Paul was their district manager, and he came into the office on Wednesdays to make sure they were doing what they were supposed to. Lily had been acting as manager for months now, but they’d never made it official. He would either make it official today or she would walk out the door. She was tired of not getting paid for work she was doing.
Pausing in front of the office door, she blew out a slow breath and knocked on the door.
“Come in!” Paul called gruffly.
Lily turned the knob and let herself into the office. “Good morning, Paul.”
“Morning, Lily. What’s up?” He pointed at the torn black pleather chair in front of his desk. “You’re early.”
“We need to talk.” Lily sat, carefully arranging herself in the chair.
“Shoot, kid.” Paul was at least two years younger than she was, and it pissed her off that he’d made it so far in his career while she was stuck folding shirts.
“I came to talk to you about finally getting my raise.”
“Oh, okay.” Paul suddenly seemed real interested in the papers on his desk.
“Don’t play games with me, Paul. You know I’ve been doing the work. I deserve the raise.”
“Lily, we just don’t have the funds…” Paul whined.
Lily leaned forward and smacked her hand on the table, causing her boss to jump. “Bullshit.”
“Lily!” he squeaked, perspiration beading on his forehead.
“Paul, we can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way. You can give me what I want, or I’ll leave you here running this store by yourself. Who are you going to train in just a few weeks? Hmm? Who will you get to put up with the absolute utter tripe I put up with in a day? No one, that’s who. I just want a salary. I’m tired of this nickel and dime hourly crap.”
Paul simply stared at her, his big blue eyes bugged out. “Where did this Lily come from?”
“This Lily,” she pointed at her chest, “got tired of always being second best. This Lily wants a raise, because she deserves it.”
Paul leaned back in his chair and twiddled his thumbs. “Okay, I’ll give it to you.”
Lily squealed as she jumped out of her chair and pulled the younger man into a hug. “I could just kiss you! But I won’t because that would be weird.”
“This is pretty weird already,” he muttered, his face a funny crimson shade.
“Sorry!” She released him, and he flopped back in his chair, straightening his tie and sucking in draughts of air.
“Let’s get the paperwork drawn up, and we’ll sign them. Just…don’t touch me again.” He cautioned, turning to the computer and typing.
“Yes, you got it!” She sat back in her chair carefully, excitement simmering just below the surface of her skin. She tried hard to pretend she was cool, calm, and collected, even as a fiesta roared through her veins. He’s giving me the raise! Why didn’t I ask sooner?
Within half an hour, Paul had set up the paperwork, giving her a manager position with a hefty pay increase and health insurance. Lily clocked in for the day with a big smile on her face, and as she walked back into the front of the store, Olivia eyed her.
“What’s got you all perky? Please, dear God, tell me you did not just go bone Paul.” Olivia shuddered in horror.
“Hah! Nope. I’m your manager now. You may bow at the knee and kiss my ring finger.” Lily held out her hand regally, then giggled at the silliness.
“Oh, Madam Manager!” Olivia simpered. “So, did you hear about my brother?”
“Yeah, I did. Friday? Where at?” Lily’s giddiness evaporated.
“I told him a classy whore like you should go to only the finest. After he paled considerably, he said he’d take you to Chateau Parisienne.” Olivia chortled.
Lily felt the color drain out of her face. “Chateau Parisienne?”
“Yup. I figured the cheapskate could take you out to a really nice diner, and if it didn’t work out at least you got to have a great dinner out of it.”
“Chateau Parisienne is ridiculously expensive. What if he wants me to go halfsies?” Lily panicked slightly at the thought of her paycheck going for dinner.
“Um, my brother won’t ask you to pay for half. Jeez, what kind of dick asks that of a girl? Nope, he will meet you there at eight o’clock Friday night, and he’ll be wearing a black suit with a blue tie. He’s got dark hair and green eyes.”
“Oh. Okay.” Lily pursed her lips and meandered off to start counting shirts and taking inventory. What am I going to wear? I mean, come on, what are the chances I would get a raise and a really, really nice date in the same week? Come on now, Fate, don’t drop the other shoe and make me fall in a mud puddle, or pee my pants, or God forbid, puke on him. She groaned softly as she worked. I can’t puke on him.
