“No I do not. I’m just hoping the owner gives me a full time position sooner than later. I want to impress him.”
“Oh you’ll impress them, with that body and your business sense and capabilities. What time are you working until?” Alexa asked.
“Probably four o’clock.”
“Are you staying at Cody and Brandon’s tonight?” Eve asked.
“No, I’m going to take mass transit home. I’ll park my car at the train station in White Plains and catch the train and then the bus to the club. Then I’ll change before I leave, hang out and have breakfast at the all night café and then catch the first bus back to Grand Central and come home.”
“Jesus, you’re going to be exhausted. I’m sure Cody and Brandon won’t mind you crashing at their place.” Louisa told her.
“I’m sure they wouldn’t but I’m just starting this job and I would rather wait until its full time and then have to ask them if I can crash there. At least by then I could give them some money for allowing me to stay.”
“I bet you could just allow them access to you as payment.” Eve teased.
“Very funny. We’re just friends.”
“Could be friends with benefits. Heard those two like to share.” Louisa added and winked.
“That is totally up your alley as a must do event in your love life Louisa, not in mine. Anyway, I need to get going. So wish me luck.”
“Good luck!” they said and she took a deep breath then headed out of the house with her bags.
By the time she finally arrived at work, she was only twenty minutes early and feeling tired. The bus she should have been able to take wasn’t on time and she didn’t want to risk it being a no show so she walked the eight blocks from the train station. The bouncers by the front recognized her and she showed her I.D.
“Evening Miss. Asiago. Do you need some help?” the bouncer asked her.
“No thank you, I’m fine, Murphy.” She said, after reading his I.D.
“I’m Zinc.” The other one said and reached his hand out for her to shake. She did and he gave her a wink.
She smiled and then headed inside. Lucca was there to greet her. He looked good, was wearing a nice tapered suit in navy with a white button down shirt, no tie, but didn’t need one. It was a classy, yet distinguished style, sort of European.
He looked at her from head to toes, his gaze evaluating her attire. “You look gorgeous as usual.” He kissed her cheek hello, surprising her and she pulled back.
“Sorry. Can’t resist. So what’s with the bags?” he asked and motioned for her to follow him. They headed through the bar and to the private hallway and elevator.
“It’s a change of clothes for later.” He scrunched his eyes at her as they got into the elevator. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“At the end of the shift when I need to head back home. I’ll have a bite to eat and then have to take the first bus to the train station and then home. I left my car there and then I drive another twenty minutes.”
“Jesus. That’s going to grow old quickly. I thought you had friends nearby you can stay with.”
“I do, but this is new, and only part time. I want to save that favor for if I get hired full time and need to crash all week. Then I can offer some money.”
“Smart thinking, but it’s going to be rough with a commute like what you have. Are you sure you can handle it?” he asked her and licked his lower lip, staring at her body in the dress she wore.
“Had worse arrangements for work so this should be fine.”
“I don’t know if I like this, and Griska might not either considering it will be like four thirty by the time you leave here.”
“I plan on having something to eat at the twenty-four hour café a block from here, and then taking the first train two blocks up, so it should work out fine. No need to worry. So what are we doing first?” She asked, trying to change the subject as the elevator doors opened. Of course there was a guard there.
“Annabella meet Quarters, he’s Griska’s main security when he is up here in the office. Quarters, Annabella has been hired as part time manager so it is fine if she needs to come up here for something.” He told Quarters and she gave the man a smile but he didn’t smile, he just eyed her over as if evaluating her importance and then nodded at Lucca.
She felt Lucca’s hand at her lower back. “Let’s go into the main office and I can get you set up with some keys to certain things you’ll need.” He told her.
As she set her personal items down by an empty desk that would be hers, she sat down and exhaled, her feet throbbing slightly and she was thankful to give them a rest.