“Good morning, dear,” my elderly neighbor, Mrs. Woodside, says with a smile as she fumbles with her keys. “How are you?”
“I’m good, thanks,” I say with a cheerful smile. She has always been kind to me. “Do you need some help?”
Just as I ask the question, she manages to get the key in the lock and get it turned. “There we go,” she says as I hear her cat begin to meow, happy that she’s home. I hear that cat a lot, but it doesn’t bother me. It’s kind of nice having someone like her next door, someone who cares about other people so much. She even brought me cookies once.
I start to walk past her when she asks, “Did you hear about the new landlord, dearie?”
I pause and look at her for a moment. I don’t want to say too much, but she looks concerned, maybe even a little sad. “I’ve heard some rumors,” I tell her with a shrug. A lot of what I’ve heard around here has come from her talking to Mr. Banks out here in the hall. He lives across from her.
“Well, I’ve heard he’s going to tear all of this down and put in some high rise like Silver Towers.” She sighs and picks up her kitty, Mr. Whiskers, petting the orange cat on the head.
“Oh?” I don’t know what to say.
“Yes, well, there’s no way I can afford something like that on my income. I suppose I’ll have to start looking for another place.” She sighs and looks down at the floor, shaking her head.
“I wouldn’t worry about it just yet, Mrs. Woodside,” I say, keeping my tone upbeat. “From what I’ve heard, the new landlord is a good guy. I bet he’ll help you out.” I hope I’m not overstepping, but I bet Hunter won’t turn out an old woman on a fixed income. For that matter, if what she’s saying is true, I may have to do some negotiating for myself.
He wouldn’t turnmeout, would he?
She smiles. “I hope you’re right, dear. You have a blessed day.”
“You, too,” I say and head on my way, thinking I need to speak to my new landlord on her behalf. Perhaps, if the conversation about paint colors goes well, I can mention it.
I drive over to Club Limelight and decide to knock on the front door, rather than going in the back. I can hear people inside, so I know that the crew is getting the place ready to open in a few hours.
The guy who opens the door is one I recognize from the room the night of “the incident,” but I don’t know his name. “Hey,” he says, like he’s seen me before but doesn’t know exactly who I am. I think he mostly works the dayshift.
“Hi! I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m looking for Hunter. Is he here?” I ask with a hopeful tone in my voice.
He stares me up and down, and for a minute, I think he might just slam the door in my face. But then he asks, “You work here, right?”
I nod. “That’s right. I’m a waitress.” I start to tell him my name, but he turns around quickly and beckons me in before shutting and locking the door behind us.
“Just a minute,” he says and heads back toward the bar, leaving me standing there, a bit lost. I see a few people, but I don’t know any of them.
Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I shouldn’t be here. For the first time in a while, Club Limelight doesn’t feel like home, and I’m seriously considering turning around and running right back out the way I came.
CHAPTER9
HUNTER
The financials for the renovations I need to make to the new apartment complex I have acquired look solid. I go over them a couple of more times before putting a pin in them. I want to make sure that we can create an upscale complex, but it’s also important to me not to drive out the current renters. I’ll need to make sure that the current residents have access to affordable units while I expand to bring in new clientele who can afford higher rates.
This is something I always consider when I buy a new property, but in this case, I’m especially thinking of Meg. I know about how much she makes here a week, including her tips, and it’s a lot. But she’s new, and she might not have had much saved up. I don’t want to put her out of a home while I’m trying to help her.
Just the thought of her has me closing my eyes and imagining her beautiful face. A tightening in my pants jars me back to reality. She’s off limits, and my brain knows that, but my dick seems to keep forgetting. I’d managed to give her a wide berth this week, since I “accidentally” kissed her when I dropped her off last weekend, but every day, it gets harder and harder.
And I don’t just mean the task of pretending like I’m not interested in her, as my twitching cock reminds me. With a sigh, I try to put myself back in work mode. I have a lot to do. That’s nothing unusual; I always have a lot to do.
A knock on my open office door has my head turning away from my work once more. Omar is standing there, a slightly confused expression on his face. “What’s up?” I ask, rubbing my hands together as my mind makes the transition from math to whatever his concern is.
“Boss, there’s some girl here asking for you,” he says. “I think I’ve seen her before. She looks familiar…but I don’t know.”
“Some girl?” I repeat. He nods, so I say, “Send her in.” Anyone who would come here this time of day asking for me must be someone I’m familiar with.
Omar gives me a head bob and then melts into the hallway. I try looking at the spreadsheet I have open again while I wait, but only a moment later, I hear a familiar voice as Meg breezes into the room.
“Can I paint?” She stops about two feet in front of the door, like she’s not sure she should be here, like something is bothering her.