She spent the day in another world, going through the motions of doing her job, and everything got done, she just wasn’t too sure how it was all completed. Instead of having her head in her job, she thought about what to wear to Chateau Parisienne. I do have that simple black dress I could wear… She contemplated going to waste her newfound funds on a new getup, but her luck would have the brother being some creep.
I’m not wasting my money on him. I’ll just be a bargain bin reject another night. He can either like me or not…
Burying herself in her work, she kept herself busy until her shift ended. The work load wasn’t much different than it had been, she knew how to do it all. The last hour of the day she was alone as Olivia clocked out and said her goodbyes. Being alone left her with her thoughts. All the people seemed to be thinning out for the day too, they’d all gone home to have dinner and spend time with their loved ones. Still, Lily worked. She couldn’t believe Paul had actually given her the raise, but maybe she’d just been too scared to ask before.
Abby hurt me, but maybe she’s a little bit right. I have been kinda skating through life, and I’m tired of it. But that doesn’t mean I’m giving her a pass on being a bitch. I’m sure we’ll work it all out eventually, it’s just too fresh and it stings right now.
As the last few minutes of being open wound down, she locked the door and cleared her till, taking it all to the back. Clocking out, she shut off the main lights and let herself out before locking the door, lowering the security bars and closing up shop for the day.
She hurried out of the mall and to her car. She’d left her phone in her car all day, not wanting to have it incessantly vibrate in her pocket from endless text messages. Opening the door and sliding behind the wheel, she popped open her glove box and pulled out her phone. She had twenty-five text messages from Abby alone, varying in emotion from anger to apologetic.
Then there were another ten from Laura, just checking to see what the situation was. Laura had always been the one in the middle when she and Abby spat, not knowing whose side to take. Lily dropped her phone into her purse and started the car, driving off into the night.
She parked in her regular spot and hurried into her apartment. Once she stripped off her uncomfortable work clothes and got into her flannel pajamas, she rummaged in the freezer until she unearthed a lost pint of vanilla ice cream. Spooning some into a bowl, she drowned the ice cream with chocolate jimmies and sighed in pleasure as she took the first bite.
Ice cream makes it all better. Climbing the stairs, she walked into her room and draped herself across the bed. Fumbling for the remote she turned on bad reality TV and scarfed her ice cream. As she fell into a crappy TV and good ice cream stupor, the doorbell rang.
“Who is it now?” she groaned, jumping up from her comfortable position and running down the stairs. Checking the peephole, she rolled her eyes. Both Laura and Abby stood outside the door.
“We know you’re in there!” Abby called. “Let us in! We brought coffee.”
Lily narrowed her eyes as she spotted a large Frappuccino in a paper drink carrier. Bitches… With a huff, she unlocked the door and threw it wide, blocking their entry with her body. “What?”
&n
bsp; “Did you get my texts?” Abby demanded.
“Yeah, and?” Lily propped her hand up on her hip.
“Why didn’t you respond?” Abby whined, tears filling her blue eyes.
“I don’t associate with people who think I’m below them.”
“I don’t think that!” Abby insisted. “I was a bitch, and I’m sorry.”
“Well, let’s mark it down on the calendar, Abby Killian finally admitted she was a bitch.” Lily snorted.
“Don’t be mean, Lily.” Laura, ever the peacemaker, tried to smooth things over.
“Stay out of it, Laura. Abby was an asshole. You both seem to think because you went to college you’re so much better than me. Well, you’re both wrong.”
“I’m sorry.” Abby’s bottom lip jutted out petulantly.
“Mmhm, we’ve discussed that.” Lily rolled her eyes, not falling for the act for a minute.
“Let me in. I brought muffins. And your favorite drink.” Abby shook a bag she held in her hand.
“Bribing me with food won’t work. I had ice cream.”
“Okay, well, I’ll have to just eat this muffin myself,” Abby soughed, pulling a sugar crusted topped blueberry muffin from the bag.
