Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
“ I t’s going to cost how much?” Cashea groaned.
Her head dropped into her hand as she listened to the man on the phone rattle off pricing for replacing her tires. She squeezed her eyes shut, praying that she was still back home in her bed, dreaming. It was bright and early. She was in the office, which was surprisingly slow for a Monday morning. Usually, Dr. Reddy’s office would be bustling with parents bringing in their children for their doctor’s appointments. Maybe it was because it was the summer and families were spending more time together and vacationing. Cashea wasn’t sure what the reason was, but she was thankful for the small break. Come fall, there would be an abundance of appointments and kids being brought in with new sniffles and more.
“Miss Moss, we do have an option of a credit company that would help you with the expenses. I can give you that information to read if you want,” Hal, the mechanic, said.
Cashea sighed. She didn’t need any more credit cards at the moment. She had proudly paid off all of her debts and tried to only use them when absolutely necessary. Welp, walking to work this morning proved that it was necessary. She had even had to pay for her car to be towed to his shop.
Another expense she couldn’t afford.
“Let me look into some things,” she said. She lifted her head and tucked her thick hair behind her ear. She would stall just a few more hours if need be. It seemed as if she would be running at least one of her cards back up.
“Oh, sure. You know how to reach me, dear,” the older gentleman said.
She ended the conversation with the promise to call him by the end of the day. She sat back in her chair and glanced out into the waiting room. Only two patients so far. She’d already gotten them checked in for Dr. Reddy .
“Everything all right?” Tiffany asked from behind Cashea.
She turned to see Dr. Reddy’s nurse leaning against the wall. Cashea stood from her desk and moved the bell to the counter in case someone else came into the office. She motioned to Tiffany to follow her toward the hall. Tiffany had welcomed Cashea immediately when she’d first begun working for the pediatrician. The medical crew had been sharing the duty of receptionist until they’d hired someone.
“Yeah and no,” Cashea said. She leaned back against the wall and ran a hand along her face. “Let’s just say Hal can give me new tires and get my car ready for me today, but I’d have to basically give him my firstborn.”
“Ouch, that bad?” Tiffany reached out and rubbed Cashea’s shoulder. Her big brown eyes were full of compassion. Her deep-brown skin glowed against her blonde-and-brown braids she had pulled back away from her face. She was one of the first people to help introduce Cashea around, and that’s how she’d met Sara, Tiff’s best friend. She’d heard Cashea singing one day in the back while she’d made copies of patient education materials and had told her that her friend was hoping to start up a cover band.
“Yeah. I’ll be breaking out the credit card to pay for this.”
“Insurance won’t pay?”
Cashea winced. She had chosen the cheapest coverage she could get away with. Now she certainly regretted it, but who would have known she would have to replace two tires because an asshole couldn’t deal with rejection from a woman?
“I have a high deductible and might as well just pay for the damn things.”
“Why don’t you file a police report? Make him pay for what he did to your car. That’s not fair. You shouldn’t be dealing with this.” Tiffany scowled. She folded her arms.
“It’s my word against his, and who is going to believe me over someone like him?” Cashea shook her head. She might as well chalk it up as a loss and cough up the money. Even a year later, she was still the new girl in town while Brett’s family had been in Ironhaven for generations.
“Someone needs to stand up to him. He’s just an ass for no reason.” Tiff sighed.
Cashea had shared with Tiff what had happened between her and Brett this weekend. Cashea had spoken with Tim earlier, and he’d reviewed the tapes from the security cameras. There was no footage of Brett slashing her tires, so she had no proof to even try to press charges against him.
Cashea bit her lip at the thought of the one person who hadn’t had any issues standing up to Brett.
Draven.
Her heart raced with the thought of those almost iridescent blue eyes of his. Her skin prickled with the memory of his hands running along her thighs. They had been rough and callused, a direct contrast to her skin. A shiver passed through her. The orgasms he’d wrung from her, the feeling of his cock deep inside her, left her yearning for more.
But she’d said just that night.
He had been gone in the morning when she’d awakened. No goodbye. No thanks for a good time. Not even a note. Just his scent on her sheets and pillowcases was the only thing that proved the night hadn’t been a dream.
“You think you can hold down the fort while I run and go get some coffee?” Cashea asked. It was going to be a long day, and if she was going to make it, she was going to need lots of caffeine .
“Of course. There isn’t much going on today. Dr. Reddy’s schedule is light this week. Mind picking me up something?” Tiff reached into her pocket and grabbed her small-change purse.
“Did I hear someone is going for coffee?” Dr. Cathy Reddy asked, coming out of one of the exam rooms. A warm smile spread across her face. Her gray-streaked brunette hair was tied up in a high bun. She pushed her glasses on top of her head and went toward Tiffany and Cashea.
