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He grinned, his eyes lighting up. Then he moved to a locked cabinet, spinning the combination lock. After opening it, he grabbed something, tossing two tee shirts in my direction. “I love your chutzpa and I can see why Maverick adores you. When can you start?”
“Anytime. Now, if I had on jeans.” I managed to laugh easily, thankful that at least I’d be making some money, maybe able to get out of the hole in the wall motel sooner versus later.
“I tell you what. Why don’t you shadow the bartender and some of the waitstaff for a couple hours. Then I’ll buy you dinner and a couple drinks of your choice on the house. You need to taste the food as well.”
It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. Besides, I didn’t want to go back to the motel to spend another night alone. “It’s a deal.”
“Why don’t you go ahead and change shirts,” he offered, grinning afterward. “That way you’ll fit right in. We’ll deal with all the paperwork later.”
When I swallowed hard, he seemed to notice my discomfort.
“Is there something you need to tell me, Lily?” When I hesitated, he came closer, easing onto the edge of his desk. “Look, I’ve been in tough spots before. Okay? I know all about trying to find a new life. But it’s best if you tell me what’s going on so I can help you if possible.”
Could I trust this man? I wasn’t certain but if I didn’t, I’d be out of a job before I started. “No one can know I’m here or who I am.”
He lifted a single eyebrow, waiting for a few seconds to see if I’d continue. “Okay. I’m not in the habit of giving out personal information anyway. You’re not an escaped criminal, are you?”
At least I could laugh. If only it were that easy. “Not by a long shot. I haven’t even had a parking ticket.”
Scorpion nodded several times. “Alright then. Your business is your business. Just don’t make it mine and we’ll get along just fine.”
Relief flooded my mind, even if I remained anxious. “Don’t worry. I’m a private person.”
“Then get to work and welcome aboard. Oh, and I’ll pay you for tonight, but in cash. At least until we get everything set up. That okay with you?”
The man was a godsend.
* * *
I don’t know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t to feel comfortable in the environment after only thirty minutes. As soon as the female bartender knew I was a new employee, she changed her tune, becoming helpful, including pointing out which regular customers would give me heartburn. While not all of the waitresses welcomed me with open arms, I was able to hold my own against their sneering glares.
This wasn’t what I’d expected out of my life, but I had a job and from what I could tell, one where I’d earn decent money. For now, it was good enough. The band was about ready to start and I was shocked at who was playing in the place. They were a hot commodity, winning a Grammy a couple of years back. Everyone in the crowd of now hundreds seemed excited.
Then time started to fly, some of the waitresses allowing me to run food orders out to the tables. Within three hours, I was exhausted, more so than I’d expected. But I felt good about myself for the first time in as long as I could remember.
I noticed Scorpion out of the corner of my eye, his grin as wide as before. As he approached, he was interrupted by several customers, two of them shaking his hand. When he finally made it to where I was standing, he took a few seconds to watch the band. “What do you think?”
“It’s nothing like I expected.”
“I get that a lot. It’s a work in progress,” he told me.
“You should be happy. It’s amazing.” I was genuinely excited, the tone of my voice entirely different.
“Why don’t you take a load off and grab a drink. Order anything you want and as I said, it’s on the house.”
“You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”
“Here’s your earnings for the night.”
When he handed me a wad of cash, I was floored. I’d never even asked how much I’d be making, although I assumed most would be in tips, and I hadn’t made any. There had to be two hundred dollars in twenty-dollar bills. “Wait a minute. I didn’t earn this.”
“You’d be surprised how much money folks earn around here. That is if they hustle. You helped a few gals do that and they offered up a portion of their tips in return. Plus, I do pay a pretty decent hourly wage.”
I wasn’t the kind of girl to cry over everything, including sappy movies, but a mist formed over my eyes, and it was the second time in a couple of days I was terribly embarrassed. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. There’s more where that came from.”
Whether he was trying to help out a waif who landed on his doorstep or telling me the truth, I wasn’t going to shove it back in his face. But from now on, I’d earn my place in this world.
