“Well, I’m glad things are working out here,” Geoff says with a warm smile. “I was going to ask if you still needed a job, but you’re obviously all set.”
My hand stills on my glass. “What?”
“I had someone quit yesterday, and I figured if you were still looking for work you might be interested. But if—”
“Yes!” I cry, setting my glass down with a thud. “I am interested!” It takes all my self-control not to grab Geoff by the collar and beg him to hire me.
He eyes me with amusement. “But don’t you have a job?”
“Geoff—” I take a breath, trying to keep the hysteria out of my voice. “My job is awful. I get treated like shit, and I have to do things I never thought I’d do.”
Geoff’s expression shifts from amusement to outright horror. “What are you doing?” He leans closer, lowering his voice. “Are you stripping, or something?”
“What?!” I shriek, aghast. “No. I have to wear a wedding dress up and down West 8th for a bridal boutique.” I give a hollow laugh. “Stripping might actually be better. Fewer people would see me and I’m sure it would pay more.”
“Jesus.” Geoff shakes his head. “Okay, well there’s a job up for grabs if you want it.”
“Yes! Please!” Relief crashes through me. “What are the hours?”
“It’s full time, but the hours vary from week to week. I know you said you were assistant manager back home, but this won’t be management. So—”
“Geoff, if you have a job open where I don’t have to publicly humiliate myself, I’ll do whatever you ask.” He laughs and I observe him over my glass of wine. “You said you get applications all the time. Why do you want to hire me?”
“You’re a friend of Cat’s, so I’m happy to help you out. Plus…” He hesitates, as if considering how much to share, then releases a long sigh, letting his gaze float across the bar. “I was once young and fresh-faced, new to the city with just the clothes on my back and the dreams in my heart…”
I bite my lip to repress a laugh at the dramatic and faraway look in his eye. He catches my expression and chuckles.
“Okay, fine. I had a U-Haul crammed with my things and an apartment my parents got for me. But the point is, I know what it’s like to arrive here and not know anyone—to feel like you don’t even know yourself.”
A rueful laugh slips from me and I glance down at my wineglass. I’m not sure if he realizes how close to home his words have hit.
“So if I can help you out, then I will. Besides, I’ve got a good feeling about you.”
“I can’t thank you enough. This is…” I feel my throat closing with grateful tears and I swallow. “I won’t let you down.”
Geoff gives my arm a squeeze. “I know you won’t.”
Cat returns with our drinks and I hold mine up in a toast. “To Geoff, my savior.”
Cat cocks her head. “Okay, what did I miss?”
“Geoff just gave me a job.”
“Oh! That’s awesome.”
I nod happily. “No more wedding dress.”
“I still can’t believe you wear a wedding dress on the street.” Geoff sips his merlot with a chuckle. “The things we do to stay in the city.”
Cat laughs, and begins telling us a horror story about a job she had once, years ago. Geoff counters with his own horror story, which no one can top. As we sip our drinks, chatting and laughing, I find myself feeling lighter for the first time since arriving in New York. It’s not just the wine, or my new friends—it’s knowing I won’t have to endure that hideous job anymore.
Now I just have to find somewhere to live.
Geoff leaves after a while in search of his “bear,” which he insists he won’t find at Bounce. I give him a huge hug, overwhelmed with gratitude for my new job. I knew I liked him.
Cat and I share another drink in the booth as I fill her in on my fruitless apartment hunt. Just talking about it is killing my buzz. I’m about to tell her I’m considering looking in—gulp—New Jersey, when she waves across the bar.
“There’s Mel!”
I look at the throng of people but I can’t see who she’s talking about. Then, a tall, slim woman pushes her way out of the crowd. She’s dressed as Wonder Woman, with the red and gold corset-style top, knee-high red boots and the tiny blue skirt barely covering her long, slender thighs. Her full red lips curl into a smile when she spots us. She’s older—I’m guessing around forty—and despite all of Cat’s kind words earlier, I shrivel a little as she approaches.
“Hey!” Cat grins, gesturing to me. “This is Alex.”
I give Mel a meek smile as she slides into the booth gracefully. Even in a freaking Halloween costume she is the most sophisticated and chic woman I’ve ever met in real life.
“So,” Mel says, her dark eyes sparkling as she glances at me, “you’re staying with Cat?”
I nod, sipping my drink. I’ll need a lot more booze if I’m going to co-exist in the same time and space as this movie-star woman.
“What brings you to New York?” She raises her martini to her lips. God, even her choice in drink is cool.
“Oh, uh,” I say, flustered. I don’t know what it is, but I feel very intimidated by her. “I decided to move here after…” I flounder, unsure of how to say it without sounding like a loser.
“After her idiot ex made a big mistake,” Cat offers, and I shoot her a grateful look.
“Idiot ex? I’ve got one of those.” Mel gives a heavy eye-roll, flicking a wave of mahogany hair over a bronzed shoulder. “Aren’t men just total
