I blew a raspberry. It seemed more appropriate than any word I could come up with.
“Hello, Petra,” Damien said. He was wearing an expensive jogging outfit, complete with a fashionable logo and reflective stripes down the legs. I didn’t know if he had already been out or if he was planning to go out. He sat at the breakfast table with a tablet, reading something that was probably sports related.
“Hey, Petra,” Kent said. He sat on the couch, watching stock figures on TV. He was naked from the waist up, wearing only pajama bottoms.
I guessed it was a sleep-in day for the household. No one seemed remotely interested in work. I didn’t see Sean, but he was probably around somewhere. I heard the shower running and decided that was probably him, getting ready for whatever the quartet had planned.
“We have some pancakes,” Damien said, gesturing toward a half-eaten stack.
“They’re not as good as your pastries,” Meara allowed.
“Hey,” Kent objected. “I may not be a professional, but the pancakes are damned good.”
“No one’s saying your pancakes aren’t good,” Damien called.
There was a dividing wall between them, and though I could see them both from my vantage point, they were yelling at each other blind. I had to laugh. Meara was so lucky. Not only had she found love, but she’d found it with three wonderful guys instead of one. I could only hope that someday I might find someone who complemented me as well as the three of them complemented my friend. I didn’t even dare hope for a similar arrangement.
“We’re going to see a game tonight,” Meara said happily. “Why don’t you join us?”
“I can’t,” I sighed, accepting the cup of coffee from Meara and taking a seat at the table. “I have to work the afternoon shift, and after that I’m gonna be too tired to do anything else.”
“Why do you let him run you ragged?” Meara asked, sitting down beside me.
“What choice do I have?” I complained. “I need the job.”
“If you want, I could help you look for a new one,” Damien offered.
I glanced up at him, feeling grateful that someone was taking my side. I realized that the stress of dealing with Chad was getting to me. He was blind to the things I thought were important and laser focused on meaningless shit. I said as much to Meara and Damien, and Kent must have heard me from the living room.
“Dump the guy!” he shouted.
“I agree,” Meara said. “You’re too valuable an asset. He doesn’t see that. It’s time for you to move on.”
“I will,” I promised. “I just don’t have time to job hunt right now.”
“Your next day off, come see me,” Damien said. “We’ll workshop your resume and your social media.”
“I don’t need social media,” I told him.
“You do,” he corrected me. “It’s important. All employers look their prospective employees up nowadays.”
I looked at Meara for confirmation. She nodded unapologetically. “It’s true.”
I sighed. One of the things I hated about being in business for myself was social media. It seemed like people expected me to be posting things every day. But I was running a bakery. When would I have time to take pictures of my pastries and upload them? I couldn’t be bothered to come up with cute phrases or contests to try to woo people into the store. I figured if they liked the things I baked, then they would come back. It was simple.
I spent a few hours with Meara and her guys. Sean came out of the shower wearing a towel. No one seemed the least bit uncomfortable, and I had to remind myself that the men were probably used to it by now. I stared down into my coffee, feeling my cheeks flush.
Sean walked over to kiss Meara on the top of her head. He offered me a hand to shake, and I took it awkwardly. He finally got the message and went to put some pants on. I felt bad for making him get dressed in his own home, but I wasn’t part of the group.
Eventually, it was time for me to go back to work. I thanked Damien for the offer of assistance and gave Meara a hug. Leaving her alone with her three handsome boyfriends, I took a cab back to the bakery.
I was just in time to relieve the front counter worker at the end of her shift. She took off her apron and handed it over. I went in the back to retrieve the shirt Chad had given me. Pulling it on, I took a look at myself in the mirror. I still looked tired. It was fast becoming my signature look, and I didn’t like it.
Walking back to the lobby, I put the apron on and took my spot behind the cash register. A few customers came in, purchasing bagels and donuts. The coffee dried up for the day. If anyone ordered more of it, I would have to make another carafe. It wasn’t a big item in the afternoon, so I wasn’t worried.
At about four, an hour before I got off for the day, my brother and my mom came in. I brightened up considerably. Having an unannounced visit from people I loved was just the thing. I scooted out from behind the counter to give them each a hug.
One of my new regulars was with them, the guy from the investment firm down the street. He had been flirting with me all week, and I wasn’t averse to his charms. I wasn’t exactly looking for a relationship, but he seemed nice. And he was cute. That fact alone was enough to get my heart racing.