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My stomach growled. I didn’t have time to grab lunch between dropping the girls at the airport and the argument with my sister. I wondered if Sarah would hate me too much if I stopped at Lettuce Eat before I went in. Sarah Jones was the owner of the massage parlor where I worked, Knead to Relax. Thankfully, she was really laid back.
I pulled my phone out and texted to ask whether she wanted me to grab her something. Her reply was an instant yes. Apparently, she’d missed lunch too. My shift normally started at noon, but I had talked to Sarah about coming in later today, knowing I had to see my friends off.
I changed direction and walked into the adorable little wrap and salad shop, Lettuce Eat. It was empty except for Faith, who worked behind the counter.
“Hey, Kat, what can I get you today?”
“I’ll take my usual, and can you add Sarah’s on there too?”
We came here often since it was only a few doors down. Faith worked from open to close most days, except when she had school. Her uncle, Tommy Davis, owned the place.
It was one of the most popular stops for lunch in town and one of the first places Mindy and Rebecca had showed me. They loved the artsy vibe of the store, with the chalkboard menu and cozy seating in the back.
I liked the food. Tommy and his two brothers owned a large farm next to our friend Frank’s. Everything on the menu at Lettuce Eat was organic and grown right on Tommy’s farm. The meals were delicious and filling.
“All set,” Faith said, handing me two paper bags with their logo on them. I handed her my card.
While she rang me up, I grabbed two bags of chips and tossed them in the bag, then walked over and grabbed water for myself and a pop for Sarah from the cooler at the end of the counter. This place reminded me of the sub places in New York, and that may have been why I liked it so much.
After paying and thanking Faith, I walked the short distance to work. The chime over the door at Knead to Relax sounded so quietly I could hardly hear it when I entered. Sarah wasn’t at the front desk, so I walked down the dark hallway toward the break room. I set our food on the table and went to my locker to get ready. I grabbed my shirt and apron and laid them on the nearby table.
“You’re late,” Sarah said, coming into the break room. She was smiling, though. I tossed my apron at her and stuck out my tongue.
I turned back to my locker and stripped off my shirt, pulling the hunter green polo I’d left here by mistake over my head. “Yours is on the left. I got you jalapeño chips.” I smiled to myself as I waited for her reaction. She hated spicy food.
“Jerk,” she said, tossing my apron back at me.
I’d just turned around, so I caught it easily. After tying the apron around my waist, I pinned my nametag on my shirt opposite the logo, then took a seat at the table. Sarah was only a few years older than me and an awesome boss. She didn’t get angry with me when I was late or if I messed up. She was quickly becoming a close friend.
“Thanks for grabbing this,” she said around a mouthful of lettuce wrap. Her eyes slid closed while she chewed.
“You’re welcome. Thanks for letting me come in late. I got into a fight with Rebecca after I dropped my friends off at the airport, and I forgot to make something for lunch.”
She swallowed a bite and looked at me. “Uh-oh. What was it this time?”
“Same old garbage. My mom called, and I didn’t care, so she got mad. It escalated from there.”
“One of these days, you’re going to tell me more about your life so I understand why the two of you argue so much,” she said, wiping her mouth. She wrapped up her food and stood. “Your first client is in ten minutes. Tom Tracy called and asked for you, but I told him you weren’t in today. You’re welcome.”
I rolled my eyes. “That man, I swear.”
She laughed. “He’s something, that’s for sure. If he wasn’t a longtime resident here, I’d think he was some creepy old guy.”
“You mean he’s not?”
She tossed a napkin at me. “Stop. He’s harmless.”
“I know, but he still creeps me out.”
“Yeah, he can be a bit much. I’m going to finish my lunch at my desk. I have some things I have to finish up before I go. Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks,” I said. I inhaled my lunch and went to the room I always used, getting it ready for my first client.
Shortly after I leased the apartment for Alessandro, I realized I needed more money, so I switched gears in school and got my massage therapy license. During the day, I worked as a nanny for an adorable family that lived just outside the city. In the evening and on the weekends, I worked as a massage therapist, and I occasionally picked up a few bartending shifts at a club if I had a spare minute.
I liked the hard work, and making money felt good. I’d been blessed with the ability to run on very little sleep, and that worked to my advantage.
When I first arrived in Oak Springs, I felt lost. But after a week here, I felt relaxed and knew this was where I wanted to rest and rebuild.