Lily held out until Abby came within an inch of biting the edge of the muffin. “Okay, fine. Come in. For now.” She snatched the muffin out of Abby’s hand. “It’s only because I didn’t eat dinner.” She insisted as she stepped back and let them into the apartment.
“Thanks for letting me in. I figured if I had muffins and coffee I stood a chance of you opening the door.”
Closing the door behind them, Lily pushed by and flopped down on her couch. “Make yourself comfortable, I guess,” she mumbled around her first bite of muffin. “Give me my coffee.”
Laura passed over the drink as she sat down beside her on the couch. “Here.”
Abby perched on the edge of the coffee table. “Lily, I was a bitch. Look, I’ve been under a lot of pressure at work, and well. There is something going on that neither of you know. I-I was having sex with my boss.”
Laura gasped loudly. “Mr. Peterson?”
Lily shrugged as she sipped her drink. “I obviously don’t get what the big deal is here…”
Abby squirmed and pursed her lips. “He’s married. Very married. I’m looking for another job. He’s getting ready to fire me. I don’t even know what I’m going to do.”
Lily’s eyes went wide. “You screwed a married man?”
“He told me their marriage was on the rocks, okay? He said his wife was a bitch, that she raged at him and they hadn’t had sex in months. He told me I was everything he ever wanted. I believed him, and yes, we were in a relationship for about two months.” Abby rubbed her temples.
“Oh my God! Why didn’t you tell us?” Laura squeaked, her brown eyes huge in her face.
“Because, I didn’t exactly want to admit to being a home wrecker. They are happily married. In fact, Mrs. Peterson came by the office a few days ago and told me she was pregnant. She was bringing him lunch, and was so excited, she couldn’t help but tell me. I confronted him about his lies, and he threatened to fire me if I talked. I’ve been under a lot of pressure, and I’ve been trying so hard to pretend everything is perfect. That I’m perfect. Because we all know that’s what I’ve always pretended to be. Perfect little Abby. I had to keep it up, because my God it really hurts to realize that you’ve been toppled from your perfect little life. So I lashed out at you, Lily, and I was wrong, and I’m really sorry. I don’t feel like you’re a loser. I’m the loser. I’m the one wrecking a marriage.” Abby dropped her head into her hands and wept.
Lily dropped her muffin and didn’t even notice the sugar crusted treat bouncing on her rug. Her focus was completely on Abby. “Oh, Abs,” she whispered softly.
“So now you know the sordid truth about perfect little Abby, and you can hold it over my head for the rest of my life. Go ahead, laugh. Make fun of me. I just know that’s what you’ve been waiting on. For me to be down so you could kick me.” Abby sniffled, throwing her hands wide.
“Look, the only kicking I’m apt to do is muff kicking, but I would never kick you when you were down. We’ve been friends forever, Abs. What are you going to do?” Lily leaned forward and touched Abby’s knee.
“If I lose my job I’ll lose my apartment and my car. I’m so in debt it’s ridiculous,” Abby wailed.
“Move in with me!” Laura piped up.
“No, I can’t. Because he threatened to make you lose your job too,” Abby moaned.
“Then you two could move in here with me,” Lily offered.
“Lily, no offense but your place is tiny,” Laura murmured.
“So what? We could make it work. Abs, do you really think this jerk is going to try and get you canned?”
Abby shrugged, one chubby shoulder slumping back down as she groaned and rubbed at her snot covered nose. “I don’t know. If I talk, yes. But I can’t just keep working for him and pretend like everything is kosher and we didn’t have hot, passionate sex on top of the copy machine…and his desk…and I sucked him off while he was on the phone with a client. My God! I loved him,” she wailed again.
Lily looked over at the still horrified Laura and winced. “Wow, Abs, why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because I knew deep down in my heart I was wrong, and I couldn’t tell you. I just couldn’t. But I am now.” Abby sniffled, snot bubbling from her nose.
Lily reached onto the side table and pulled two pink tissues from the box. “Okay, we’re going to figure this out. You guys can always crash here until you find new jobs if it comes down to it.”
Abby lurched forward suddenly, and Lily found herself smothered in a hug. Abby’s snotty face pressed into her shoulder, and she tried not to gag at the viscous slippery feel against her skin. “I love you,” Abby wept.
