Page 2 of The Cost of Love

Laughter bubbles in my mouth as I shake my head. “You know you need this job,” I say, making sure I grab more bruschetta than anything else.

“No, you need this job with your eight kids. I’m just looking for my next sugar daddy.” She reapplies her red lipstick to further drive this point home. The shade is perfect against her sand-colored skin.

“You mean my three siblings?” I tuck a stray brown strand back into my mandatory bun, while she uses her empty tray as a mirror to check that her bangs and eye makeup still look good.

“Yeah, whatever. You are the one raising them, so it doesn’t matter what you call them at this point.”

Single mum or single sister is the same thing these days.

“Come on, Jessie.” I push back out there, ready to make a few more rounds before they sit down for dinner.

Every once in a while, the hair on the back of my neck stands up as I work my way around. When it is finally time for them to move to the dining room, the feeling stops, allowing me to fully focus on my job.

As we serve the first four courses of the meal, Jessie is flirting her ass off. While every woman is dressed to be the main attraction, you can tell in many of the men’s eyes that she stole the show. Deserving of the attention, I leave her to her devices and go back into the kitchen to wait for dessert.

Once I put the empty tray down, I fight to take a big breath in my restrictive clothing. The vest fights to stay together on my body, my full frame stretching it to its limits. Having gotten the biggest size they carry, it’s still too small for my plus-size body, and the restriction is making it hard to breathe.

“Are you okay?”

I turn at the sound of his voice, the same one from earlier, ringing out into the busy kitchen.

Alexander.

He is standing next to the door, hands in his pockets, looking at me.

“Do you need something, sir?” My posture stiffens, eyes lifting to look into his.

“No.” He smirks.

I hesitantly smile back, letting the gap in my front teeth show. “Okay then, are you lost?” I cross my arms.

“I just need someplace to hide out. It’s getting to be a little too much in there.” He takes a step closer, inviting me into a conversation I don’t know if I want to have. His fingers trail through his blonde hair, messing up the perfectly sleeked look a little.

“I can only imagine.”

“Yes, I guess you could. If it makes you feel better, you aren’t missing out on anything.” Taking a few more steps, he is suddenly in reach of me.

“I don’t know. The food, at the very least, is good. Plus, it might be nice to dress up.” Not that I have ever done so. I didn’t even go to prom in year eleven or year thirteen.

“Well, if that is the case, you can be my date to the next one.” He looks at me like he means the words. He doesn’t, though. Couldn’t possibly.

“Mhm.” I stop my eyes from rolling, but I can’t help my raised eyebrows or twisted mouth.

“I mean it. Let me get your number.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket.

I try to hide my gaping as I look away from him.

He can’t be serious? This must be some sort of joke. I don’t think I’m ugly or anything, but I’m definitely not the type of girl who gets asked out while wearing a uniform.

I put my hands on my hips and tilt my head to the side. “Why?” I ask.

“Why what?”

“Why are you asking me out?”

“Do I need a reason?” His eyes bore into mine.

“No, but I have a right to question it.” My customer service voice has gone out the window, and it is now all sass and low tones. The gap in our wealth is showing in the cadence of my words. I fight with myself not to scowl at this man who can look down on me literally and metaphorically.