“If you’re good at what you do, you’ll make good money in tips on top of your pay which is the best in the city.” She bit into her lip as if giving my words some thought and looked around the room.
I can’t believe I’m actually sitting here trying to sell her on the job. In fact nothing made sense since I stood at the bar and was poleaxed for no good damn reason.
She took her sweet time answering and once her eyes came back to me that fire had not been banked. She was still pissed and with good reason.
I should probably apologize for my behavior, but I didn’t want to. I was trying to do her a favor wasn’t I? But from the looks of it she didn’t see it that way.
If shit was different I would probably laugh at the situation, but my thoughts and emotions were all over the damn place. Besides, nothing about this felt remotely funny.
Chapter 3
I expected her to ask me something as inane as why I was doing this, but she didn’t. “I’ll give it two weeks but if it doesn’t work I’ll go elsewhere. As to me not finding a job in the city, there are other places outside of the city I can try.”
She got to her feet and pushed the bag on her shoulder. “Who do I have to see about the job?”
“You’re seeing him now.” I don’t usually handle the hiring, but with her I had a feeling I was going to be breaking a lot of my own rules.
“Wait here.” I went out and found the floor manager to get what I needed, and just as I thought, everyone was giving me strange looks. I ignored them all and walked back into my office without a word to anyone.
I passed her the paperwork to fill out and left the room again to give her some time alone. Something else I’ve never done, leave anyone let alone a total stranger unattended in my private office, but I did it now without a second thought.
My staff was never allowed in there except for the general manager, rarely. And on occasion the shift managers who never got any farther than the doorway. We usually met in the manager’s office on the other side if there was a need.
I headed to the bar to order her something to eat since she looked beat. She had that hungry look that I knew only too well. I struggled over what to get her since I know fuck all about female eating habits, they change so often. In the end I chose something I would eat with a few modifications.
I went back to her after making sure someone would bring it to her once it was ready, still ignoring the questioning looks and knowing glances from my staff. It was mighty crowded around the damn bar and the hallway leading to my office. Nosy fucks!
She was placing the papers and pen on the desk when I walked back in and for some reason I felt panic at the thought of her leaving. I even contemplated blocking her path to the door to keep her here, but was saved from that asinine move when she didn’t leave the chair right away.
“Aren’t you at least going to look at it?”
“Huh?” She pointed to the papers she’d just filled out and I came out of my stupor.
“Oh, yeah, sure.” The fuck I know. As far as I’m concerned she was already hired.
Get your shit together Max before your ass ends up in trouble. No doubt she’d find my behavior strange. Even I thought I was acting like some kind of deranged lunatic. First grabbing her hand and dragging her off, and now holding her hostage in my inner sanctum.
I took an inordinate amount of time looking over the sheet of paper and was glad when I found something to hold her back for.
“Why did you put a PO Box as your address?” She swallowed hard and fiddled with the bag in her lap and looked everywhere but at me. Very suspicious indeed.
Of course my mind automatically started going in all directions. Only someone who was hiding or running from something would do such a thing right.
“I just recently moved here and I don’t have a permanent residence as yet.”
“Where are you staying?”
“Why is that important right now? I’ll let you know as soon as I find a place.”
“Are you saying you’re living on the streets?” That ugly jacket she wore did look like she was two steps away from being homeless. But she was too clean and even with the hungry look I’d noticed earlier it didn’t ring true.
“No! I’m staying with friends until I find a place of my own if that’s any of your concern.” She was back to being pissy, but I was beginning to think that was her defense mechanism.