Page 9 of Locking Down Qetesh

"Yes, though thankfully, it wasn't while I was the boss, I saw it several times when I was working up the chain at hotels. Bad managers would destroy the loyalty and good faith of the workforce, and before you knew it, people were leaving and everyone was starting to struggle."

I nodded. "I haven't worked for other people in a long time, but I can assure you that they haven't changed."

"And yet now you're working for Jinx," he said.

"Aine is persuasive. And I'd gotten about as far as I could with my parties on my own, so it was time to try something different."

He raised an eyebrow. "Any regrets?"

"No. It's not going to be a forever thing, but for now, it's good. I like being able to help people find love. Or whatever else it is they want to find."

"Not just love?"

"Some people are looking for other things. Companionship, friendship, sex. They're all entirely valid, even if I'm not looking for them myself."

He gave me a curious look. "You're not?"

I froze for a moment, only to be distracted by the bartender calling our attention.

"What do you want?" Jacob asked me.

"A mimosa," I responded.

He nodded and ordered the two of us drinks. Despite the wait, the bartender was pretty quick to put them down in front of us, and I took mine.

Jacob gestured for the two of us to return to the corner where he'd been talking to Ella. "Unless there's other company you'd rather keep."

"I don't really know anyone other than Ella and Nadia," I said. "And you."

"Ah, then we're in the same boat. I've only met Nadia a couple of times before this too."

"It must be nice to be back around your family," I said.

He nodded. "I'm sure you know about Mum?"

"That she's struggling with her health," I said. "Ella told me about it."

"Ever since she started to decline, I hoped that I'd be able to come home and help Ella look after her. It just wasn't until the Jinx job was offered to me that I was able to."

"Good timing."

"Something like that. I still need to settle in, but I think it's going to be a good job."

"You do have some great company to keep while there," I joked.

He laughed. "So it would seem. Everyone has been very welcoming so far."

"Aine is good at making her staff feel valued. She's a good boss."

"That's good to know as someone who has just started to work for her."

"Just watch it when she starts flirting with you," I joked.

"I thought she was with someone."

"She's with Min, he's an Egyptian fertility god. Their relationship is exclusive, but they like to play a little when it comes to sex."

Surprise crossed his face. "I had no idea."

---