by LB Shaw
“I know, it’s a scheduling thing. My shift here is constantly changing. How can I register for classes when I don’t know from week to week when I’m going to be working?”
Rob rubbed his forehead. He sympathized with everything that she had been through, but it seemed to always be the same with her, making excuses as to why she can’t do this or won’t do that.
“Alright then, maybe it’s time to give serious consideration to working somewhere else. This isn’t the Taj Majal, you know? No benefits, crazy hours, not to mention the countless men that you have to grind up against just to make a few bucks. You’re selling yourself short, and you know it.”
Alyssa stroked his cheek. “You’re amazing. Look, I’ll do my best, okay? But I’m not making any promises.”
“Just think about it.”
Alyssa tucked the money Rob gave her into her bikini top. “Thanks a lot for the cash. Don’t think for one second I don’t appreciate the hell out of you doing this. And I’m almost caught up on everything, too. Listen, I better go and put this somewhere safe.” She tapped her breast.
“Alright. By the way, have you talked to mom and dad lately?” Rob asked.
“No. The last time we talked I hit dad up and he got pissed. Why? Is something wrong?”
“Huh, I hope not. I don’t think mom’s been feeling well. Just wondered if you knew anything.”
“Nope.” Alyssa’s short reply wasn’t unexpected. Because her relationship with their parents had always been so strained, anytime there was a problem she immediately distanced herself.
“Alright, I’m out of here.” Rob turned to leave. “Don’t catch the herp!”
“Uh-huh, love you too, big brother.” Rob got halfway down the hall before Alyssa stopped him. “Hey, Rob?”
“Yeah?”
“You’ll let me know if you learn anything about mom, right?”
“Sure,” Rob replied. Before turning the corner, one of the other dancers came flying through, almost slamming him in the chest.
“Oh!” she cried. “My God, look at you! Gorgeous as ever. Where have you been stranger?” Kerry pushed herself up against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her face was sallow like a corpse. She looked like she hadn’t slept in a week.
“Hey Kerry. I’m late for work, sorry. Got to run.” Rob gently brushed her aside before catching a faint glimpse of her pouty lips.
“Aww… when you going to let me give you that lap dance?”
“Some other time, okay?” Rob winked at her and walked out of the club as fast as he could. For the first time in weeks, he couldn’t wait to get to work.
* * * * *
Ana left the financial aid office feeling no better than when she first opened their letter. The school had lost the funding for her particular scholarship. She could apply for others, but the competition among them was so fierce it was unlikely that she would be approved. Applying for a grant was another option, but most of those would barely cover the cost of her books. It seemed hopeless. Best-case scenario, she would have to take a semester or two off and try to save up enough money for several classes at a time. Worst-case, she would have to transfer to a community college or drop out altogether. What the hell was she thinking, enrolling in one of the top five most expensive public universities in the state?
Over the course of the next few days, she coasted on autopilot through her work schedule and classes, mulling over her options. On Tuesday afternoon, she got a call from Rob.
“Hey,” he said. “You answered fast! It didn’t even ring on my end.”
“I was just sending a text to Beth when the call came through,” Ana lied.
“Oh, are you busy?”
“Not yet. Getting ready to head to work, though. What’s up?” Ana tried to sound casual.
“I was just passing through the area to drop off some documents for one of my account managers.” Rob voice was light and happy. Maybe he was going to ask her to meet up somewhere.
“Oh? How long you going to be in the neighborhood?” She could always grab a coffee with him and go in a little late.
“Not long. I thought we could meet for lunch, but since you have to work, that’s out I suppose.” Rob said.
“Maybe another day?” Damn work! She should just call out sick and be done with it. But then Rob would think she was a slacker, which she most certainly was not.
“Or how about tonight?” Rob suggested. “I’m thinking about a nice, quiet dinner. Maybe you know a good place out your way?”
She sure did. “How’s my apartment? I love to cook if you’re up for it?”
“Really? I don’t want to put you out.”
