Page 14 of Falling for Nicole
“He fucking showered me, Lills. Like,saw me nakedshowered me.”
“That’s what he told you?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s a lying shit, Nic. He may have put you in the shower but I was the one to sort you out. Mind you, if I didn’t turn up I’m pretty sure he would have done it. He was weirdly protective of you.”
I stare at Lilly as I try to process what she’s just said. She must be mistaken because Declan would never be protective of me…Although, I can’t lie, I’m shocked that he was the one who stopped me making a fool out of myself last night.
I spend what’s left of the morning soothing my muscles and trying to rid myself of last night’s embarrassment surrounded by a million bubbles.
I’m thankful that by the time I’m due to start my first shift at View Point, my hangover has almost gone. Sadly, neither the place nor the patrons have had a make over since I was there the day before, and I feel on edge from the moment I step foot in the place.
* * *
I’ve had a few jobs in my life but I can say hands down that was my worst first day ever. They weren’t joking when they said they were short staffed. My induction lasted all of five minutes before I was expected to know everything about not only the bar but also the guest house. The woman who’d interviewed me was nowhere to be seen. Instead, I spent the night working with the owner. Well, I say working with, but he spent most of the night locked away in his office. There was aKeep Outsign on his door, which I presumed was there just as much for the employees as it was the customers. When he did show his face it was clear he wasn’t impressed with my appointment. Not only was I too young, but I was also too female for him. Deciding I was better than an ageing, bald man with a protruding belly and a bad attitude, I sucked it up and got on with my job, telling myself that as soon as something better came along, I’d be out of there.
Every patron leered at me, and the offers I’d received had me wanting to leave and never return after only an hour behind the bar. I soon realised why I was offered the job so quickly; I don’t think they had their pick of interested employees.
By the time I left later that night, I was utterly exhausted and not looking forward to returning the next afternoon. The walk to my car had me even more on edge; it was pitch black with just the noise of the trees ahead filling my ears. The guest house sat on its own, totally secluded. Anything could happen out here and no one would know.
Lilly took one look at my face and disappeared off to the kitchen. The next time I saw her she was knocking on my door and poking her head around, saying she’d brought hot chocolate to make it all better.
She tried to convince me to jack it in after listening to my nightmare of a first shift, but there was no way I was throwing away a paying job—not yet, anyway. Yeah, the place gave me the willies, but it could just be my own fear taking over. It might all be fine once I’ve settled in a bit.
I laid in bed staring at the ceiling long after the sun had gone down, running the events of my short few days down here around in my head. I thought it was going to be quiet and peaceful, but I’m yet to experience much of that. Between bumping into and ogling Dec on the beach that first morning to dancing on his dining table and my new bellend boss, it’s been nothing but drama. To be fair though, it’s definitely taking my mind off everything I left behind. I lift my arm up and fiddle with my charm bracelet. I guarantee she’s up there now, looking down at me and laughing. I eventually fall asleep with a smile on my face as I think about what she’d say about all this.