“I love you too.” Lily patted Abby’s back. “Please get off me, you’re snotting on me.”
Abby sat back with a hoarse laugh and took the tissues, blowing her nose loudly. “Okay, sorry.”
Lily grabbed more tissues and grimaced as she wiped the snot off her skin. “How hard would it be for you guys to get a new job?”
Laura sipped at her coffee and blew out a slow breath. “Not too hard, I guess.”
“Put in applications and just find another job.”
“You’re right,” Abby murmured, wiping her eyes again. “I can find another job. He’s not the only show in town. He won’t talk because he doesn’t want to lose his wife, and I don’t want to hurt her, especially with her being pregnant. That’s not fair of me. I knew he was married, and I went along with it. Well, no more. Tomorrow I’m telling him I quit, and if you’re serious, Lily, I’ll move in with you. Laura, you’ll have to be on the watch for a job too. I’m so sorry I messed everything up.”
“I really wanted to find something else anyway. I’m so sick of advertising for men’s deodorant it’s ridiculous.” Laura giggled.
Abby smiled a watery smile. “I love you guys!”
Lily found herself jerked into another wet, snotty hug. “Love you too. Ew, snot in my hair…”
Chapter Eight
The Date (Part One)
Lily had been so engrossed in Abby’s drama, waiting with bated breath to hear the outcome of the showdown with the boss that she’d forgotten to tell them about her raise. Ah well, it’s a secret I can keep. Abby had quit her job and would be moving out of her ultra-expensive apartment within the next few weeks if she couldn’t find a job in time.
Friday morning, Lily dressed quickly for work. Carefully she folded her black dress and tucked it into a bag, followed by her glossy black heels and a chunky yellow necklace. There wouldn’t be time to come back home and change for her date, she would have to change in the mall bathroom quickly and rush across town.
Gathering up her makeup and her toothbrush and toothpaste, she shoved it all in the bag and hurried out the door to make it to work on time. The
store was dead the first half of the shift, but by the time the afternoon came, it was like every teeny-bopper in Boston just had to come to the store and buy clothes. She busted two thirteen-year-olds trying to layer shirts and steal them, and after calling the cops, she got the shirts back. The girls were warned never to come back into the store, and sent on their way with police escort.
Then a middle-aged woman had wanted to unfold each and every shirt in a size extra-large, trying to find one that would fit on her rubenesque frame. After she stretched and skewed each one, grumbling as they didn’t stretch quite far enough, she threw them into a pile. Lily worked in silence, not trusting her tongue to behave as she cleaned up the mess.
Olivia manned the cash register, and they were so busy that there was no time to talk until the last half hour of their shift. “Are you excited to see my brother?” Olivia asked, her brown eyes sparkling.
“Yeah, I think we’ll have fun.” Lily smiled at the younger girl.
“Well, I can lock up. You go get ready.”
“Are you sure?” Lily asked. Olivia had locked up so many times before that she wasn’t concerned with her being able to handle it or not.
“Yeah, go ahead.” Olivia waved her on.
“Okay.” Lily hurried to the back and clocked out, grabbing her bag and going back through the front of the store.
“Have fun!” Olivia called, and Lily grinned back at her friend.
Once in the bathroom, she stripped off her clothes and pulled the dress on quickly. It was a simple gauzy dress, and it fluttered with every movement. Sidling out to the counter, she pulled the rest of her things out and shoved her work clothes inside. Moving at a breakneck pace, she smeared on deodorant and squirted perfume, brushed her teeth, and applied a little makeup. Raking the brush through her hair, she left it loose around her shoulders and attached the chunky necklace around her neck.
She looked presentable. It will have to do…
Checking her phone, she grimaced, realizing she had barely ten minutes to make it across town to the restaurant. She would be fashionably late. She jammed her feet back into her sneakers, deciding to wait on the pumps until she got to the restaurant and stuffed everything back in her bag. As she left the bathroom, she jogged through the mall, pausing only for a moment to see Olivia sliding down the bars outside the store.
Kiss a Frog (The Book Club Series 1) Page 6
