backward compatible. She also showed Mel the display unit of one of the larger gaming systems and how to work the controller to it. After thirty minutes of playing against Pete and losing, Mel had been hooked and purchased one. When Pete told her that she could play online with anyone else who had a like system and the game, Mel bullied the others into buying one as well.

Finally, they went up to the checkout lane, where Toby started checking them out. It had been five hours and Pete was exhausted. It had been fun, she thought. The women all seemed to get along and had been friends forever. Duncan was a hoot and she loved talking with him. She wondered several times just how he fit into the dynamics of the household.

“You’ve been enormously helpful. Thank you. We couldn’t have done with without you, Pete. You have to let us pay you something, anything.”

Sara was reaching into her purse as she spoke. Oh yeah, Pete thought, I’m a charity case.

~~~

“Ah, no, no thanks, I gotta go. Toby will take care of you, and if you have any problems, he can...he knows how to reach me. See ya.” And she dashed out the door, leaving the little group staring open-mouthed at her quick departure. Toby cleared his throat and when he had their attention, he began ringing them up and talking.

“I’ve known Pete for a while. You aren’t gonna find anyone more knowledgeable then her about most anything. She...well, she doesn’t have much...faith in people, I guess. She can be a bit caustic at times, and I’d like to tell you she doesn’t mean it, but she just doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. People are a little uneasy about her eyes. I noticed you looking at her without them glasses. That’s unusual for her. She never takes them off. Anyway, she was right. If you need help, oh I don’t know, setting these up, well I sure wouldn’t mind giving her a call direct like for you. Now if there isn’t anything else, with her employee discount, it comes to seven thousand eight hundred fifty-two dollars and one cent.” Shade burst out laughing.

“Just how much discount does she get? And why did you give it to us?” Mel asked.

“I told you, she’s a friend, and its twenty percent. I think you’d probably get the same discount at any of the merchants around here, not just in here. She ‘helps’ out everyone who needs it and some who think they don’t. Like I said, she’s knowledgeable about most anything, and doesn’t mind sharing what she knows or has.”

CHAPTER THREE

The phone was being answered as she was walking by it. And when Bug, one of the people who lived in the building, turned and yelled, “anyone know if Pete’s in the house?” for a second, she thought she might have lost an eardrum.

“Christ, Bug, I’m right here. What’s wrong with you? Are you stoned again? Give me the friggin’ phone. Pete here,” she said into the phone.

“Ah, Miss Pete, it is I, Duncan. We were wondering if you could come out to help us set up the equipment?”

“It’s just Pete. I can’t today. I have two part-timers today, and three tomorrow night. I could come over tomorrow morning to start, but I’d have to bring help with me. I assume you’ll need Internet hauled in too, right? Or have they dropped you yet?”

There was silence at the other end. Pete was wondering if she had lost the connection. Just when she was about to say something, Duncan spoke up.

“Miss, could you repeat that for me, please?”

Pete had to smile. The man had a way about him that just made you want to tuck him into your pocket and keep him there. She didn’t know why she liked the man, but he did make her want to get to know him.

“Dunc, if you don’t understand anything I’m saying to you, just say so. It won’t hurt my feelings. I do tend to talk to people like I listen, short and sweet. I’m sorry, okay; let me repeat that in English for you. Have you called your local Internet provider, or would you like for me to do that? It’s usually the cable provider that carries your Internet, but not always. I can have them bring the service to your home, which is where they drop the line from the pole in the yard to your house. It’s called a drop. I can bring it in the house for you. My doing it will save you a bundle and I’ve been certified by the company to do this, so you don’t have to worry about me fuc…messing it up for you. Okay?”

“Oh yes, that’s much better, much better indeed. Yes, you call the necessary people and we would like for you to bring it into the house. As for help, I will need to clear that with the master or the missus of the house. I’ll leave a message with...err that Bug person.” She could hear the relief in his voice and grinned at that. Poor Dunc.

“Look, I have a cell...a cell phone, but it’s a drop n’ kick. Just leave a quick message on it. Also, I’ll have someone from the cable place drop off some cables and ties. Hang a sec and let me ask for another phone.”

“Oh, Miss Pete, wait, a ‘drop n’ kick’ is what, may I inquire?”

“It’s a pay as you go phone. I have to buy the time I use. Less hassle that way. I figured you weren’t gonna call and ask me for my favorite recipe so you should be all right with it.” Pete laid the phone receiver on top of the pay phone and went to search out another phone to use. She figured this was easier than trying to call him back. “Dunc, Booger wants to know where you live so he can come out and drop stuff off for us to use this morning. He’s at work now. He works for your cable company, and it won’t be any trouble to do that.”

Duncan gave her the address, and had to ask, as she knew he would, “Booger, miss?”

“Yeah, it was an unfortunate incident with his nose, too gross to go into. Suffice it to say that he earned the nickname.” She shuddered at the memory. She was glad when he did not ask for more details.

Pete rattled off the address to the other phone, and came back several times to ask or relay information to Duncan.

“So if I may, miss, this unfortunate Booger person is going to drop off a roll of cable at the gate sometime this morning. He will only ring the gate bell, but will not enter. I am to leave a message on your drop it and kick it when it arrives. Is that correct?”

“Yeah, Dunc, that’s great. Only its drop n’ kick not drop it and kick it. You hang with me and we’ll get you up with the lingo.” She had to laugh. He was trying very hard and he was so proper it was funny to hear him try and loosen up.

“By the way, miss, what is your favorite recipe, if you don’t mind my asking?”

She stopped for a second and thought about it. “I don’t have one. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever had a home cooked meal before. My mom wasn’t what one would call domestic. If you couldn’t pour it out of a can or a box by yourself and eat it, then you were SOL. And since I’ve left home, I usually eat on the sly, err pick up what I can at a fast food joint. And before you ask, SOL means ‘shit outta luck’ as in, ‘you’re on your own, kiddo.’” Even she could hear the bitterness in her own voice.

“I’m sorry, miss. I did not mean to...that must have been terrible for you.”

Pete was quiet for a moment or two, then said, “Thanks, Dunc, I appreciate it, but she made me what I am, I guess. Sad but true. I’ll see ya tomorrow then.”

