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Me: I owe you one
Jenny: Yeah, you do… oh, and she’s off at midnight
I enter Kennedy’s number into my contacts and hit save. I’d planned on calling her now, but I think I’d rather wait and surprise her later. It’s harder to back out of a deal in person.
Yeah. That’s much better.
Chapter12
Kennedy
“Would you hurry up?”
I force a smile at the customer glaring at me from across the bar. Jenny asked if I wanted to dive right into work tonight, and clearly, I was mistaken to agree. I’m not cut out for this.
“If you’ve got a problem with the service, feel free to take your business elsewhere,” Jenny says after she steps up next to me.
The man shoves the twenty he’s holding into his pocket and storms away and out of the bar. My face falls, and tears spring to my eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, facing Jenny. “Maybe I’m not cut out for this.”
Jenny rests her hands on my shoulders. “Honey, it’s fine. It’s one customer. And it’s your first night. Don’t sweat it.”
It isn’t just one customer. That was the fourth customer to leave unhappy. And all because of me. Jenny is either the most understanding person in the world, or the worst businesswoman on the planet.
“I think I should stick to everything else and leave the bartending up to, well, the bartenders.”
“And I think you should cut yourself some slack.” Jenny smiles. “It takes time to figure out a rhythm. You’ll get there.” She swipes at the tear that spilled over my lashes. “Now, go take a quick break, recharge, and when you come back, things will look better.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a key before handing it to me. “Here. This is for the apartment. Why don’t you go check it out?”
“But you were gonna show me after work.”
She winks and squeezes my shoulder. “No worries. Go have a look, and we can talk about rent and shit later.”
I nod, grateful for this woman, this angel. I’ve never met anyone like her, and I’m pretty sure I never will again.
With the key in my hand, I walk through the kitchen and up the stairs to the apartment. Jenny explained earlier that there are two entrances. One inside and one from the back parking lot. After the attacks on women in the city, I doubt I’ll ever use the one in the back.
Slipping the key into the lock, I turn it, and my heart stutters at the click of the lock disengaging.
This could be home.Myhome.
After pushing open the door, I step inside. Jenny wasn’t lying. The apartment is an efficiency. There’s a small kitchenette with a dorm-sized fridge, one burner stove, and tiny sink. The round table has three mismatched chairs, and the living area sports an old loveseat with a worn coffee table.
I cross the room to peer on the other side of a partition and find the bed. It’s a double, which is perfectly fine. I’m only one person, so no need for anything big.
Unless Dip stays over to teach you things.
I shiver at the thought. I still can’t believe I asked him, well, what I asked him. It made sense at the time, but now? Not so much.
I promise you, by the time you feel whole, the thought of ending our arrangement will leave you feeling very empty.
Dip’s words have plagued me since the second they left his mouth. What did he mean? Does he want more than what I’m willing to offer?
No. He can’t. There’s no way. We don’t even know each other.
That didn’t stop you from propositioning him.
Groaning at my indecision, I move away from the bed and check out the small bathroom. There’s a standup shower, toilet, and sink. The vanity is practically non-existent, but there is a medicine cabinet, and I don’t have much, so it’ll work.
