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“Well, anyway, I’m not sure when my trial shift will be, but Mani said she wanted to get someone in soon, so hopefully it won’t be long. And I’ll get paid for it.”
“Good. What’re you going to do with your earnings? Are you going to buy that dress you’ve been eyeing up?”
I thought longingly about the dress I’d noticed in a shop window on the way to Deep Brew. It was a deep green dress with long sleeves and a high collar with a tiny black ribbon.
“I don’t think I’ll earn enough for that in one shift,” I told Violet.
“You’ll get the job,” she said confidently. “Don’t think of it as a trial shift. Act like you’ve already got the job.” She lowered her voice. “That’s what I had to do when I got here. Fake it ’til you make it.”
I chuckled, then noticed the guy behind the counter waving a paper bag in my direction. “I will. I have to go, Auntie. I’ve just ordered some food.”
“Of course. Go tell your demiurgus your news.” I could hear the smile in her voice. “I love you, Beryl.”
“Love you too. Speak soon.”
After hanging up, I grabbed the food and thanked the guy before leaving the restaurant. By the time I was running up our porch steps, I was bursting with the need to tell Greid. The moment I stepped inside, I dumped the bag on the console table and wriggled out of my coat.
“Greid!” I shouted, yanking my boots off. “Greid!”
I heard a crash from way above. A few seconds later, Greid was stumbling down the stairs, almost slipping on the bottom step.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” he asked frantically, yellow eyes wide as he looked me over.
I laughed. “Nothing’s wrong. I… I might have a job.”
He stared at me for a second. And then, before I knew what was happening, he’d shot forward and lifted me into his arms. My legs dangled in the air as he squeezed me tight, and without really thinking about it, I wrapped them around his waist and hugged him back hard.
“I’m so happy for you, Beryl,” he said as I tightened my arms around his neck and buried my face in his hair, eyes squeezing shut so I could savour this. God, he smelled so good. He wasn’t even wearing his tent anymore, but he was still so warm and comfortable against me.
And I’d wanted to hug him for so long. And now… yeah, now we were definitely hugging. All my limbs were wrapped around him like a spider monkey, and after a few moments we both seemed to realise it.
I loosened my hold on him as Greid cleared his throat and gently set me down. My face warmed as I slid down his long body, and his ears wouldn’t stop fluttering against his hair.
“Um. Congratulations.” He swallowed and gave me a big grin, but he still looked a little… something. I didn’t really know what. “That’s amazing, Beryl. You didn’t tell me that was why you went out.”
I choked out a laugh. “It wasn’t, but I saw the sign in the window and just thought… fuck it. I’ll try.”
The nerves bled out of his face as he grinned wider and gently nudged my arm. “See? I told you. Brave.”
Only because you made me feel brave. I didn’t voice it, knowing it would expose too much. Instead, I grinned up at him and said, “And I bought you food. Big day for Beryl, huh?”
He waved a hand. “Fuck the food. Actually—no.” He grabbed the bag and turned for the living room. “Come and tell me about it while we eat. Where is it?”
“A bar called Abyss,” I said as I followed him. “Just down the road. Not far.”
“Abyss?” He glanced back with an impressed look. “Fancy place. Where all the yuppies go.”
I snorted. “I’ve heard. Have you been there?”
His shoulders hunched as he sat down on the couch and pulled open the bag. “A few times, yeah. Not for a while. Agma made me go.”
“Well, I can tell you about all the drunk yuppies I encounter after my trial shift.” I sat down beside him and grinned as he handed me a paper-wrapped taco.
“You’ll be great,” he said firmly, then stuffed an entire taco in his mouth, bits of shell falling onto his shirt. “You can handle them.”
I laughed, slowly unwrapping my taco. My hands were still trembling a bit, but now I wasn’t sure if it was because of the almost-job or the hug. “Can we do something tonight? I want to finally try shade. Celebrate in style.”
Greid’s eyes lit up. “Fuck yes. We’ll order a big dinner so you don’t steal all my food once you’re high and super hungry.”