~~~

At seven-thirty the next morning, Pete was at the house with Eon. Duncan had left word that it would be fine for the extra help. Duncan had introduced them to Daniel Taggert who ran the security system for the house. Aaron had wanted to make sure that one did not interfere with the other and was glad that she had mentioned it, Duncan had said in his message. They set about the house, figuring out where they were to set up each computer station, a desk top in the kitchen, one in the office, and then a whole house wireless system for the game system and a couple of laptops with printers.

Eon was in charge of bring the cable that Booger had dropped down from the pole just off the property up to the house, then Pete would bring it in and wire the house. She started on the kitchen wall installments while Eon worked his magic outside. The wiring and setting up the computer took nearly two hours, then the system set up took another hour, but no one had to sit with that part for it to work. She went to the office next and was wiring in there when a kid came in. He was very quiet and still for a kid, so it took her a couple of minutes to notice him.

“Hello there. Whatcha doing?”

Pete didn’t interact much with kids and had never been very comfortable around them. Usually, they got bored with her because she never talked to them any different than she did the adults she knew.

“I’m wiring up the room for the computer system that’s being installed in this house. I’ve been hired by the lady of the house. Who are you?”

“My name is Brent Shell Larimore. Shade and Colin are my new parents, and I stay with Duncan and Sara sometimes. Who are you?” Cheeky little guy, but she had asked him first.

“I’m Pete Bartholomew, at your service.” She held out her hand for him, and he took it with a smile and a firm grip.

That was all the encouragement he needed, apparently, and soon he was nearly in her lap trying to see everything she was doing. She didn’t care and was very patient with him, telling him everything he wanted to know, letting him hand her the tools she needed from her big tool box. When Eon came in about an hour later, Pete set him up at the kitchen computer to work through all the set up menu’s and the plug and play programs. It wasn’t hard work, but it was boring. And Eon’s attention span was not really all that long anyway.

Daniel came into the kitchen at lunch time to get a sandwich from Duncan and was surprised by how much they had gotten done. Of course, the house still wasn’t hot yet, but Pete would do that herself once Eon left. She was very careful who knew the house schematics of the household systems she installed.

“You guys do fast work, but is it good?”

Pete didn’t object to his questions. It was pretty standard of the type of questions she got from the heads of security on all the job sites she went on. This guy wasn’t bad. She’d had others who followed her every move making sure she didn’t mess up their part of the install.

“Pete’s the best. Just ask her, she’ll tell ya.” Eon was a goof-off, but she liked him anyway. She ruffled his hair as she walked past him.

“She’ll tell you what?” Sara had waddled into the kitchen at the end of the conversation so wasn’t aware they were talking about Pete.

Pete looked at the pregnant woman. She looked exhausted and tired. Pete could tell that she was carrying twins. She had accidently brushed against Sara the first day. Pete avoided any physical contact with people. Touching had consequences that she didn’t care for.

“Pete. I was asking Eon about how good they were, and he said that Pete knew she was good, to ask her. I was just going in to ask her when you waddled, I mean walked in with upmost grace.” Daniel grinned and Pete laughed.

Duncan had made several sandwiches and was laying them out on the table with drinks and chips when Brent walked in the kitchen. He’d been “helping” Pete all morning and she had only just escaped him not ten minutes ago.

