“I … I … It’s my fault. I didn’t check outside before I left.”
His eyes widen. “Yourfault? It’s that asshole’s fault. We should call the cops, Sadie. I’m serious. We can’t have someone harassing you at your workplace, stepdad or not. Did he do anything?” His eyes scan down my body again.
“He didn’t get close enough for that. He called my name from over the street, so I took off and managed to hide.”
Christ. I shouldn’t have told him that.He straightens, chest puffing up, eyebrows raised.
“What the hell. Youhid?”
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Not a bigdeal? He hit you! I’d call that a big deal.”
I flap my hand at him. “Jake’s just an asshole. Please don’t worry about him. I’ll message my mom and find out what’s going on.”
I can tell he doesn’t like that answer, but I can’t tell James that Jake wants money. He doesn’t know about him touching me, either. All he saw was that bruise, and he put two and two together; he’s far too astute. I feellike the biggest idiot alive for not paying more attention to how much Jake was sponging off us.
“I’m hoping he does turn up, Sadie. I’d give him a piece of my mind. You should report him to the police.”
“Let me talk to my mom first.”
James scrunches his face.
“I’m sorry, James. I know it’s not great to have an employee that …” I start, but he reaches out and squeezes my arm and a bolt runs up to my shoulder.
“It’s not that at all. We’re friends, yeah? Good friends. I’m worried aboutyou, Sadie. Promise you’ll call me if he turns up here again.”
I nod, and he narrows his eyes at me for a few seconds before turning back toward the elevator and pressing the button. I stand next to him, trying to calm my breath as I stare at the creases in his blue chinos. His big hand is right there, and the temptation to lean on him is almost irresistible.
When we reach the office, only a couple of people are still here, engrossed in their screens. I sink down at my desk and pull up the text stream with my mom:
Jake turned up at the office to hassle me. You need to tell him not to do that. My boss had to get involved. I could lose my job!
He came to your work?
Yes. He’s been here before.
What?
Last time he came, he was hassling me for money. Did you talk to him about him touching me?
Yes. He said he didn’t do anything.
God, seriously? Then another message appears:
I don’t believe him, Sadie. I’ll talk to him about turning up at your office. We’re a bit tight for cash at the moment.
What?A bit tight? If this debt thing Jake’s mentioned is true, she’ll lose her mind. I type in:
Can I call you?
Not at the moment. I’m on a waitressing job. I’m not supposed to be using my phone.
Okay, Mom. Sorry. Let me know when you’re done.
I’ll be home in an hour.
None of this sounds good to me. If mom says things are tight, it must be bad, and I diverted my paycheck to my own savings account. Shit. She always puts a gloss on everything, so I don’t worry. It took me years to realize that. What the hell is going on? I’m going to have to go out to Queens and talk to her again. Maybe I could do that tonight.
