Page 23 of Coerced
So, I did. And it wasn’t long before she started purring against my leg.
“Wow,” Aria marveled. “She’s never done that with me.”
“What?”
“She cuddles with me and will often sit in my lap if I’m curled up on the couch. And any time she knows I might be leaving her for any length of time and isn’t happy about it, she winds herself through my legs and around my ankles while meowing incessantly. I’ve always told myself it’s because she’s giving me a piece of her mind. But she’s never purred like that from me simply giving her a couple of pets and scratches. She must love you.”
I laughed again, continuing to love on Sasha as I did. With a wink, I teased, “I think it’s because I’ve had a lot more practice than you. That’s all.”
Soft laughter spilled out of her. “Whatever it is, I’m glad. With the exception of my best friend, Britney, Sashadoesn’t have many people that she likes. I’ve always considered her to be a bit pretentious. Of course, that doesn’t mean I love her any less.”
My lips twitched. “Of course not. Maybe she just has a good sense of people. I’ve always believed that animals can sense those kinds of things. Perhaps the people she’s been around a time or two left her feeling uneasy.”
“We’re talking about my family,” Aria noted. “From the moment I got her, she merely tolerated my mom. She seemed to like my dad at first, but that eventually changed. And she’s always despised my sister.”
“Yikes. Okay. So maybe I’m assuming too much about animals and their abilities,” I reasoned, not wanting Aria to feel like I was implying anything negative about her family. “So, did you have any luck today?”
“I did,” she bubbled. “But first, can I get you something to drink?”
“No, thanks. I’m good for now.”
With a nod, Aria moved to sit on the couch, and I did the same on the opposite end. “Alright, well, I don’t know if today was my lucky day or what, but I managed to land not one buttwojobs!”
“Two? That’s fantastic. Or, I think it’s fantastic. Are you going to be able to work two different jobs from a time standpoint?”
Aria smiled at me, that dimple catching my eye again. “I am. And it’s all thanks to you.”
“Me? How so?”
“I took your advice and checked out some of the places you mentioned. I started at Grant’s Deli and introduced myself to Mallory. I hope you don’t mind that I mentionedyour name. I was eager to land something quickly and thought it might help to make that connection.”
Suddenly, all the disappointment I felt from the moment I left work today until I knocked on Aria’s door just a few minutes ago had vanished. Maybe I hadn’t failed. Perhaps I’d succeeded before I even really tried.
The corners of my mouth tipped up, and I offered a slight shake of my head. “I don’t mind at all.”
Relief swept through her. “Oh, good. I promise I was nice about it and only said that you mentioned she might be looking for help. I didn’t suggest there were any promises made.”
Laughing, I insisted, “It’s okay. So, Mallory was looking for help, then?”
“Not exactly. Obviously, it was clear she’s pregnant, and she mentioned it’s been on her mind lately. I guess her best friend works with her at the deli, too, so they thought they’d be able to manage it. But when I showed up, she decided it was probably a sign she needed to think more seriously about what was coming down the pipeline. So, she did a quick interview on the spot, and she hired me for a part-time position just to help lighten the load for now and show me the ropes. Once she has the baby, depending on how things go with me, she might want to increase my hours.”
“That’s great news. It sounds promising for the both of you. What’s the second job?”
“After I spend my mornings or early afternoons at the deli, I can head over to The Steel Pub to work through the evening shift,” she shared, very obviously excited about the job. “As it turns out, theywerehiring there.”
“Are you going to be bartending at the pub?” I asked, curious if she already had experience as a bartender.
She shook her head. “No. I’ll be a server, running the drinks and food orders to everyone not seated directly at the bar. It’s another part-time gig, but I figure I’ll do okay for a while in both places.”
And here I thought I’d failed.
“I have to tell you just how relieved I am, Aria. I was so bummed on my way over here, because I didn’t have much luck while I was at work today. None of the guys thought that any of their significant others who owned their own businesses were hiring. So, I’m glad this all worked out so well for you.”
Aria tipped her head to the side and assessed me. There was a curiosity lingering in her gaze, but she didn’t make the effort to ask whatever was going through her mind. If she thought I would be upset by it, she was wrong.
So, I asked, “What is it?”
“What?”