AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I bet. Well, if I don’t get a job soon, I’m afraid I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Well, my dad got promoted and the job is in Philly, which isn’t a big deal, but he doesn’t want to pay tolls and deal with traffic every day, so they’re moving. I can stay in their house until it sells if I don’t find a job, but the market is pretty hot right now and I have a feeling that I won’t have much more than a month or so before I have to move with them.” She put up her hand at his shocked face. “I don’t want to, trust me. I love New Jersey. But the friends I’m here with? They don’t have room for me, and I’m not trying to impose on anyone anyway.” She blew out a breath, thinking he would probably run in the other direction after hearing her woes. Jobless, potentially homeless when the clock ran out, and also potentially leaving the state.
She sure wouldn’t want to take her out on a date.
“You’ve had a string of bad luck,” he said. “It’s not the end of the world. And if you’re wondering if I’d take you out on a date knowing that you’ve got a load of troubles on your mind, the answer is a definite yes.”
Her mouth fell open.
“Really?”
“Sure. I get off work at eight. I could pick you up and we could grab a bite to eat, if it’s not too late.”
“I’d love that.”
He gave her one of his devastating smiles. She didn’t think she’d ever been so affected by a guy’s smile before.
“All right, I bared my soul, now tell me your story.”
He cleared his throat. “Well, I’ve been working for the security team since I was eighteen. The security team is a tight-knit bunch of guys, we’re like family. Jupiter, the guy in the office, is my direct boss. He has a boss over him, though, named Caesar.”
“You’ve all got interesting names,” she mused. She took a few fries and bit down, enjoying how perfectly salty they were.
“True. Rhomi’s a pretty interesting name, though.”
“Yeah. So what’s your favorite part of the park?”
“The safari tour is pretty cool. But I also like the aviary, and we’re a couple weeks away from opening a petting zoo, so that will be fun. Have you been to the park before?”
“When I was a kid.”
“A lot of people say that. I think zoos tend to be something we do as kids and then we don’t come back until we’re adults and have kids of our own. I don’t have any kids, though. Do you?”
“Nope, not yet. I’d like to, though, someday. I’m an only child, so it would be neat to have a large family.”
“Same.”
While they ate, he told her about his job and his family. He wasn’t close to his dad and had lived with his mom, moving away from home to join up with the park, which offered on-site living quarters for some of the workers.
Her ears perked up at that tidbit, but she promptly squashed that thought. If she got the job, she’d most likely not be able to get a place to live on-site, because luck was never entirely on her side.
Sure she’d met Mercer and put in a job application, but maybe that was as far as her luck would carry her.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Mercer said as he carried their tray to the trash. She dropped the empty bottles into the recycling container while he dumped the tray and set it on top of the lid.
“Oh? You’re psychic?”
“Yep. You’re wondering what kind of place I’m going to take you to tonight.”
She laughed. “You got me.”
His smile faded a little, and he looked thoughtful. “Actually, you’re wondering about the employee housing. The truth is, I don’t know if there’s space available, but first we have to get you a job, and then we can figure it out.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she said, that little bit of squashed hope blooming.
“Now, do you want to catch up to your friends or get some popcorn?”