“That’s very considerate, but believe me, you’re not putting me out. I cook every day. Any requests?”
“Nope, I’m pretty easy to please. Are you sure it’s alright? Can I at least bring some dessert?”
“Dessert is a necessity. How does eight o’clock sound?”
“Perfect! See you then,” Rob answered.
Ana hung up and walked to her car with a grin across her face the size of Texas. With her inability to make a decision about school and taking on more work, she could really use the distraction from a man who didn’t have to work very hard to get her attention. Scratch that. She needed the distraction from a hot and sexy, powerful business executive who had full permission to snatch her up, rip her panties off, and make her feel like the woman she was.
* * * * *
By quarter ‘til eight, Ana had already showered and prepped the chicken for the broiler. There was a leftover sweet potato in the fridge she could use to make some fries and plenty of salad goodies. Giving some thought to lighting a few candles, she ultimately decided against it. Too romantic. Don’t want to scare him away just yet. Setting her phone on the iPod docking station, she streamed some tunes from her favorite smooth jazz station. It played the perfect blend of easy-going music.
The butterflies in her stomach were going crazy, so she made herself a weak rum and coke. Maybe if she wasn’t indulging in thoughts of him spending the night, she could actually complete a thought process that didn’t involve him pinning her against the wall, tearing off her clothes, pressing himself up against her, slipping inside her—
Knock, knock, knock!
Another fantasy, murdered in cold blood. It happened several times at work the other day. Stupid customers. As Rob entered her apartment, she detected a hint of cologne. Or was it some intoxicating combination of soap and deodorant? No. Whatever that smell was, it was not purchased at a dime store. It was, however, sending a signal to her brain that it was time to cuddle and mate. Damn, she was so easy. And was that another chocolate meringue pie he was carrying?
“You’re so evil. Where’d you get this?”
“If you must know, I have connections. I could tell you, but then I’d have to… well… kill you.” Laughing at his own joke, Rob seemed much more relaxed than last Saturday. She could speculate that he was glad to have her all to himself, but that probably wasn’t the case.
“It smells great in here. Can I ask what you’re making?”
“You can. And I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
Smiling, Rob looked at Ana and said, “If you do, at least wait until after I eat because I’m starving.”
“It’s a deal. And it should be ready in about ten minutes.” Ana took the pie and put it in the fridge. “You want some wine or a beer?”
“Ah, a beer would be great.” Setting down the bottle of Merlot he had brought, he glanced at a painting that hung on the wall of her kitchen. It was an abstract blend of oranges, reds, and yellows.
“I love the painting. Is it one of yours?” he asked.
Ana twisted the top of his beer, letting out a quick hiss and handed it to him. “A friend of mine did that one. We liked each other’s work a lot, so we traded a couple of pieces. She’s got a lot of her work in a gallery downtown if you want to go sometime.” Ana liked how she slipped that
potential third date in there. She also loved the way she was feeling much more at ease with him tonight than the first time around.
“I’d like that. My cousin has some stuff spread out around the galleries in L.A., too.”
Within thirty minutes, they were finishing up their dinner when Rob asked her about the shitty news she mentioned the other day.
“If it’s none of my business, you can say so.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s just one of those wrinkles that might take some time to iron out. I still don’t know how I’m going to handle the whole thing.”
Ana got up from the table and cleared her place while Rob helped put everything else away. He asked if there was anything he could do to help.
“I doubt it. Not unless you know the winning lottery numbers.” She let out a nervous laugh. Why was money such a big deal anyway? If money doesn’t make the world go round then how come poor people were always stuck in one place while the wealthy moved in circles?
Rob seemed to understand. “Ah, money problems. Boy, you weren’t kidding about that the other day, huh?”
Ana blushed and turned her head, recalling the text she accidentally sent him. “No, I mean the text was a joke, but I am in the midst of a financial crisis right now.” She fell on the sofa, wanting to change the subject.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Rob said. “I remember being so broke in college I convinced my roommate to let me use his meal card just so I could eat three squares a day.” Ana looked at him in stunned silence. Was this guy for real?
