At that point, I was ready to let it go and move on, but damn, Rico had to get in one more word. “Sorry.” He didn’t sound at all sorry. “I just meant you look all feminine and like a lady.”
As opposed to when I was in my work clothes when I looked like a man. Wow. So much for that understanding act at the gym the other day. This guy could go screw himself. “Well, at least I’m lady enough when I want to be, and at the same time man enough to hold down a real job.”
I hadn’t missed the hint that Rico was the one after a job. And by the look on his face, my words had the effect I’d hoped. His face shut down and he glared at me. The entire table had gone quiet at our exchange.
My phone beeped, distracting me from waiting for Rico to retort. It was already time for my rideshare. “That’s my ride,” I said. “It was nice seeing you all.” I wobbled slightly as I stood. “Melody, are you coming with me?”
Melody’s eyes whipped between me and Rico, but I didn’t give him the dignity of looking at him.
“We can take you home,” Jury offered, “if you don’t have a ride.”
Melody shrugged and looped her arm through mine. “I’ll walk her out.”
We walked together and I wasn’t drunk enough to miss the fact that we both wobbled as we crossed the bar. “Are you okay?” she whispered. “I’ll come with you if you want.”
I squeezed her hand in what I hoped was a comforting way. “No, it’s okay. I just want to go home and sleep.”
After a long hug, she whispered that I should call her if I needed her, and I left in the back seat of a small sedan.
It wasn’t until I got home and crawled into bed that I let the tears fall.
I just wanted to be judged on my abilities and not judged for wearing work clothes. Why was that too much to ask?
4
Rico
Saturday was a complete bust. I got up bright and early and hit the town, going to all the stores on Main to look for a job. I even tried the damn grocery store and gas station.
Nobody was hiring, and the ones that were needed skilled trade. The only thing I was skilled at was getting into trouble. Hell, I managed to do that even when I was actively trying not to. A couple of the places, the managers had been female, and it was painfully obvious they just wanted to flirt or get close to a Kingston. No way I was mucking out horse stalls just to be harassed all the time.
And Sunday I couldn’t even try to find a job. Black Claw shut down on Sundays. Always had. I’d sat around the manor on my laptop trying to think of places to apply. Everything came up with a big negative. The best photographer in town wanted an apprentice, but I couldn’t have them go through the trouble of training me just to quit in a year. That would’ve been shitty when someone else could’ve been learning that skill to actually use the rest of their lives.
I wanted to get my inheritance and move on with my life, but I didn’t want to be a total garbage person. The guys I’d gotten into trouble with, they were real losers. Hanging with them taught me more than my uncles realized. They taught me exactly what I didn’t want out of life and who I didn’t want to be.
So, at least something good came of that time.
My phone beeped as I got out of the shower, dreading hitting the streets again on a bleary Monday. Everyone hated Mondays, so I worried nobody would want to hire me if they were already in a bad mood. Maybe I should grab a bunch of coffees to take around with me or something. Coffee made a good bribe, right?
The notification was a text from Jury. Got a lead on a job.
I replied quickly. I’ll take it but keep it to yourself. They said I couldn’t use family connections.
He replied several minutes later as I tugged on a nice-looking pair of jeans. I couldn’t bring myself to wear suit pants or slacks. No jobs that would hire someone like me would be that fancy.
No connections. I saw a sign in a window.
He followed it up with an address. It was right on Main Street. I knew I’d definitely hit all the places with signs on them Saturday, so this must’ve been a fresh opportunity.
Damn. I had to hurry.
After making sure I looked nice, I hurried downstairs and slipped out the front door before Aunt Carla could waylay me. If she got her proverbial claws in me, she’d make me take the time to eat breakfast. I didn’t want to miss out on the job because somebody else got there first.
Dark clouds hung low in the sky and it looked like they could open up at any minute. The town itself was still pretty sleepy, with most people either already at work or not ready to get out and about yet. I got to the shop quickly without any traffic bogging down the roads, but already there was an ‘Open’ sign lit up in the window. Craning my neck, I peered through the front truck window to see if there was a shingle hung, but nothing told me what kind of business it was. Damn. The only sign was the one that said ‘Help Wanted’ in the window, and the windows had a reflective tint keeping me from seeing inside.
Well, the worst that could happen was another rejection. It wasn’t like I hadn’t heard those all weekend. Might as well go in and see what sort of place it was.
Valor stopped me before I opened the truck door. Find Kara after and apologize.
As I had
