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“Yes, I’m aware of that.”
“Don’t you think it’s noteworthy that he went to find you at the café?” She raises her perfectly arched brows, and the mischief in her eyes turns more visible.
“No. He was just curious. That’s all.”
“You think it’s only curiosity?”
“Of course. There’s nothing more to think. And I haven’t seen him since.”
“Did you want to see him again? Sounds like you did.” She intensifies her stare.
“No. I didn’t.” Why the hell do I feel like I’m lying? I don’t want to see Jericho again. There is no point to it.
“It sounds like he was going to offer to help you.” Eden gives me a heartfelt smile.
“I don’t want his help.” I inhale a deep breath, taking in the remaining aroma of our divine feast. I know I’m the last person who should be turning away money, but I couldn’t allow Jericho to help me in such a way. My dignity already lives in the sewers. I want to hold on to whatever pride I have left.
“If all goes to plan, in six to eight months, I’ll be able to fix everything for Gina and get back on track.” That will be just in time for my audition and hopefully acceptance to work with the New York City Ballet.
Worry pinches her brows. “That’s an awfully long time to wait and work at Club Edge.” She drops her voice, mindfully aware of who might be listening to us.
Some of the teachers at the school who hate me would have a field day if they ever found out about my extra-curricular activities at Club Edge.
Although I’m doing a great job and I’m loved by the students, there are haters who aren’t too overly fond of me because they think I’m too young to have a job that was previously filled with by a teacher who worked in the industry for over fifty years.
They also don’t think I fit because I don’t come from old money, or any kind of money for that matter.
Eden is like me, but she doesn’t catch the same flack because her great-great-great-grandfather was one of the founders of the school.
“You know I’m also not a huge fan of you working at that club.” Her jaw tightens.
“I know.” I’m not a huge fan of anything at the club other than the money.
“Andthe auction.” She swallows hard, and I can see the worry filling her eyes.
“I know.” I’d be a liar if I said that damn auction wasn’t freaking me out. It’s an anything-goes auction. As in I’ve signed up to do anything with whoever buys me. I can’t even believe I’m thinking those thoughts. Me, of all the people. “I’m hoping a nice guy will just want a few dates.”
“Youknowit won’t be that.” She blows out a ragged breath. “I’m probably the most liberal person you’ll ever meet, and I’ve done some shit just to say I tried it.”
“I’m just trying to think about the money. It’s a lot to turn my back on when I really need it.” I rest my hands on the table, suddenly feeling weak.
My stomach has been in knots since I signed up for the auction, but the money is the only thing that’s been keeping my hopes up. I’m hoping to get a bid of twenty grand.
That was the average bid at the auction last year.
The club takes twenty percent of the final offer, so if I got a bid of twenty thousand, that would still leave me with a lump sum of sixteen thousand. Getting that money means I can pay some of the arrears on the loans. The biggest one to worry about is the two hundred-thousand-dollar loan Gina got from an off-the-grid loan shark called Jones.
I don’t even know how she came to know such a guy, but he’s the kind of person you go to when you need serious moneyquickly, which was what she needed to save me. She only managed to get such a high-value loan from him by putting up her home and business as collateral.
That loan has eight months’ worth of arrears. Jones has been what he classes as reasonable because of Gina’s stroke, but months ago, he threatened to take the house and went as far as threatening to sell me. He was serious about both. Gina doesn’t know about the latter, but that’s what pushed me to get the job at Club Edge.
Poor Gina. She thought she was going to be able to pay everything off within a few months because she had a big job lined up. That fell through because of her stroke. The client who’d booked her wanted her specifically to work on their project, not her business partner.
The money I’ve been making has been taking care of the mortgage and Gina’s medical expenses the insurance won’t cover. Sixteen thousand isn’t much when I think of how much is still left to pay for everything, but it will help me a great deal.
Understanding enters Eden’s eyes and she nods. “Hey, I get it.” She clasps her hands. “I understand everything, so here’s hoping everything will work out the way we hope. I guess I just wish I could help you more.”
I reach across the table and tap her knuckles. “You’ve helped me more than enough. If not for you, I wouldn’t have the job at the school, and remember, you gave me all that money after Gina’s stroke.”
