And just like that, I was unemployed.
I sigh and let myself sit in my truck even after I’ve parked by the loft and turned it off. The windows are down and a cool summer breeze sweeps through.
I don’t know what the fuck to do.
I had skill, I’d taken night classes in college and gotten my business degree. But if I had known how useless that would be now, I would have saved myself the time and money.
Nobody cared if you had a business degree.
Manual labor was something I was good at and I loved it. Not many people did, but I felt more accomplished at the end of a long day.
However, on the way home and out of sheer desperation, I picked up an application at the bar and grill down the street. We didn’t go there much, but it was within walking distance and there was a help wanted sign on the door.
So here I sat, in my truck after being laid off, filling out a restaurant bus boy application like I was six-fucking-teen again.
“Knock knock.” I jump at the sound of a woman’s voice outside my window and bang my knee on the steering wheel. I’d been reclined in my chair, so I quickly raise it up and look out to find Viv peering in, her eyes wide with amusement and glee.
“Hey there, Archie, avoiding the guys?” She gestures to the truck and I smile.
My day automatically got better just from her presence. “Yeah, they can be a bit much right after work.”
She nods knowingly. “Well, you’re welcome at my place if you need a safe space. I’m always up for company.”
My eyes widen slightly at the invitation, and I open my mouth to reply.
“I mean.” She waves her hand and says, “Not likecompanycompany. Like, you know, company.” She snaps her fingers and taps her forehead, and I watch with confused amusement while she searches for her words.
Do I make her… nervous?
I’ve never seen Viv anything other than confident.
“Like.” She shrugs and sighs. “Like friends.”
Yuck. Friends. I don’t want to be her friend.
I mean, I did, of course. I wanted to be her best fucking friend. I wanted to be the one person in the world she couldn’t live without. I wanted to be her everything.
But… okay. I’ll settle for now.
“You coming to Mom’s tonight?” Viv changes the subject before I can say anything and I smile. Rambling Viv is still sexy.
“Mom’s? I don’t think I was aware of anything tonight.” It’s actually been a long time since I’d been over to visit Viv and Enzo’s family. Mostly because I feel weird going over there without Enzo, and he works most nights.
“No?” She cocks her head. “Well, you are now. You have to come with us.” Her eyes sparkle with glee, and she says, “You remember Nora Miller?”
I frown and think about it, the name familiar. “I don’t know.”
“Yeah, you do,” she says confidently. “She was our neighbor down the street. She and Enzo hated each other because they each thought the other was a know-it-all.”
“Oh, right. She was a redhead, right?” I reply, the pieces clicking together.
“Exactly!” She leans on my door, her head basically in my truck, and a whiff of her perfume hits me and the urge to pull her all the way into the truck and onto my lap so she can tell me her story while straddling me is caveman strong.
Get a fucking grip, Arch.
“She’s going to be there tonight! But don’t tell Enzo or he’ll never come.” She giggles, and the sound is too fucking cute.
I snort. “Oh wow, yeah, he won’t like that.”