“Don’t worry about it. I believe you met Carrie earlier. She’s working the front counter so I’ll tell her to expect you.”
After hanging up, she made a U-turn and drove back to Espress Yourself. She
had to park around the corner as the afterhours crowd had converged on the place.
Flipping down her sun visor, she checked her hair and put on a little lip gloss to add some color to her otherwise pale face. Her hands trembled a little as she exited the car and walked around the corner to the front door.
Chapter Two
Carrie smiled when she saw her. “I’ll let Scott know you’re here.”
Lydia stood uncertainly at the end of the counter. Scott Hunter had sounded
friendly on the phone. She hoped he would give her good news and hire her. Carrie came out of the back and went behind the counter. Lydia fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she watched the doorway expectantly. A tall, slender man came out and walked toward her.
“Lydia, I’m Scott.” He held out his hand and she shook it. “Why don’t you come into the back and we can discuss the job and your expectations.”
“Thank you.”
She followed him into the back of the shop and sat in the chair across from him.
He folded his hands together and set them on top of his desk and smiled at her. His smile was friendly and set her at ease a little, but she was still nervous. This was her chance to make a life for her baby and she didn’t want to screw it up.
“I appreciate you taking the time to meet me tonight,” she said softly. “I didn’t expect to hear from anyone just yet. Or at all for that matter.”
“Your lack of work experience isn’t a big deal here at Espress Yourself. We’re looking for dedicated people who want to stay with the company long-term. I saw on your application that you’re working on a college degree, so I’m guessing this would be a temporary stop for you.”
She squeezed her hands together. “It will be a while before I can finish my
degree. I have a baby due in five months, so that’s going to change my life a lot. I’m looking for a way to support myself and offer a safe home for my baby.”
“We do offer insurance which I’m going to assume you’ll need. Do you have
questions about the job?” Scott asked.
“Carrie said there was on the job training and a book under the counter if I forget something.”
He nodded. “You’ll also handle the register and you may have to open or close some days, but I won’t ask you to do that right away. At least, not without some help.
To start, I’ll pair you with someone who will help train you, and then when you feel more comfortable, you can be a little more independent.”
“And there are benefits? My parents said they were dropping me from their
insurance.”
“There is health insurance, for a fee. It will be automatically deducted from your check. You’ll be paid every two weeks on a Friday. There’s a lag of one pay period though, so if you start tomorrow, you won’t be paid until the following pay period, which is three Fridays from now.”
Three weeks without a check didn’t sound good, but she supposed that would
happen anywhere. She did have a little money in savings, and if she knew she would have a regular check coming in, maybe she could use that money to get a place of her own. Sleeping on Jenny’s couch was sounding less and less desirable.
“You said if I start tomorrow. Does that mean you’re giving me the job?” she
asked.
“If you want one. We have two barista openings right now and one of those
spots is yours. Can you be here at six in the morning?”
“Of course.”
“You’ll want to bring a lunch with you. There’s a breakroom with a fridge.
Everyone has their own locker so you can store your purse and any other belongings.
I’ll have a timecard ready for you when you get here. After tomorrow, I’ll need you here by 5:30 to learn how to open.”
Wow. That was really early, but if it meant she could afford her own place, then she’d do it.
“I’ll be here.”
“Welcome to the Espress Yourself family, Lydia.” Scott smiled.
“Is there something in particular I should wear?”
“We don’t have a formal uniform, but most of the workers wear a polo with
either khaki or black slacks. Do you have something like that? If not, don’t worry about it the first week.”
“I think I have something that will work for tomorrow. I can pick up some more clothes after work.”
Scott drummed his fingers on the desk. “Not to tell you how to handle your
personal time, but with you being four months pregnant and not having worked before, I can pretty much guarantee you’re going to be too tired after your shift tomorrow. We can discuss your schedule in more detail in the morning. For now, we’ll just take things one day at a time.”
“Thank you, Scott. I really appreciate this opportunity.”
Scott stood. “Any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. If I’m not around, I’m sure Carrie will be happy to help you. She tends to pick up extra hours here and there, so she’s around a lot of the time.”
“I’ll see you bright and early.” Lydia stood. “I promise you won’t be sorry for hiring me.”
Scott ushered her out of the office. “There will be some forms to fill out in the morning, but we’ll get those out of the way and then start walking you through the basics. I’ll be here for another hour if you think of anything you forgot to ask.”
Lydia told him bye, waved to Carrie, and went back out to her car. If Scott was right about her being too tired tomorrow, then she’d need to shop tonight. On the bright side, that kept her out of Jenny’s house a little while longer. Not that there was any hope of the party ending before midnight. She definitely needed to start apartment shopping tomorrow. Maybe even tonight, if she could find some websites for local places. She’d heard about a site that supposedly listed apartments from across the U.S., but she wasn’t sure they’d have any listed from their small town.
She was about to back out of her parking space when someone tapped on the
passenger window. Lydia startled, but her heart rate slowed after she saw it was Carrie.
She rolled down the window and peered out.
