“That would be me. I’m Max and how can I help you, Charlie?”
She takes a deep breath before answering, almost like she’s nervous. “Well, I’m looking for some work and came in to inquire about your help wanted sign.”
I can’t help my grin. I told Andy that someone would eventually come in because of the sign. If I’m being totallyhonest, I didn’t really think it was going to happen either. But that idiot didn’t bother adding an end date to this ridiculous bet, so all I had to do was leave the sign up and wait. There was no way I was going to lose. And now I win twice because gorgeous Charlie is most definitely hired. But I suppose I should probably ask her a few questions first.
“What sort of experience do you have?”
“Well, I was an administrative assistant with CCB for the past two years, and before that I was in college. I did work at Tommie’s for a bit in high school, but I doubt that’s relevant.”
“Not much of what you just said is relevant for working the rentals desk at a skating rink,” I tease.
I immediately regret teasing her. She looks crestfallen, and I hate that look on her face, so I hastily add “lucky for you I don’t really require prior experience as long as you’re a quick learner.”
I’m graced with the sweetest smile. Fuck, she’s so pretty. “I am! But I feel like I should warn you, this would likely only be until the spring. I moved up here from Van and do plan to go back.”
“What brought you up here in the first place?” I ask.
“My parents spend their winters down in Mexico, so I’m up here watching their place while I figure out my next move.”
“You grew up around here?”
She grimaces. “Yep, graduated high school and moved to Van as soon as I could.”
“So not a fan of Twin Rivers?” That’s pretty typical around here. This town promises to get bigger, but really just stays the same. A comfort for some, a prison for others. Although I’ve lived here my whole life too, and I don’t think Charlie and I have ever met before. I wonder how old she is.
“It’s not really the town, just the people I had to grow up with. Let’s just say my high school experience wasn’t the greatest and leave it at that.”
I nod. I was fortunate to be popular in high school, but I know from experience that small town living includes closed minded dickwads determined to make others lives hell. The poor girl is clearly uncomfortable, so I try to get this impromptu interviewback on track. “What sort of hours could you work?”
“Anytime really,” she pauses for a moment, and I can practically see the war waging in her head. I cock my head at her and she continues, “I’m happy to work whenever you would need me. I mostly want the job as a distraction.” Charlie sighs.
“A distraction from what?” I ask without thinking too much about it.
Charlie blushes, another thing that makes her look cute as hell by the way, and before I can tell her that she doesn’t have to explain if she doesn’t want to, she blurts out: “Full disclosure – I got fired from my job for sleeping with my boss. Well, he wasn’tmyboss, he was sort of like my boss’s boss. Anyways, where I worked had strict no fraternizing policy which I obviously broke. We thought it was sort of a grey area because we didn’t even really WORK together, but HR didn’t see it that way. But what’s really fucked up was right before I got fired I caught him screwing his secretary on his desk.”
Charlie stops with a squeak, and her cheeks flush crimson. “Sorry I said fucked.”
I stare at her in disbelief for a moment. Partially because I don’t think I have ever heard someone speak that fast in my entire life. But also, who in their right mind would cheat on this beautiful creature? She seems to take my silence negatively, because she quickly adds “I promise I won’t swear around customers or anything. I am usually good at holding my tongue, but Brad really brings out the worst in me.”
I hold my hand up to stop her before she starts rambling again. “It’s fine. You’re hired and not that it’s any of my business, but this Brad guy sounds like a huge fucking idiot.”
I didn’t need to add the fucking either, but I was hoping that doing so would bring that smile to her face. It works. Charlie lets out a breath I didn’t know she was holding and gives me a tentative smile. I know she’s hired because I want to see that smile every freaking day. I want to make it bigger. God, I bet her laugh is intoxicating too.
“Okay, not that I want to talk myself out of a job or anything,but are you sure? You barely asked me any questions and then I verbal vomited all over you AND swore. Plus, this would only be short-term.”
Huh? “Verbal vomit?”
“I guess some people say verbal diarrhea, but somehow that is more gross? I know it’s two gross things but at least the vomit has alliteration going for it,” she giggles and it’s this pleasant, tinkly sound that stirs something in my chest.
I laugh with her, “verbal vomit aside, we can do a trial run if that makes you more comfortable. But you seem nice enough, and I don’t exactly have a line-up out the door of people who want to work here,” I say, gesturing vaguely to the front door behind her. Not that I’ve been trying very hard, but she doesn’t need to know that.
Charlie grins broadly at me. “When can I start?”
Chapter 6
Charlie
My nerves woke me up at 3 AM. Work doesn’t even start until nine. But after an hour of tossing and turning, the idea of being able to go back to sleep seemed laughable. Which is too bad, because I was having a great dream about my new sexy-as-all-hell boss and his probable ability to hold me up like I weigh nothing.
