Page 19 of Take Me to Church
I’m still freaking overreacting.
Rodney might have money, but not the kind of money the man beside me would need to have to own a car like that. Kidnapping might pay well, but not that well.
Especially when you’re spending most of it tattooing your face.
The rest of the drive to the bar is uneventful and even the watched feeling starts to diminish. Hopefully I’m getting a grip on myself again and not just getting comfortable right in time for Rodney to jump out and snag me. Take the payment he clearly wanted.
I park as close to the back door of the bar as I can, scanning the lot before jumping out, one of the dozens of screaming keychains Piper’s armed me with clutched tight in my hand. I quickly unlock the door and rush inside, yanking it closed beside me before letting out the air trapped in my lungs.
“That hot?” Stella looks me over from where she stands in the hall, a box balanced in her arms. “You look like you’re ready to melt into a puddle.”
Somehow I manage what feels like a smile. “It’s pretty warm.” I quickly shove my keys and the screaming keychain in my purse, not wanting her to worry. “Luckily I get to work in the air conditioning.”
She gives me a grin. “I’m glad you think working here is what makes you lucky.” She jerks her head in the direction of her office. “Come on. Let’s talk.”
My stomach clenches, twisting into an even tighter knot than the one I’ve been steadily tying since Saturday night. “Okay.”
I love Stella. Adore her, actually. She gave me a chance when I didn’t expect anyone would, hiring on a completely clueless girl from the Bible Belt of Arkansas to serve up bourbon and beer. But she is so much I am starting to believe I will never be—confident, independent, decisive—and it intimidates me.
It also makes me a little sad.
When I left home, I thought I could become normal. That I would finally get to be the kind of woman I only caught glimpses of growing up. But after being on my own for a year, I’m starting to doubt that’s possible.
I follow Stella into her cluttered office, a whole new fear climbing onto the backs of the ones I’ve been carrying. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to ask you how Saturday night went.” She sits down in the chair behind her desk, grabbing a handful of peanut M&M’s and popping them into her mouth one by one as she stares at the computer screen. “The numbers look good, so hopefully you made a shitload of money.”
I swallow hard at her mention of Saturday night. “It was good. Crowded, but good.”
Stella gives me a knowing grin. “A whole lot different than a weeknight, huh?”
It was a whole lot different from any night I’ve ever had, but telling my boss about what happened out back is not something I want to do. I don’t want her to look at me as a problem, and explaining I’ve brought a dangerous man to The Cellar would absolutely classify me as a problem.
“Different, but good.” I smooth down my hair, falling back into old patterns of trying to look as perfect as possible so no one will see the truth. “It was nice to work a whole shift with Piper.”
“I bet.” She refocuses on her computer screen. “I heard you guys worked well together.”
“I think because we’re so close it’s easy for us to know how to help each other.” I do my best no matter who else is on schedule with me. But Piper and I can communicate with just a look, which makes it a whole heck of a lot easier when it’s nearly impossible to hear each other over the sound of a band.
“Most friends don’t work together that way.” Stella leans back in her seat, gaze meeting mine. “I was actually a little worried the two of you might get distracted working the same shift, but it doesn’t sound like that’s a problem for you.”
It hurts my feelings a little that Stella expected me to be less focused with Piper around. I’ve worked hard to show her she didn’t make a mistake when she hired me, and now I’ve got yet another thing to worry about because I can’t lose this job. Especially not now when I’m so close to having to take care of not just myself, but also Myra.
“I’m here to work, Stella. I would never slack off just because Piper was on the same shift as me.”
Stella snorts. “I wasn’t worried aboutyou.” She grins. “Your roommate is a wildcard, but it seems like you kept her in line.”
I don’t like her thinking badly of Piper any better than her thinking badly of me, but at least she knows I’m here to be the best employee I can for her. “Piper is a really good bartender. She stays ahead of the line better than anybody else.” Sure, she talks more and might be a little more easily distracted, but Piper can fill drink orders faster than anyone I have ever seen, so it all balances out.
“You’re right, which is why I’m going to do some schedule shifting. I’m thinking the two of you are going to be my new Saturday night crew.” Stella lifts a brow at me. “If that’s okay with you.”
I nod. “Sure. It’s fine.” It’s better than fine if Piper is right and the tips are normally even better than what I earned this past Saturday. I’m still a little concerned I’ll end up having to pay Rodney the price we agreed on, so every bit of money I can bring in will help.
“Awesome.” Stella turns away from me, typing on her keyboard. “The new schedule should be up next week, so you’ll finish out what’s left of your regular hours and then move to your new schedule when it posts.”
“Okay.” I sit there a second longer, not recognizing I’ve been essentially dismissed. When Stella doesn’t say anything else, I realize our meeting is over and stand up, feeling awkward as I silently retreat to the employee room.
Sliding my purse into my locker, I pull a freshly laundered apron from the hook inside the door and tie it around my waist as I make my way out onto the main floor, gearing myself up for a day full of fake smiles and distracted conversations. Normally I don’t mind it. I know better than most people how to fake a smile and feign interest, but right now I’m struggling to follow my own train of thought, let alone someone else’s.
