“Thanks,” I say over my shoulder as I head down the stairs. She knows I’m a waitress, and that’s all she needs to know. I’m not sure she’d approve of me working at a club, and I know she wouldn’t understand if I told her about what Hunter does.
I drop the money from my tips off at the bank and gawk at the receipt for a good ten minutes as I decide I can afford a fancy restaurant. Really, I’m making more money at Club Limelight than I ever would’ve thought imaginable, and while I am tempted to stop and buy myself another dress, I know I need to save up.
I need a new car, I am reminded every time I get in the Gremlin, as I’ve begun calling it, thanks to Hunter, and I need a new apartment eventually, too. I don’t want to stay in this place forever unless Hunter does something really spectacular with it.
My tips are good for a nice steak dinner, though. By the time I’m done, I decide to head over to work a little early because I’ve got nothing better to do.
I park and stroll inside, listening to the thumping sound of the beat on the dance floor through the walls. Audio Anarchy is really on fire tonight. From the looks of the parking lots around the club, it’s pretty busy. I hope that’s good for another few hundred bucks in tips.
The back area where the employees get ready or hang out before and after shifts is busy. I see Mia and wave at her. She’s talking to Allie, who turns around and sees me then, too.
Sadie is literally dancing by as she exits the restroom. I put my bag away and turn to talk to her, but out of nowhere, Hunter is there, too, and I almost collide with him.
“Why are you always popping up out of nowhere?” I ask.
He doesn’t say anything, and I can’t read his expression. His lips are pressed together in a thin line, and he’s not quite meeting my gaze. I begin to panic, wondering if I did something wrong. Maybe he’s going to fire me…
“Here.”
He shoves a box at me, and I’m so caught off guard, it doesn’t quite land in my hands. It gets bumped up into the air, and we both grapple for it as it’s falling to the ground. Hunter catches it before it makes contact with the floor.
“Wow, bossman,” Carter says, looking into the mirror hanging on the wall near the lockers as he fixes his hair—probably for the hundredth time that day. “Nice catch. You must’ve played ball in high school.”
Hunter says nothing to him, only grumbles over his shoulder, and I have to wonder what kind of ball Carter is talking about, but I’m not familiar with a lot of…ball sports, so I keep my comments to myself.
Trying again, more gently this time, Hunter hands me the red box. It’s not very big, small enough to fit in my palm, and has a white ribbon tied around it that has been slightly displaced because of the fall.
“What is this for?” I ask, my eyes darting back and forth from the box to his face and then down again.
“Well,” he begins as he looks at Sadie as if he wants her to get lost. She steps away, but only going so far as to talk to Carter behind Hunter. “I didn’t realize it was your birthday the other day. If I would’ve known, I wouldn’t have made you work that special room. Besides, I would’ve gotten you something.”
“So…this is a birthday present?” I ask.
He nods and shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Yeah. I wasn’t sure what to get you. I’m not very good at gifts.”
I don’t know what to say. I certainly wasn’t expecting him to get me a gift. “Wow,” is about all I can muster.
Pulling the white ribbon from the box, I hold on to it with one hand as I flip the lid open with the other.
It’s a necklace, a simple pendant, but the stone, which I’m assuming is a crystal of some kind, is pretty big. I take it out of the box and hold it up. “That’s so pretty!” I say as it catches the light and creates prisms. “Thank you so much, Hunter! You really didn’t have to do that.”
“Holy hell!” Sadie says, coming over. “Damn, all you got me for my birthday was a gift card!”
I am confused. Sure, it’s a nice necklace, but it’s not that big of a deal. Maybe it’s just the fact that it’s jewelry that has her practically hyperventilating. It is a little odd to get jewelry from your boss.
“Uh…like I said, I’m not good at picking out presents. Gift cards are easy. Besides, it was an expensive gift card,” Hunter says in his defense.
“Not as expensive as a diamond necklace,” Sadie says, but she’s grinning as she playfully elbows him.
“Diamond?” I repeat. My eyes dart from Sadie to Hunter and then back again. “This can’t be a diamond. It’s huge!”
“The boss doesn’t deal in cubic zirconia, new girl,” Carter says with a wink.
I turn back to Hunter, and he’s running a hand through his hair.
Carter continues, “I wish we would’ve known it was your birthday.”
“Yes!” Sadie agrees. “We could’ve had a party! We could’ve gone out to celebrate.”