Chapter 11
When Lilith made it to work on Thursday, she had thirty minutes to spare. With a smile on her face, she put her lunch away, and clocked in. She walked out to the front and frowned when she saw Megan behind the desk.
“Meg, I thought you had today off.”
“I did, but Sally asked if I could cover for her. She said she wasn’t feeling well and wanted to know if I could cover for her. She told me to tell you that she would use her PTO time for today.”
“Okay,” Lilith replied, and shook her head.
Sally had been avoiding her since that day in the restaurant, and as much as Lilith wanted to shake some sense into the other woman, there was nothing she could do if she was being avoided.
After seeing that everything was under control, she went to her office and did her daily tasks, then had the duty to do her least favorite job of the entire week.
Scheduling time for the employees for the next two weeks.
After marking Sally’s time card for PTO, she accessed her records and shook her head.
Sally should have worked eight hours that day, and she was going to be extremely upset when she realized that she would be paid for only four hours today.
That was all the time she had coming to her.
No more PTO, vacation, or sick days were available.
Not until she started her new year of employment in three months.
There was nothing Lilith could do about it, and made the schedule like she always did, taking into consideration the time-off requests turned in and approved.
Three hours later, she hung up the schedule for the next two weeks, and went back out to help Meg at the front desk.
The entire day was boring and she found herself looking off into space, remembering the purchases she had made earlier that day, with a sappy smile on her face.
By the time eight o’clock came, she was more than happy to lock the doors and clean up.
When she went out to her car, she gave a startled sound when she saw a man peel himself off her car.
When she saw his hands go up in surrender, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Lucius.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was thinking about you ever since we met last. I knew you got out at eight tonight.
How about some dinner?” He bent down and picked up a bag that she hadn’t seen at his feet.
“I brought you a burger and fries from the bar.” Before she could answer, he spoke, “We can eat in my truck if you don’t want to invite me to your house. I totally understand.”
“You won’t be mad?”
“No, you’re looking out for yourself. I like that.
” With the bag in his hand, he walked over to his truck and opened the passenger door.
All Lilith did was go to her car, set her bag and purse inside, then closed and locked the door.
She smiled when he helped her into the truck.
It didn’t take long for them both to dig into the food he’d brought, and they ended up sharing her fries and his onion rings.
Neither one of them talked as they ate. As soon as she wiped her mouth, and took a sip of her drink—he had brought several bottles of water—she sighed heavily.
“Thank you, that hit the spot.”
“You’re welcome. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Talk about what?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you have something heavy on your mind. When you first spotted me, you were scared. I get that, I didn’t give you any warning that I would be waiting for you. But you have a tightness around your mouth and eyes. Like you’re trying not to yell at someone.”
“You don’t want to know about my problems.” She tried to wave it off, but it didn’t work. She watched as he turned in his seat so he faced her.
“First, if I didn’t want to know, I wouldn’t have asked. Second, how am I supposed to get to know you if you won’t talk to me. Third, do I have to go all Lucifer’s revenge on someone’s ass for putting that sad look on your face?”
Lilith couldn’t help it, she started out with a chuckle, which turned into a giggle, then a full belly laugh.
“That’s more like it. Now, talk to me, what happened?”
“It’s stupid really.”
“Not if it upsets you.”
“Okay, fine.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“I’ve been the head librarian here for the last five years.
I’m only twenty-eight. That’s a big deal.
I got it not only because I know the work, but I have a degree in library science, and most of the people that worked here when I started working back in high school retired.
I was also the most senior person for the job. ”
“Okay, congratulations. It sounds like your career has come far.”
“It has, and thank you. I worked hard for it.” She looked at him and sighed. “I started working here when I was fifteen. I volunteered for one year, then was paid while I worked part-time when I turned sixteen.”
“So, technically, you’ve been here for twelve years?”
“Technically, yes. Anyway, I wanted you to know my work history. Three years ago, a woman by the name of Sally Barclay started working here. We hit it off immediately. She’s the same age as I am, but she doesn’t have the degree that I do.”
“Do you need a degree to work in a library?”
“Not really, but it’s encouraged to get one, especially if you want a job like I have.”
“So, what happened?”
“Over the past three years, Sally and I became fast friends, or at least I thought so. It hasn’t happened yet, but I feel that in the next couple of weeks, the shit is going to hit the fan.”
“Why?”
“Let me back up to this past Sunday. Do you remember me telling you that I had a brunch date with someone?”
“Yes, wait, was it with Sally?”
“Yes. I told her about spending time with Starr at Hell’s Coffin, and that I had a coffee date with you later in the day. I thought she would be happy for me, but boy, was I ever wrong.”
“What did she say?” Luc clenched his fists and allowed Lilith to take one of his fisted hands in hers to try to soothe his anger on her behalf.
“When I told her you owned and operated a bar, and belonged to a motorcycle club, she changed right before my eyes.”
“How?”
“Became judgy and snooty. I had never seen her like this before. When I asked her what was wrong, she tried to tell me that I didn’t know what I was getting into, that you would be trouble for me. I guess I lost it on her.”
“How?”
This time Lilith turned toward him, and with his hand in hers she explained the questions she’d asked Sally at the brunch about her own taste in men, and that she told the other woman that she wanted an apology, until that came, then she would be her boss only, and not her friend.”
