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Ah crap, maybe she’s already figured out she’s working more hours than I usually schedule.
“I wasn’t sure what to put down for salary, so I snooped through some of your old files to see what you previously paid and then scaled down a little from there.”
I flip my blinker for the next turn and wait for the traffic. “You didn’t have to do that.” I see an opening and pull out before continuing. “I would have paid you the same.” I breathe a little easier.
“But you shouldn’t.” She sounds indignant, and I’m not sure why.
“How come? You’ll be doing the same job.”
“I have no idea what I’m doing, and you said your old manager was with you for almost a decade. Didn’t you ever give her a raise?”
Thinking back on it, I hadn’t, but we’d had a bonus arrangement that helped us both.
“Alright, I’ll accept that. How much did you put?”
She names an hourly rate lower than I expected, but I don’t want to push too hard on it right now. I’ll bring up raising it in a month or two if I can figure out a way to swing it.
The thought of her still being here in September makes me feel excited for the first time in a long time. I know I’m technically her boss, but after spending so much time with her these last few days, it’s getting easier and easier to imagine that we could be more. I’m definitely attracted to her, and my heart is whispering that it doesn’t want us to ever let her go.
After we settle the wage issue, we drive in silence. Strong evening light slants in, filling the interior of the truck with its brightness. Nore’s skin flushes pink as it gets warmer, and the light plays with her hair, pulling out all the little highlights. If I wasn’t driving, I could just sit and stare at her, like a kid with one of those kaleidoscope toys.
As we pass through Egg Harbor and get closer to her house, I break the companionable silence. “You good?” I’m hoping her quietness has more to do with being tired than overwhelmed. “Today wasn’t too stressful, was it?”
She lifts her head from where it rested on the headrest and smiles. “Yeah. I’m good. My brain’s a little blitzed, though, so let’s not try to add too much more tomorrow, okay?”
“I think you’ve got it.” I smile, and she watches me with a slightly stunned look.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you earlier. I called your warranty company this afternoon. Looks like everything should be covered.”
“No way.” She half shouts and pops up like she got zapped by electricity. “That’s great news.”
I nod and turn onto her road.
“Thank you for figuring that out for me.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“That’s not something I think I can help.”
She sounds resigned and a little lost, and I’d like nothing more than to help her escape from that thought for a little while.
As I keep reminding myself, I’m her boss. I’ve known her for two days, and I don’t have that right yet.
Pulling into her drive, I park the car and jump out to help her down. I can’t resist resting my hands on her sides, but I move to let her go after her feet touch down. To my surprise, she leans into me, hands resting on my shoulders. I don’t even think she knows she’s doing it because the moment passes so quickly. I make sure she’s steady on her feet before letting her go.
“Try to get some rest again tonight.”
She nods. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
