AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I glanced over at her.“What?”
She shrugged.“You and men.You draw them in without trying.Some rich dude got one look at you, and now, he’s tossing money at you.At least this one has money,” she said.
“I don’t want his money,” I stated firmly.
She smirked.“Is he ugly?”
He was so far from ugly that I doubted he even knew that word.I shook my head and backed the car up to face it the right way.
“So, he’s hot?”she asked.
Beyond hot.
“He’s not my type.”
“Ah, so he isn’t into illegal things, doesn’t drive a motorcycle, and has the potential to be stable,” she teased.
I knew she wasn’t judging me.She was making light of my choices in men, and she was right.If there was a bad boy, I would find him.It was a curse.
I smiled over at her.“Pretty much.”Then, I added, “All right, Gypsi Lu, don’t be a smart-ass.”
Her musical laughter filled the car.
After I dropped Gypsi off at work, I called Silas to see if I could come in later to work so that I could drive Gypsi home from her shift.We were now short two servers, and he needed me in earlier than normal, but assured me he’d have a driver pick her up and take her home.
I mentioned the purse to him and was met with silence.I then brought up the phone, and again, silence.He finally cleared his throat and explained that the club wanted to replace my things and make up for the trauma that it had caused me.The man was lying.I could tell by the way he spoke.He kept pausing as he made it all up.When he was done, I thanked him and ended the call.
It was Garrett Hughes I needed to speak to.Not Silas.Just as I’d thought.
I stopped and looked at the purse several times during the day.At one point, I almost got dressed and went on a job hunt.Something about the way Garrett Hughes felt like he could just decide that my purse wasn’t usable and replace it with one so extravagant bothered me.It was just another form of control.I didn’t like it.
There were two more hours before I was supposed to be at the club, but I was unable to look at this purse any longer.Wanting to touch it, put it on my arm and admire myself in the mirror, and even smell it showed a weakness in me that didn’t feel good.This kind of thing was never important to me.I didn’t have to own anything designer.Sure, I often appreciated the beauty of a purse on another woman’s arm.I’d let myself imagine owning one.I wasn’t against nice things.I just knew that was a different world from mine, and I was happy in my world.I had my Gypsi Lu, and our life was full.
Taking the bag with the gorgeous purse and ridiculous phone back to the club, I refused to glance over at it sitting in the passenger seat.My exceptionally clean car was already mocking me.It smelled nice and looked good, and I wasn’t concerned it would break down on the side of the road at any moment.All because of a man.A man who wanted something from me.I couldn’t be bought.I didn’t need his charity or bribes or whatever he thought he was doing with all this.
When I walked into the club, I carried the shopping bag and headed for Silas’s office.I didn’t feel safe taking this to the dressing room.Even if Eliana and Blake were gone, the locked cabinet in there was not enough security.I knocked once on the door and waited for him to answer.
“Come in,” he called out, and I entered the room.
Silas was sitting behind his desk, and he looked at me, then the shopping bag in my hand.Since he had taken responsibility for the bag and phone, I decided to continue this farce.
“Hey, Silas.I’m returning the purse and phone.If the club wants to give me two hundred dollars instead, I can replace my purse and phone.Neither of them was expensive.”
I almost felt sorry for Silas.It was clear he didn’t know how to handle this.I had no doubt he was scared to upset Garrett.Well, I wasn’t.I probably should be, but I refused to let that man intimidate me.
“Also, if you would, take the cost of the car detail and the work done on it from my next few checks.I can’t afford to pay for all of that at once, but I do intend to pay for it.Just break it up into whatever amount you feel is fair over the next month or however long it takes to cover all the costs.”
The surprise that flashed in his eyes was the only thing that gave him away.He cleared his throat and adjusted his bow tie before standing up.“If you insist.However, the club feels responsible for your troubles that Eliana caused.We wanted to make it up to you in good faith that you would remain working here.We do not want to lose such a hard working employee.”
He was good.I wondered how often he had to lie off the cuff like that.Probably a lot when dealing with men like Garrett.
I smiled at him.“That’s very kind of you.I will gladly accept the two hundred dollars to replace my purse and phone, but nothing else.Please take the money from my future checks.”
He swallowed nervously, then nodded.“If that is what you want,” he replied.“But please reconsider.The club has insurance and funds for this kind of thing.”
Sure they did.The funds that came from Garrett’s wallet.I forced a smile and nodded, then set the bag on Silas’s desk before walking out.
I would admit, as I walked away, I missed the way the purse had felt and had a moment of sadness that I’d never see it hanging on my shoulder again.But other than that, I felt good about how I’d handled it.