“See, I told you he would make you a sandrich. They’re always good too. He puts me lots a mayo on mine, don’tcha, Mr. Duncan? I told Pete to come and have one too, okay? Her belly was thinkin’ her throat was cut, I heard it. Can I have some pop, Sara? I did good at school today.”

“Yes, of course. Please have a seat, Pete. There is always plenty to go around. Eon, come on before Daniel eats it all himself.”

Pete had never eaten at anyone’s house before, opting to go out and bring something back for her and whoever was helping her out at the time, which was not often. There was plenty to go around, too. In addition to the “sandriches,” there was chips and potato salad, macaroni salad and fat dill pickles. And plenty to drink as well, beer, tea, a variety of soft drinks, and juice.

Pete had a bottle of water, but Eon and Daniel had opted for a beer each. Eon didn’t get to do anything with his but put it to his lips before Pete simply cleared her throat and put out her hand. Eon didn’t say a word, but set it in her palm and got himself a pop.

The computer and the gaming system were up and running to full capability at around two-thirty, then Eon left “for another gig,” he had told Duncan.

Duncan had had to ask, and discovered that the young man had another job and was still in high school, going to night classes to finish his education. The only way he was able to help Pete out for the extra money was he had to promise he would finish high school. She wouldn’t have it any other way. It worked out well for both of them. She got an apprentice, and he was getting his education.

~~~

Aaron just happened by his office as Pete was cleaning up and getting ready to finish for the day. He stopped to listen to the conversation between a woman and Brent. He didn’t know the woman’s voice, but he knew Brent’s. The woman was explaining to him something about an eye problem she had. He had missed the first part of the conversation, but assumed that Brent was being his usual self and asking ninety questions. Aaron loved that about him.

“Well, I wear them because people don’t care for the color of my eyes. Plus, it’s a little painful around bright lights and the sun sometimes.”

“Oh, well, people can be just dumb asses sometimes is what Colin says. I believe him ‘cause he ain’t never lied to me. Shade either. They’re life mates, did ya know that?” Brent asked.

He heard a crash and nearly went in, but as neither person seemed concerned, he let it go for now.

“Watch your language, kid. You’re too little to cuss yet.” Another crash and still no movement from the two in his office. “Nope, never heard of life mates before, but different strokes for different folks, I guess,” she answered him.

“How come you don’t got a mate? Shade says that everyone needs a mate to love them. I think she just says that ‘cause they kiss and stuff all the time. I think that stuff is gross. Don’t you?”

Aaron heard the same crashing sound and again, no one made a sound. It was then that he realized it was tools, some tools being banged together on something soft.

“Kissing? Gee, I don’t know, buddy. I’ve never been kissed before, not really. People aren’t attracted to people like me, and before you ask, it’s because I was born on the wrong side of the sheets, err...I mean tracks. My kind of...person isn’t good enough to have life mates. We’re more of the...well, long term commitments aren’t something I see a lot of and it’s doubtful I ever will. Here, put those back into this case like this.”

Aaron felt his own mate coming near him. When she was close enough for him to see, he motioned her to come and have a quiet listen with him at the door.

“They’ve been talking for the past ten minutes. She is very outspoken. I hope Colin and Shade don’t care. It could be an eye opener if Brent repeats anything she’s told him,” Aaron whispered through her mind with a laugh.

“She’d better not be telling him dirty jokes. Colin will murder her. Not to mention Shade.”

“No, love, just listen. You’ll see what I mean.”

Aaron wrapped his arms around her and placed his hands over his children nestled within her womb. They had learned when she was first pregnant how to talk to them, and loved doing it every chance he got.

“You don’t have a boyfriend or nothing? I thought Eon was your lover or something,” Brent asked her.

This crash was different, he noticed right away, sounding as if a lot of tools had been dropped. But this time onto a hard surface rather than into a bag.

“Sheesh, kid! Where the hell did you hear that? You don’t...you’re too young...you know, you’re not either of those, are you? Okay, kid, look, I’m only gonna tell you this once so you listen up, all right? No, Eon is not my lover. I don’t do sex with kids, nor dumb asses, and he’s definitely both. Nor do I discuss either my sex life or my lack of sex life with a seven-year-old. Come to think of it, I don’t think anyone wants to discuss their sex life, good or bad, with a seven-year-old. You should save those questions for when you’re, say, forty or fifty and then only ask this Colin guy or Shade. Sara obviously knows a little about sex too, so any of the people that you are staying with, the adults you’re staying with, ask them. Never ever, ever, ever ask Eon about sex, never. Understand? There’s no telling what he’d tell you. And I’d hate to have to pay for the amount of therapy you’d need if you were going to seek advice from Eon again. We square? You get it?”