“You’d do it, wouldn’t you?”
For a second I let myself imagine it. His hard body pressed against mine, the rhythmic flex of his muscles, his perfect face for once not completely in control ...
“Not a chance,” I tell Lenni. “There’s no room in my plans for a man.”
“Come on, Jade. You can have a relationship your last year of college and still do everything you plan to do in Spain.”
“Arelationship? Now I know you’re drunk.”
“Well, maybe not with Reeve, but you can’t let what Sam did to you scare you off relationships for good.”
“Sam wishes he had that power.” I shake my head. “No, Sam didn’t scare me off relationships. He only reminded me of what my dad taught me years ago.”
“What? Love doesn’t last?” she says with drunken sarcasm. Lenni is well acquainted with my mantra.
“That’s right.”
“What about me and Cam?”
I look at Lenni’s pretty face, happiness written into every line and curve. I never thought I’d be jealous of her, simply because we were so different: different personalities, different goals, different ideas of what makes life worthwhile. But ever since Cam came into the picture, things have clicked into place for her.
I look down at my plate. “What you guys have is beautiful.” And it is; Cam and Lenni can make a girl question her doubts. But their relationship is young, and I’ve seen what time does to even the strongest bonds.
For once I want to be wrong.
I walk outof my adviser’s office the next afternoon feeling the same way I do every time: stressed, anxious, determined.
Mark managed to find an art program that looks cool and is more affordable than the others. But most of the classes are in Spanish, meaning there’s a Spanish proficiency test required—one I’m not even close to being able to pass. I’m working my ass off in my current Spanish class, straddling the line between a high C and a low B and still not considered an intermediate speaker, which is where I need to be to qualify.
Mark gave me a list of resources to bump up my skills—language apps, private tutors, free classes through the library, blah, blah, blah. I’ll do all of it if I need to. I just need to find the time, which is a huge ask. I have to apply to multiple programs to increase my odds of getting in. That means I need to make way more money and get way better at Spanish.
On my way home I check my savings account. “Shit,” I say out loud. The number shouldn’t be this low. I check my deposits, but everything is as it should be. I’m just not making enough.
All summer long I worked my ass off and survived on ramen noodles, frozen veggies, and whatever freebies the restaurant gave me. But I’m not working enough hours anymore. Without tips to rely on, hostessing isn’t going to cut it. That’s clear.
When I show up early to work that evening, Cecily already knows what’s up. I can see it in her scowl.
“Yes?” she asks shortly when I close the office door behind me.
“Can I talk to you? It won’t take long.”
“No, I’m sure it won’t if you’re here to ask me the same question you always do.” She gestures toward the folding chair against the wall. “So?”
“You know me too well,” I say sweetly, sitting as directed and ignoring the cold metal under my thighs. “The thing is, I really like this job, but I’ve realized that with my hourly wage, it’s not going to be enough for the program I hope to get into next fall.”
Cecily looks bored.
“I have server experience, and at this point I’ve had months to watch how the waitstaff here operates and what the clientele expects. I can do it. There’s no question about it.”
My confidence seems to shake her out of boredom and into irritation. “Okay, okay.” She puts up a hand to stop me from saying any more. “I get it already. You want to be a server? You got it.”
I blink. “Really? Just like that?”
“Eh. We’ve got the holiday season coming up, so I was looking to make another hire soon. And I’ve already got plenty of applications for hostess.”
“Wow. Cecily, thank you!”
“You’ll need to train.”