“Seriously! My parents could barely afford to put me through school. I told them I would take care of food and books if they covered the tuition and boarding. One year I didn’t save enough working over the summer, and all I could afford was the one-meal-a-day plan. So I would go to the cafeteria for breakfast and get enough take-out for two meals, then my roommate would let me use his card for dinners. Not every day of course, but he had money to burn, so he ate out with his friends all the time. If it hadn’t been for him helping me out, I’d have been eating noodles and crackers seven days a week.” Rob paused. “I guess my point is I know how rough it can be.”
But did he really? If that was as bad as it got for him, he had no idea how rough it could be at all. But Ana let that one slide. Every good man deserves a free pass here and there. If not for his damn good looks and infectious, seductive laugh, he’d have used up all his free passes on that comment alone.
“Yeah, it can be rough, alright. Not to make your situation seem trite, but I wish this was only about food. I lost my scholarship. It was a good one, too. Paid for my tuition plus gave me extra income for living expenses. With that gone, I don’t what I’m going to do. My job at the campus bookstore helps, but it’s not enough to pay the rent and utilities...”
Whoa… Ana realized she was heading into dangerous terrain. Here they were on their second date, and she was already belting out a sob story. Well, he might as well know what he’s in for.
“Are there other options you could look into?”
“As far as scholarships, not anything I’m likely to get. I can apply for a Federal Loan, but it will barely cover a third of my college expenses. Believe me, I’ve done the research. It looks like I’m going to have to try to find a second job or a better paying one. Getting a roommate isn’t really an option here, and I’m locked into a lease for the next year. Either way, I won’t be able to take any classes next fall, so everything is getting put on hold indefinitely. It genuinely sucks.”
Rob stood up and went into the kitchen to get some more wine while Ana waited, contemplating her options: either slowly spoon-feed him her life story over time, or let him bite it off in large, delicious chunks.
“Chocolate makes everything better,” he said, sliding a plate of pie across the coffee table to her. “Again, maybe none of my business, but do you have some family who could help?”
Large, delicious chunks it is!
Ana decided to go ahead and let him have it. At least he had been spared the info dumping on their first date. While she spoke, she entered an abstract world, bouncing between fuzzy reminiscence and indignation. Some memories were too deep and others, unbearable to recall.
She began with her parents. They were killed in a car accident when she was only eight months old. Ana’s mother, Jackie, had been an only child and had lost both her parents at a young age as well. Jackie’s only grandmother had raised her, and she passed away several years before Ana was born. Ana’s father was much older than her mother and apparently had a very strained relationship with his aging father. If there was any surviving family when Ana’s parents were killed, other than her elderly grandfather, she didn’t know about them, and they sure didn’t come forward to take care of her.
She ended up in foster homes right away. The first family that took her in had a house full of kids. She stayed with them until she was about four, at which point they had taken in an older, special needs boy who had violent outbursts. Because the younger children were not safe around this other child, the state decided to remove them from the home. They figured this would be easier that trying to re-home someone violent. Ana’s foster parents were the only people willing to take on a kid with problems of such epic proportion. Ana, needless to say, was among the children removed. It was the only normal, loving home she ever knew.
Every foster home that came after that was bad, or sub-par at best. When she was about ten, she had to share a bedroom with her foster brother, who was about a year older than her. When he made an attempt to touch her inappropriately, she kicked him in the nuts. He went screaming and crying to his mother, and within two days, Ana was moved again.
She learned over the years to keep her head down and her mouth shut. She had a few decent families here and there, but it seemed like whenever she would get comfortable with a set of nice foster parents, she would have to leave. She decided enough was enough, and almost five years ago, at the age of seventeen, she had herself emancipated. With a full-time job and an apartment ready for her to move into with Beth—who was already eighteen at the time—it was a no-brainer for the courts. They lived as roommates for a couple of years before Beth met Rich and moved in with him.