“I’m going to go down to the coffee shop,” Cashea said. She needed to get out and stretch her legs. After hearing how much it was going to cost her, she was going to need to come up with a plan of how she’d pay off the bills. Walking and fresh air would help clear her head.
“If you don’t mind grabbing me the largest black coffee they have, I will pay for everyone’s.” Dr. Reddy chuckled.
“You got a deal.” Cashea laughed. A few minutes later, she was stepping outside the building. She slid her sunglasses on and began the brief stroll to the coffee shop that was located a few doors down. The staff from the office usually ordered from this shop. Their coffee was good and their snacks tasty.
Cashea took her time and inhaled the fresh morning air. She wondered if she could get a temporary side job. Something she could work one or two days a week for a brief moment so that she could erase this debt. She hated having anything over her. She may not be living a lavish life, but at least she was able to afford the necessities in life. Maybe she’d get a second job to cushion her savings account a little more, then quit.
But what could she do for a month or two to earn extra money in a small town like Ironhaven?
Cashea arrived at the coffee shop a little too quickly for her liking, but she knew she couldn’t take forever. She went in and ordered their coffees. This morning it was only the three of them in the office. The others would be in later in the morning. After placing their orders, Cashea found a spot to wait near the front windows. The shop was busy, and it looked as if it would take them a while to get to her order. She didn’t mind waiting. A board on the wall caught her eye. She moved over to it and saw it was filled with job postings, missing animals, properties for rent. One particular flyer grabbed her attention.
Temporary assistance needed .
She moved in closer and read the small blurb. The Hen House was looking for a temporary waitress for weeknights.
“Ask and you shall receive,” Cashea murmured.
That would be perfect. She’d run over there tonight after work and inquire about the job. If they only needed temporary help then that would work out for her. She didn’t need two full-time jobs. This would help her pay off this credit card and put a bit more money aside for a rainy day. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be raining for a long time.
“Well, Tess will be going on maternity leave soon, and we just need someone to cover her while she’s out,” Clay said. He was the owner of the Hen House.
Cashea had been lucky that he just so happened to be in the bar when she’d arrived. He had been too pleased that she had come to chat about the job posting.
She’d made the walk over after she’d left the office. It had taken her about twenty minutes to make the trip. She hadn’t had a chance to give Hal a call yet to tell him to go ahead and fix her car. It had gotten busy with a few same- day appointments that had got added on. By the time she’d looked up, it was too late to give him a call. One thing about small towns, certain places held strange hours. Hal’s shop closed at four in the afternoon. She’d just have to call him in the morning. It shouldn’t be a problem.
“How long is she expected to be out?” Cashea asked. She bit her lip and leaned against the counter. The dinner crowd was just starting to arrive. Plenty of folks stopped by the Hen House for supper and a good drink. With football season going on, Cashea was sure the bar would soon be packed with people wanting to catch the game and grab a bite to eat.
Mondays were sure to not be as packed as the weekends. It had been a long while since Cashea had waited tables. She’d done it in high school and college to help pay the bills. It would be like riding a bike. Her old tricks would come back to her.
“She said she only wanted to take about eight weeks. How long are you looking for?”
Eight weeks wouldn’t be too long. Cashea was sure she could save up her tips she’d get and have a nice cushion in her savings account. This may certainly work out. She glanced around the place through different eyes. She was used to coming in on Friday and Saturday nights for fun. Working Monday through Wednesday for two months wouldn’t be bad. Cashea glanced in the direction of where Draven usually sat. Tonight, some other fella had claimed his seat. A sigh escaped her. She needed to put him out of her mind. Their one night together had been mind-blowing, but that was all they would ever have.
One night.
Cashea cleared her throat and turned her attention back to Clay.
“You’re sure it’s just weeknights, no weekends?” She wanted to clarify this up front. The Hen House was a very busy bar that had large crowds on the weekends. She would definitely know. The house was always packed when she and the girls performed.
“No weeknights. The others have pitched in and will cover her weekend shifts. I only need the three evenings a week covered until she gets back.” Clay grinned at her and pressed his hands together in a steeple, playfully begging.
She barked a laugh and shook her head. Clay was a good man from what she’d heard from Danny. He paid his employees fair, and the bar was one of the most popular ones in town. Even people from neighboring towns came over to have a little fun at the Hen House.
Cashea pondered it for all of a few seconds. This would work out. She would cover for Tess while she was out on maternity leave and then go back to working her one job. Cashea stuck out her hand to him. Clay’s grin widened even more. He slid his hand in hers and gave it a tight squeeze.
“When do I start?”