Cycleman: Why did you leave your job?
Charly: Company folded.I paused, then made a decision. I needed someone, and Charly needed a job. He seemed like an okay kid. A little mouthy, but we could work on that.
Cycleman: The hours are long, and I expect you to work hard.
Charly: Hard work doesn’t bother me. You said board was included?
Cycleman: Yes.
Charly: Does the door lock?That seemed a strange question, but I supposed a valid one.
Cycleman: Yes.
Charly: Okay.
Cycleman: You will have to drive to get groceries and pick up supplies.
Charly: Heavy lifting?
Cycleman: Is that a problem?
Charly: Yes, I have a disc problem.I paused. I didn’t want some idiot I was going to have to baby.
Cycleman: Okay, we can work around that.
Charly: Where are you located?
Cycleman: Outside of Lomand. A small town.
Charly: Lomand is a small town.
Cycleman: This one is even smaller. Not much around.
Charly: No problem.I sat back and studied the screen. He seemed like a decent guy. He asked fairly intelligent questions and his profile had a good ranking. He’d never given anyone a problem, and the people he’d connected with had scored him high on ratings.
Cycleman: Are you interested? Pay is $1000/month plus board. One-month trial.I waited a few moments as the screen remained blank, then the reply appeared. I was prepared to go a little higher but waited to see his reaction.
Charly: When do I start?I glanced at the calendar on the wall. It was Wednesday. I was booked solid tomorrow and Friday.
Cycleman: Are you driving here?
Charly: Bus. Coming from Toronto.I scratched my chin. Toronto was about three hours from here. Far enough away, they probably had no connections to anyone here. That was a plus.
Cycleman: But do you drive? Stick a problem?
Charly: No problem. I can drive standard. Having a car in Toronto is too expensive.That made sense. I checked the bus schedule then replied.
Cycleman: I looked at the schedule. There’s a bus that gets you here at ten Saturday. You get off at Littleburn. It’s the stop after Lomand. Tell the driver to let you out, or he’ll just go past it.
Charly: Okay.
Cycleman: I will be waiting by the general store.
Charly: Okay. See you then.He signed off.
I sat back, feeling pleased. Having a guy made the accommodations decision easier. If it had been a woman, I was worried I might have to give them a room in the house, but I really didn’t want to. The space at the back of the garage wasn’t much, but it was private, had a comfortable enough bed and a decent bathroom. There was even a chair and a TV and a small storage area. The kid could use the fridge here in the office to store cold drinks if he wanted. He could keep some snacks around, although I would have to warn him about mice. Leaving unsealed food around was a written invitation for the little buggers. Even in the house, I kept stuff in sealed containers.
I stood and stretched, calling for Rufus. He appeared from the back, his tongue already out and his tail wagging. It was dinnertime, and he knew it.
I locked up and headed back to the house, wondering what frozen entrée I would heat up tonight. The kid said he could cook well enough. I hoped that meant it was better than mine.
I regarded the contents of the freezer and threw another tasteless meal into the microwave.
It certainly couldn’t be worse.Chapter 4CHARLYNNI stared at the computer screen, not really believing what I had just done. Taken a job I had mocked the other night. Hired by a stranger to basically be a maid and go-fer.
He seemed very straightforward, asking the basic questions. I supposed that came with age. He didn’t care about my background or anything, only that I filled the requirements and could do the job.
I shut the laptop, pushing it away. This was not how I’d planned my life to be. I shut my eyes, refusing to cry. It was only temporary. My dad always said you had to make do with what you were given. I had a chance at a job. It would get me out of this apartment, and I could save money. I would work hard and show this Cycleman what I was made of. Once I’d saved enough, I could come back to Toronto and find another job. If it was terrible, at least I’d have a thousand bucks in my pocket and be somewhere other than here. I loved working as an assistant in a fast-paced office. I was great at organizing, details, and keeping people in line. I had a talent for websites and social media. I could handle multiple tasks at once, I never lost my cool, and I rocked the sassy assistant look. I got along well with coworkers and my superiors.
I was certain I would get along fine with Cycleman.