little easier.
“Can you hold on a sec?” I asked Michelle.
I dragged my shirt back on, squeaked, “Sorry,” and tore out of the room, feeling relief flood through me with every step I took. In the daylight, I put the phone back to my ear.
“So what do I do next?”
“The second interview’s tomorrow at four. Can you make that? If not, Bradley’s boss won’t be back in town for another week.”
“Tomorrow at four’s fine.” At least, it was now I wouldn’t be serving drinks in a thong.
“I’ll call back with the details.”
By the time Michelle rang again, I’d gotten home and taken a shower to scrub the feeling of the man’s eyes off of me. Dressed in clean clothes, I still felt dirty, and I knew I’d made the right decision. Even if I didn’t get the job working for Mr. Goldman, I’d need to find something else. Thoughts of Baysville flitted through my mind. Maybe I could go back and see whether Becky had brought Buck to his knees? Surely my stalker would have lost interest by now?
When the phone trilled, I snatched it up.
“All arranged,” Michelle told me, sounding far too cheerful.
“Am I going to the same place as last time?”
“No, to a restaurant. French. Although I’ll warn you now, a friend went there once, and after three courses, she had to remortgage her house.”
A shiver of fear ran through me. That sounded worse than the office building.
“What am I supposed to wear?”
“Do you have a cocktail dress?”
I’d thrown everything Billy gave me away, not that it would have been suitable for a fine dining establishment in any case.
“I have a skirt.”
“I’d go with that.”
I tossed and turned all night, wondering how I’d get through the next interview. I had my doubts it would be as easy as the first. Mr. Goldman was obviously successful if he could afford a housekeeper, and I’d never had coffee or anything else with a wealthy businessman before. Those sorts of men didn’t frequent the places I worked.
When my alarm went off, I’d gotten two broken hours of sleep, my eyes had black circles under them, and I’d turned into a gibbering wreck. I’d once read a book on the power of positive thought, but every time I convinced myself I’d ace the interview and swan into an amazing job, my subconscious overruled me, and I sank into the doldrums again. Part of me wanted 4 p.m. to never arrive so I couldn’t screw up, while the other half wanted the clock to race ahead so I could get the interview over with. Of course, neither happened, and time ticked by in its steadfast manner.
At noon, I jumped into the shower and used every toiletry product I owned, most of which were half-empty bottles I’d gathered up while cleaning hotels. Make-up was out because I didn’t own any. The dark smudges under my eyes would have to stay.
At three, I scuttled out of the apartment in a black knee-length skirt, mid-height heels, and the same white blouse I’d worn to see Bradley. Maybe it would be my lucky charm? The bus pulled up to the stop as I arrived, and I hopped on. So far, so good. According to the route map, it would take me within a quarter mile of the restaurant, and I could walk the rest in five minutes. I tried to calm my breathing as I stared out the window. Everything was going according to plan, so I should stop worrying.
Then the rain started. Huge, fat drops that splattered against the window as the bus splashed through the fast-forming puddles. And where was my umbrella? Ah yes, on a hook next to the door at home.
Great, just great.
A quick glance at my watch confirmed what I already knew—I didn’t have time to go back and get it. I said a silent prayer for the rain to stop, but nobody up there listened, and if anything, the torrent was falling harder by the time the bus deposited me at my stop.
I half walked, half ran through the storm, ignoring the pain from my ankle as I twisted it on the kerb. Where was the restaurant? I caught sight of it ahead of me—a shiny black marble facade with Claude’s written at the top in elegant gold script. Thank goodness, I was in the right place.
The roar of an engine from behind made me turn, just in time for an SUV to hurtle past, splashing me all over with dirty water.