Page 12 of Masters of Control

“If I was to do such a thing, and I’m not saying that I did, it would probably be because I was trying to make friends with someone.”

As far as Q knew, Angel had never had any trouble making friends with anyone. When she wanted a new friend, she made one. She was like a friendship octopus, but it sounded like Sam had escaped her tentacles.

“I can’t believe you didn’t pull her into your group.” Angel had a whole group of close friends at Stronghold who spent time together, both in and out of the club.

“I don’t think she’s much of a group person. Even with Lexie and I both trying to bring her into the fold, she was never comfortable. You can’t make someone be your friend.”

True enough. He could see it. Sam had been standoffish in high school as well. Now he knew why. She had been focused on her studies to the exclusion of all else. Something he could sympathize with, even if he hadn’t experienced it himself. Angel’s group of friends could be overwhelming. They were a big group and most of them were pretty loud.

Yeah, he could see where Sam would be hesitant to be pulled into all that. It would be a lot.

“I’m surprised you didn’t try to drag her in, anyway.” That would be far truer to Angel’s M.O.

“I’m a little busier than I used to be.” She sighed. Yeah, motherhood had changed her. Not a ton, but enough that she didn’t have the time for everything she used to do, and her priorities had definitely shifted. She was a damn good mom, though, and Q had a feeling she and Adam would be adding to their family before long. Which would probably mean more changes and even less time for her to seek out new friends.

Well, that was okay. He was making friends with Sam and would bring her along to the things he went to.

Which reminded him of the other person who had been trying to make friends with Sam. He was about to ask Angel what she knew about Noelle when he heard the sound of a baby’s wail.

“Hey, little fussy thing, did you fall down? I gotta go, Q, I’ll talk to you later. Keep me updated!”

“Will do,” was all he got out before the phone hung up.

Yeah, things had changed, but that was okay. He’d get her opinion later. Right now, he needed to get some lunch, then get back to work.

Sam

“You did great today, Ryan, high five,” Sam said, showing the little boy out of her therapy room. He was grinning widely as he slapped his palm against hers. “Good progress.”

Ryan was a good kid who’d been injured in a car accident last year, which had caused him some delays in motor development. It was something they’d been working on for a few months now, and he was getting much better at his fine motor skills.

“Thanks, Sam!”

“Thank you, Sam,” his mother echoed as she walked past, a tired but warm smile on her lips.

“Of course,” she said, giving them a wave. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rose, the office manager, watching from down the hall before disappearing. Sam sighed inwardly.

For some reason she and Rose had never hit it off. Maybe because while Rose was not an OT, she’d been working in the practice long enough, she thought she knew more than some of the people who actually were OTs. While Sam didn’t want to put on airs or cause trouble, she wasn’t going to do what Rose said just to keep the peace.

She also didn’t want to rock the boat too much because she needed this job.

I need a raise is what I need.

A raise that wouldn’t be coming this year. Sam pressed her lips together and turned to go back into her room. She’d already asked for an end-of-year raise and been told it wasn’t practical for this year, but that she should be getting one next year. Unfortunately, the cost of living still went up every year, even if her income didn’t.

She was coming to a point where she was either going to need to get a second job, ask her dad for help, or start cutting expenses. Unfortunately, the first thing that would get cut would be Stronghold and Marquis. Even though she had a discounted membership right now because she was helping out with the sub class—which had been part of her reason for signing up—that wouldn’t last forever.

Sure, she could keep volunteering for things at the club, but that was like taking on a second job that only got her one thing. Still might be worth it.

Some people would find it laughable that she was so reluctant to cut a membership to a sex club out of her life, but it wasn’t as though she spent money on anything else for fun. She’d already cut out pretty much all of her entertainment expenses, but she knew from her childhood that some people expected poor people to live without anything that fed their soul.

It was so easy to say, ‘of course, just cut out television, a phone plan, a club membership’ when you weren’t the one having to do it. She’d heard all sorts of advice throughout her life.

The ‘get a second job’ was another one of those well-meaning tidbits. As if it was that easy to work another job into her day. Her current job was already physically and emotionally draining. Adding something else on top of it…

Dammit.

“Just move.” That was another goodie. Just move to somewhere with a lower cost of living. Because of course, moving didn’t cost money. Not to mention leaving everything she knew behind.