“No.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m looking for a second job.” She was let go from the garage as it had closed down unexpectedly. There had been no warning, and it was a pretty busy place. She didn’t even get a phone call.
Bell had arrived at work to find metal gates fencing itoff. She had to go to use her cell to call her manager, where he bumbled about leaving her messages and crap.
No one had left her messages.
“You need a job?”
“Yep. My glorious job as a waitress only pays half of what I need to live my glamorous lifestyle.” She sighed. Rent had also gone up, but she didn’t need to tell him all the details of where her life had sucked in a matter of five days.
If she believed in superstitions, there was a chance she might think she and Tank were cursed. But she didn’t.
“Where have you applied?” Tank asked.
“Let’s see, the grocery store, the DIY store, the pet store, a strip club.”
“What?”
“I’m kidding. I’m kidding.” No, she wasn’t kidding, but they wanted girls to strip, not someone waitressing, so that was a no for her. “Well, I’m kind of kidding.” She hated the thought of lying to Tank, so she told him the truth.
He started to chuckle.
“Hey, that’s not fair, you know. Laughing at me is not funny.”
“It is a little funny.”
“No, it’s not.” She shook her head. “The guy at the strip club said if I ever changed my mind, he’d be more than happy to have me.”
“Not happening.”
“Tank, you’re not the boss of me.” It was nice that he didn’t want her stripping for other men, but she refused to read more into it than necessary.
There was a chance that once he had his Bell fix, he’d be done with her, and well, she’d go back to feeling miserable and alone. Not a pretty picture.
“Did no one want you?”
“I’m waiting to hear back from the pet store. The grocery store was a no. They had their reasons.” It was a smallish town. They felt her mother was a bad image, and if she worked in a store that sold alcohol, it would bring her mother around, which only led to trouble. A stupid reason, but she also couldn’t deny it.
When her mother wanted something, she often went out of her way to get it. Even though she hadn’t seen her mother for quite some time, she had to wonder if a visit was going to happen soon, where she’d beg for money. It was the same dance time and time again.
Bell didn’t have any cash this time. She was struggling to make ends meet. It had been a bad couple of days in her world. All she could hope for was that she got the job at the pet store and it helped to make ends meet, otherwise, she might not even be able to make rent at the end of the month.
Chapter Four
As soon as church was out, Tank was in the office doing paperwork. He liked to make sure all his meeting notes were legible, and it was time to go over his weekly invoices, anyway. He took his job at the club seriously. It was his life.
Righteous came in. “Club secretary hard at work.”
“Fuck off unless you need something.” Tank didn’t look up from his figures or he’d lose count on which line he was adding up. He’d been putting off his duties for too long because of his obsession with Bell. Their friendship agreement made last week meant she was still in his life, so he didn’t drive himself crazy worrying about her. But it also limited anything romantic between them—as it should. He’d been trying to convince himself that this was the best of both worlds. Only it wasn’t.
He wanted to make her life better. She was struggling, and it tore him apart. Friends could help friends, right? It wouldn’t be crossing a line.
“Well?” Righteous was sitting on the edge of his desk.
“Huh?”
“Did you hear a word I’ve said?”
Tank had zoned out as he often did now thanks to the girl with the big green eyes. “I told you I’m busy. What is it?”