LULU
I know enough about angry men to know when to keep my mouth shut. Clearly I shouldn't have said anything about the way he was treating Kevin and Jeremy. Nobody should shout at their friends, though. If I had friends, I wouldn't want them to yell at me. Now Preston's ire is turned on me, although I guess it already was.
I'm not quite sure what I did wrong but the three of them were sure acting like I did something bad. Well, to be fair, Kevin and Jeremy looked at Preston the same way.
I really don't know what's going on but I keep my lips tightly sealed the entire walk back to Preston's cabin. He grumbles under his breath every few strides and if I weren't worried about what happens next, I might giggle.
"If I set you down are you going to be okay?"
I fight not to raise a sassy brow at him as he closes his front door behind us. "Um, yeah. I'm fine," I murmur and wiggle to get down.
He releases me with a glower and mutters something about me not being fine.
"What—"
"You'll sit here for a second," he demands gruffly, guiding me to the cozy-looking couch and nudging me onto my butt.
He cut me off and I have to sit here like a dog. I may usually be teetering on the edge of Little space, but I'm a bit too out of sorts to just happily go along with his bossiness.
At least he doesn't push me around or lock me away like father used to. There are many differences between the situations but that doesn't make me feel much better about Preston's grouchiness.
When he comes back with a glass of water and apple slices in a bowl I blurt out the one thing that will make or break me. "What did I do wrong?"
Unfortunately I can't just ask it like a normal woman would. My bottom lip trembles and I'm plucking at the dirty fringes on my jeans wishing I had Binks to comfort me.
A heavy sigh drags Preston down to sit on the coffee table in front of me. His eyes are intense as he studies me and my posture. "Youdidn't do anything wrong, baby. I should have made the job more clear."
My heart drops and I swear my stomach gets swallowed up into a black hole. Is he saying what I think he's saying? "Oh. Am I fired?"
"What? Absolutely not," he denies, sounding shocked and annoyed.
"Sorry," I whisper and have the sudden desire to be hugged. Gosh, why does everything have to feel so difficult all the time? I can't read any social situation correctly. I've been thinking about how awkward I'll be when this place opens, I bet I'll get fired then for not being good with guests.
Cursing under his breath, Preston hands me the glass of water and picks up an apple slice. "There's nothing for you to be sorry about. I just need to create some rules and expectations, okay? Everyone has a schedule which is meant to ensureeveryone is rested, doesn't burn out, and has something outside of work."
"I don't have anything else..." I whisper and drop my head.
The tension ramps up in the room and my eyes begin to burn. Preston lifts my chin and I watch his Adam’s apple bob. "We'll come back to that, baby girl. But you are to only work between nine in the morning to five at night. If you're too tired or are tapped out, your position allows you to leave early."
"I don't want to leave early." I really don't. My stomach roils with nausea. Gosh, I hate spending time at the empty house where my mother died. Where I should have had all these beautiful memories and a loving childhood.
All that's there for me are the scars in the floorboards where my nails tried to keep me in place while father dragged me across the room. The door to the basement mocks me every time I lose the battle and glance at it. I don't know what's down there anymore and there could be nothing but I'mterrified.
I can't sleep. I can't eat and that's not only because I refuse to spend my mother's money. I just have no appetite in the home where everythinghurt.
Preston looks ready to drag all my deepest darkest secrets from me, but I don't shy away. I mean I won't tell him anything, but he can look. I've already said too much but I'd rather be a little vulnerable andnotbe forced to go home, than just nod sadly and be miserable for even longer during my days.
"Well that's good news then, Lulu," he cheers softly with a small smile. "Because I'm also off at five and wondered if you would like to come spend time with me in the evenings before you leave. I start at eight, but if you'd like to come relax here and have a coffee before nine, you are more than welcome."
That sounds like an awful lot of time spent with this handsome man. I'm not sure I would survive so much free time with him.
"Or, we can play it by ear and I'll just keep asking you for dates," he amends with a cheeky grin and fire in his eyes.
Startled by the mere suggestion that he would ever want to date me, I pull back. I know my eyes are wide and judging by the sad chuckle and shake of his head, I know Preston has some more words to say to me.
"Little girl. Did you not realize this play date tonight is adate?"
"B-but why?!" I cry, hoping he's not playing a mean trick.