“Did I forget something?” Lydia asked.
“I made a call. I know you said you had a place to stay, but your friend didn’t seem like the considerate type. Anyway, I know the guy who owns the Cherry Tree Motel here in town, and he’s offered to put you up for a few nights until you can figure out something else.”
“Carrie, I…”
Carrie held up a hand. “He said things are slow right now and there was plenty of space. He even offered to meet you at your friend’s house to help get your things. His name is Wylen, and he’s an alien. I swear you can trust him with your life.”
“An alien owns the motel?”
Carrie smiled. “Aliens own several businesses around town. I wouldn’t send you off with just anyone. I trust Wylen with my life. He’s a good guy and he just wants to help.”
Lydia chewed on her bottom lip. It would solve her problem temporarily. She
had to admit that she wasn’t looking forward to staying with Jenny if it meant never ending parties all the time. It wasn’t like she could go into the bedroom and shut the party out, since she was sleeping on the living room couch.
“All right. I’ll meet with him.”
“He said he’d wait for you at the motel. Just go to the front office and ask for him, and the two of you can ride together to get your things. I should warn you, he’s a Chiron so he’s purple with blue hair. Really, he’s more of a violet shade with aqua hair and eyes. He’s rather striking.”
Lydia smiled. “Are you trying to set me up?”
“Well, you could certainly do worse.”
“One t
hing at a time, Carrie. I just got a job and I still need a place to stay. Maybe after a few weeks I can think about finding a boyfriend. Not that it’s going to be easy with the little one on the way. It’s going to take a special man to raise someone else’s child like it’s his own.”
“I’m sure your Mr. Right is out there, and probably a lot closer than you think.
But I won’t push the dating thing. Now, get out of here so you can get settled for the night.”
“Night, Carrie. And thank you.”
Lydia rolled up her window and backed out of the space. Pointing her car in the direction of the motel, she anxiously drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. Was she doing the right thing? It didn’t feel right taking charity from a stranger, but she was feeling rather desperate.
She didn’t understand why the alien would want to help her. It wasn’t like
they’d ever met. Had Carrie not mentioned the pregnancy, would Wylen still be helping her? She’d heard that aliens were very protective of woman and children, and with her being pregnant, she supposed they would feel doubly protective of her. Still…
She pulled to a stop in front of the Cherry Tree Motel, claiming a space in front of the office. Lydia grabbed her purse and went inside, the bell tinkling over the door. A man stood behind the counter, a bored expression on his rather plain face. When his gaze clashed with hers, his eyes lit up. Either he was excited to have a customer, or…
she’d rather not think of the “or.”
“I’m here to see Wylen,” Lydia said as she approached the counter. “I believe he’s expecting me.”
“Can I tell him who’s here?” the man asked, his enthusiasm dimmed.
“Lydia.”
He nodded and stepped through a door into the back part of the office. A
moment later, a large alien came through the door, having to duck to pass under the doorframe. He had a ready smile as he came to stand beside her. Carrie had called him striking, and she wasn’t wrong, but breathtaking might have been a better word. Lydia wasn’t sure she could form words if she needed to, with her mouth now dry and her heart racing out of control.
“Carrie said you had a friend who was throwing a party tonight. I thought you might like back-up when you get your things,” Wylen said.
“If it isn’t an imposition.”
“Not at all. Let me go ahead and get you set up with a room, and then you won’t have to worry about it when we come back. Since you’re by yourself, do you want something near the office? There’s someone on staff twenty-four hours if you ever need anything, and the police drive by at least once or twice a night to make sure everyone feels safe. It keeps most of the troublemakers away.”
“Near the office would be great.”
Wylen smiled at her again and stepped back behind the counter, nudging the
other man out of the way. He tapped away on the keyboard, then grabbed a plastic keycard, inserting it into a machine before handing it to her.
“I put you in 103, that way you aren’t right on top of the office, but you’re close enough.”
“Thank you,” Lydia said, taking the card from him and tucking it into her
pocket.
“Did you want to unload the things from your car now?” he asked.
“I don’t want to keep you too long.”
Wylen waved away her concern. “No worries. Why don’t you pull up in front of
your room and I’ll help you carry things inside?”
Lydia nodded and palmed her keys. Outside, she got into her car and pulled it over in front of room 103. She really didn’t have much in the car right now so it only took one trip to get her things into the room. When they were finished, Lydia made sure the door shut all the way before following Wylen over to his large SUV. He helped her into the passenger’s seat before sliding behind the wheel on the driver’s side.
Lydia gave him the address and he nodded.
“I know exactly where that is. I have a friend who owns several of the duplexes over there, and your friend’s just happens to be one of them. If she gives you any trouble, I’ll have a way to settle the issue. All it would take is one phone call to her landlord and she’d be out of a home if she doesn’t cooperate.”
“I don’t want to threaten her. I just want my things, and I’m sure I’ll be able to get them without any problems. I just don’t have fond memories of parties.”
Wylen reached over and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’ll help you in whatever capacity you need. If you want me to wait in the car, I will. If you want me to go inside with you, then that’s what I’ll do.”