After hearing of her childhood ordeals, Rob set his glass down and leaned over to hug her. She felt a warmth and understanding emanating from him that she had never felt from another man before. His hands stroked her hair, and she felt as though she could melt into him.
“I’m so sorry you had to grow up like that. Man, I really take a lot of things for granted.” Rob appeared to be genuinely moved by her story.
“We all have things we take for granted. That’s just human nature. In a lot of ways I’m pretty lucky. It could have been a lot worse, but ultimately, it taught me some righteous survival skills. Well, I call them survival skills. Beth calls them trust issues. No matter what you call them, I managed to get out with my sanity intact.” Ana sucked down the last of her wine then poured another glass. She desperately wanted to change the topic. She couldn’t remember the last time she had shared that much about herself with anyone other than Beth, and it left her feeling cold and empty. Despite her displeasure with the subject, she gave Rob extra points for being the first guy she would share her history with who listened. Really listened. And that flooded her with a warmth, filling the deepest, darkest parts of her, making her feel not so cold and empty anymore.
They spent the rest of the evening chatting a little bit about his work, and she showed him some of the art she was working on. Before he left, he asked her if she wanted to meet for breakfast.
“Yes, and I know the perfect place—that little diner on Slate Road. They have the best omelets and homemade biscuits you’ve ever tasted.” Ana knew all the good restaurants in town as she used to eat out for every meal before she started cooking.
“Sounds perfect. How’s eight o’clock?” Rob asked.
“I’ll see you then,” Ana replied.
Seven
/> It had been a long time since Ana had carbo-bombed at breakfast, so the next morning she cut loose. Ordering a cheese and mushroom omelet with a side of bacon, hash browns, and pancakes, she wondered if her eyes were bigger than her stomach. NOM, NOM, NOM… I must look like a pig. As Ana drowned her pancakes in syrup, Rob stirred his coffee, watching her closely. “I don’t eat like this every day, I swear,” she said, half kidding and half serious.
“I can tell,” Rob joked. “No, I was just thinking… I spent a lot of time contemplating your situation last night, and I might have a solution.”
“Really? I’m all ears. What you got?” Ana expected him to offer her a job at Signify. If he did, she would take it in a second, even if it meant brewing coffee and fetching some schmuck’s dry cleaning. A big company like that would definitely take her places she had only dreamed of going.
“It seems that you and I both need something. Something that we happen to be able to give each other.” Rob paused, pushing the eggs around his plate.
“Oh yeah? What’s that?” Ana came up with three things off the top of her head she could give him, and one thing in particular she wanted from him. It involved lots of sucking, licking, biting, and sweating.
“Well, you need money for school, and I want someone to… um… to accompany me to formal events, dinners, fundraisers, things like that. Now before you get offended, please understand, I’m not asking you to do anything inappropriate.” Ana let her fork fall slowly to the plate. He had her attention.
“I’d be willing to… reimburse you for your time… attending these events with me.” Rob looked at Ana, she supposed, to try and gage her reaction. As she sat there silently listening, she cocked her eyebrows in hard suspicion, wondering if he was serious. He certainly appeared to be. A small part of her felt as though she should be a little insulted. Was she? Wasn’t he interested in dating her? And why pay her?
“It would be a simple business arrangement. Of course, I’ll handle any expenses. And in case you’re wondering, I’ve never done this before, never even considered it. I just hate going alone, and I’m not interested in jumping into another relationship just to have the occasional dinner date. I don’t think that’s a good reason to get involved. And I don’t want to ask anyone on a date for that purpose alone. That would be misleading. I actually felt guilty about doing that to you. Not that I didn’t have a great time or that you’re someone I wouldn’t date, it’s just… I don’t want to get heavily involved right now. And you’re beautiful, smart, classy, and for some reason, I completely trust you, which is why I think you’d be perfect for this. Does that make sense? Am I rambling?”
