As soon as I told Hawk I’d be accepting his offer, he put all his focus and incredible attention to detail into making this a pleasant transition for us.
Since the club owns several businesses and I kept telling him I could work “wherever”, Hawk took it upon himself to talk to their HR person, a woman named Bev, and arranged for me to spend a week at each business, observing and helping out.
After five weeks, hopefully I’ll be able to decide which one I like best.
“I’m excited to try out the different jobs, but I’m anxious about leaving DJ with someone again,” I admit.
Hawk reassures me for the millionth time. “We’ll go at your pace. I told you: our compound has military-grade security, and both my house and the businesses are on it. Dana’s niece is club-adjacent, has experience, and all the necessary CPR certifications. If you decide to hire her, she can watch DJ in my house, which is full of surveillance cameras. The background check I ran on her came back clean, but if you allow it, I’d like to be present at the interview to get a better sense of her as a person.”
This potential babysitter sounds amazing. Hawk told me she was studying Childhood Development, which I’m sure would be beneficial to DJ. She’s willing to watch him at Hawk’s fortress for a reasonable hourly rate, and, apparently, has passed his background check, which makes me think.
“Did you run a background check on me?”
“I did. Are you mad?”
“No, I get it. Did you learn anything interesting?”
“Just your middle name.”
Oh no. I’m horrified, but he’s grinning.
“Althea. What a lovely name.”
I groan. “You know my mother was a Deadhead, right? It’s a song of theirs.”
“Oh, I know,” he says, and I pray he doesn’t start singing. “You haven’t asked me whether we’ll pay you during the five trial weeks and how much?”
“Oh, I’m not worried about that. I have some money to tide me over until I start working for real.”
Thanks to Susan.
“You’ll be working for real right away, Marissa. Geez, you’re killing me,” he sighs. “Bev will give you all the details related to pay, health insurance, stuff like that. You’ll meet her at the party today.”
“Which party?”
“Bev insisted on having a barbecue-type thing, I think. To welcome you.”
“Hawk!” I shout, almost waking DJ up. “I need to bring something!”
“I’m sure it'll be fine,” he says casually.
“I’m sure it won’t!” I hear the shrillness in my voice, but can’t help it. “I can’t show up empty-handed to my first-ever meeting with them!”
“Fine, fine, what do you want to buy?”
“A cake. Cupcakes. I don’t know. Just take me to a bakery you know is good.”
DJ wakes up as we pull up to the bakery, and Hawk agrees to stay in the car with him while I run out. Ten minutes later, I open the back door.
“Ta-da!” I victoriously shove the large box under his nose. “I got their bestseller! Last one left!”
He peers at the box as he presses his lips together. “Rum cake?”
“Yes! The baker swore up and down that it’s their best cake. And it looks great, doesn’t it?”
“It does,” he says, not matching my enthusiasm.
“Do you not like the cake? I can return it,” I ask as we settle back into our respective seats.