“I think I’d like it if you went in with me, if the party is still going on. Drunk men don’t make sound decisions.”
Wylen laughed. “No, they certainly don’t. But then, I’ve found human males
don’t make good decisions even when they aren’t drunk.”
They pulled up to Jenny’s place and there were still cars parked everywhere.
Wylen walked with her to the door and she knocked, but no one answered. After knocking twice more, she pushed open the door. Music blared from the docking station on the kitchen counter and bodies were crammed into the small space. Lydia saw her bags in the corner and she pointed them out to Wylen. As they pushed through the crowd, she saw Jenny stepping into her bedroom with some guy Lydia had never seen before.
Wylen had all but one bag in his arms and she quickly moved to pick up the
remaining tote. Wylen cut a swathe through the crowd with Lydia on his heels. She stuck close, hoping no one stopped her along the way. They stepped outside and she firmly closed the door, leaving the party on the other side. She felt the tension ease from her body as she neared Wylen’s SUV and she was thankful she hadn’t had a
confrontation over picking up her things. She’d send Jenny a text after she was safely tucked away in her motel room.
“Your friend actually expected you to sleep during all that?” he asked, as he cranked the engine. “Carrie was right. She’s very inconsiderate, especially of a woman in your condition.”
“I was supposed to sleep on the couch so getting any rest tonight would have
been impossible. I’d have ended up paying for a motel room somewhere just so I could sleep.”
“You can have the room as long as you need it. Carrie mentioned that you
applied for a job at the coffee shop. How did that go?”
Lydia smiled. “I start tomorrow.”
“Why don’t you stay at the motel for a week or two, get your first paycheck and then you can search for an apartment. I know staying at a motel isn’t ideal, but it will save you from having to buy furniture right away. I have plenty of rooms available so it’s no hardship to have you there.”
“I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” Lydia said. “I still don’t understand why you’d help me.”
“I don’t know what you know about my world, but I lost my mate when she was
pregnant with our child. Someone poisoned our women and she died in unbearable pain. I had to watch her suffer as she drew her last breath. If I can ease the burden of another pregnant woman, then I’ll do what I can.”
Lydia lightly touched his arm. “I’m sorry for your loss, Wylen. And thank you again for helping me.”
He nodded and didn’t say much the rest of the way back to the motel. When they pulled to a stop in front of her room, he turned off the SUV and began gathering her things. She let him carrying everything inside, then bid him goodnight before closing the door. She really needed to go buy something to wear for work this week, but first she wanted to get some of her things put away. If she was going to stay here for a week, there wasn’t any reason to live out of boxes and suitcases. It only took a half hour to get her clothes put away and her few pairs of shoes set out. When she was finished, she freshened up in the bathroom then picked up her keys and purse and headed out once more.
She hated shopping, especia
lly at night, but she didn’t want to stick out
tomorrow and not have anything appropriate to wear. As she made her way through the large store, fatigue settled in and every step felt labored. She tried on several pairs of pants before she found the right size. Stocking up on five polo shirts and five pairs of pants, she made sure she found shoes that would look stylish yet be comfortable and purchased two packages of socks to go with them. By the time she checked out, she was ready to drop.
Lydia yawned the entire way back to the motel. She struggled to get all of the sacks out of the car on the first try and jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder.
“I didn’t mean to scare you,” Wylen said. “I was heading home and saw you. I
thought I’d help carry this stuff inside for you.”
“Thank you.”
Lydia stepped back and let him carry the sacks to the door. It took her a few tries with the keycard to get the door open, but once she pushed it wide and stepped inside, she kicked off her shoes and sighed in relief.
“If you need anything else tonight, don’t hesitate to call the front desk,” Wylen said.
“I will.” Lydia smiled. “I think I’m done for the night. I’ll probably just fall asleep watching TV.”
“Goodnight, Lydia,” Wylen said, backing out of the room.
“Night.”
She made sure the chain was pulled across the top of the door before getting her pajamas out of the dresser. With another yawn, she changed her clothes, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and then fell into bed. Lydia didn’t even process what was on TV as her eyes slid shut and she fell asleep.
Chapter Three
Lydia swiped her bangs out of her eyes as she punched the customer’s order into the register. Blenders were buzzing on the counter behind her and the three industrial sized coffee makers were perking next to them. The burst of steam coming from the machine in the corner made her eye twitch. Two weeks. Two long weeks of being a barista at Espress Yourself and she was ready to throw in the towel, except she desperately needed a paycheck.
There had been just enough money in her account to pay for a studio apartment and furniture. She’d had a little extra cash for groceries and gas. As much as she hated her job, she needed the nine dollars an hour that it paid. It wasn’t that Espress Yourself was a bad place to work, but she sucked at being a barista. When she brewed the coffee, something always went wrong and it came out more like sludge or would be too light and have grounds floating in it. And no matter how many times she made a mocha latte with caramel drizzle, she always put in not enough mocha and too much caramel.
Lydia And Her Alien Boss Page 2