“Pardon my language, but holy shit. It’s the twenty-first century, are people still like that?”
“Yes, or at least Sally is. What upset me the most is that when I got to work today, I closed, that’s why I arrived at two, Sally was supposed to be at work, but Meg was instead.
Sally had called Meg to fill in for her, and told her to tell me that she wanted to use her PTO for today.
She did it all week, called someone in to work for her and then requested her time off to collect pay.
I didn’t say anything, and as of today, she used her last four hours of pay due her.
There is no more paid time off, sick days, nor vacation days due to Sally until three months from now.
On her anniversary hire date. I filled out the schedules for the next two weeks, and I left it like it has been for months.
I have a feeling when she picks up her check, she’s going to go off because she will be short hours. ”
“That’s on her, not you.” Luc shook his head sadly. “Do you think she’s calling in because you called her out on her shit. All those men you mentioned that took advantage of her, yet she couldn’t wish you luck with me?”
“I think so. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Sally is entitled, but she thinks any man that works in a trade, or doesn’t have a college degree or doesn’t work in a posh office is beneath her.
” Lilith jerked back when Luc laughed, then stared at him as he waved his hand in front of his face to try to calm down.
“What would she say if she knew that I have an MBA, and I not only own the bar/restaurant, but I also started the club and we are an LLC. According to the men you described and me, I would be the better pick, on paper, than those losers. I’m not saying I would ever date someone like Sally, that’s who I dated in the past, and you know how that turned out, but I would never date her.
Don’t be offended, but she sounds like someone that looks at a man’s bank account, and not what’s in their heart or head. ”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”
“May I ask you one question, then we can changed the subject.”
“What’s that?”
“When was the last time you dated?”
“Four years ago. When I received the promotion. I know you didn’t ask, but he thought that at the time before the promotion, he was making more money than I was, only about five hundred dollars a month, then my job was worthless and I needed to stay at home to cook, clean, have his dinner on the table within two minutes of getting home, and do all the running around.
Oh, and I had to ask his permission to have any extra money, but I needed to give him a spreadsheet as to why I wanted it, and what I would use it for. ”
“Holy shit, were you living with him?”
“No, we had only been dating for three months. When I got the promotion, and told him that I would be making three thousand dollars more a month than him, he demanded that I put it in his account. It took me three minutes to kick his butt to the curb. Thank goodness I never gave him a key to my place, but I had all the locks changed as a precaution. I threw myself into my new job. Not because I was missing him, not at all, but just because I wanted to be the best at my job. It might not sound like a lot working with books all day, but it can get intense at times. So, that’s my story with my last boyfriend, Mark. ”
“Thank you for telling me the truth. Now, I can’t give you any advice for Sally, just stick to you guns and make sure you have the proof that she’s already spent her time, and that she’s not owed any.”
“I did, and I even went so far as to contact the head of the district and explain the situation to her. She’s aware of it so if Sally calls to say I’m withholding monies from her, she knows the truth.”
“Good.” Luc entwined his fingers with hers, and brought her hand to his mouth so he could kiss the back of it.
He looked at her with his raised brow, and she did a little dance in her seat.
“Gator called me this afternoon and told me you had made some purchases. I won’t ask to see them, however, I would like to ask if you would like to meet me at Hell’s Coffin, the bar, at ten Sunday morning.
It’s supposed to be in the upper sixties to lower seventies, and the club wants to ride.
I know you probably don’t want me to know where you live yet, and I’m okay with that.
Since the others want to ride, we’ll go out as a club.
We’ll ride around, there’s a place we stop at that’s about two hours away, we grab something to eat, look at the sights, and then drive back.
We should be back to Hell’s Coffin by five. ”
“That sounds fun. Other than the boots, I purchased jeans, a sweatshirt, a helmet, and leather, what else do I need?”
“I don’t know if your hands get cold, but you might want gloves, sunglasses, and as much as I love seeing your lovely black hair hanging down, you might want to pull it back in a ponytail or braid. The wind is hell on the hair, especially long hair.”
“I can do that.”
“Also, don’t be shocked that your ass will hurt after the two hours.
I know mine does the first run of the season, and I’m not making fun of you.
Because you won’t be able to move around a lot, you’re stuck in one position, and the tailbone goes numb.
We don’t drive more than two hours before we need gas, or to stretch our legs. ”
“I understand. I’m sort of getting excited for this. In case I didn’t answer you yet, then yes, I would love to meet you at Hell’s Coffin at ten Sunday morning.”
“Good, just remember, dress in layers. It’s better to have too much on that you can take off, then want something and can’t add warmth.”
“Good to know.” She looked at him, and by mutual agreement, they leaned in and kissed.
It was several minutes before they broke apart, and then Lilith thanked him for dinner and quickly exited his truck.
She liked that he didn’t start his until after she backed out of her parking place and left.
She did see that he exited the lot in the opposite direction she had.
It wasn’t like she didn’t want him to see her house, she had nothing to hide, it was just that after her last relationship, and hearing about all the horror stories from Sally’s relationships, she didn’t want to invite him over until she knew she would want to spend more time with him.
She also knew that not all men were the same, and she shouldn’t base Lucius on someone else’s mistakes.
On a sigh, she drove home with anticipation of having a great day on Sunday.