Dragon's Fake Wedding Date - Riley Storm Page 0,17

Gayle was happy to be a part of it.

More than happy, really. I love it.

She found it so fulfilling, the work she did there. It made her feel like she was making a difference. And it made her hate her cubicle office job even more.

“Some personal stuff that we can talk about later, but I don’t want to break down over it right now,” she said with a sad smile. “And I just wish I could be here more often, really. These days, especially Saturdays like today when I can put in extra hours, I just feel like I’m doing something with my life, you know what I mean?”

Claire shrugged. “Yeah, I suppose. I mean, yes. It’s different in a way, I suppose, since I’m not a volunteer like you, but I try to forget that and just do what I can to help these people out. So I know what you must be feeling, in a way.”

Gayle smiled. She’d forgotten that Claire was there as part of court-ordered community service. The woman never acted like it. She had arrived on day one and thrown herself into the job like anyone else might have, and she was just fun to have around. It was no real surprise that the two were swiftly becoming close.

“Yeah,” she said, shoving a pair of water bottles into a fresh kit and then grabbing two tightly rolled towels and adding them to the clear plastic bag. “Between working five days a week at the office, three evenings at Lilly’s store, and then this two days a week, I have no time.”

Well, I guess I have more time now, she thought to herself wryly. Now that she didn’t have to fill any of her hours with Mikey.

“You know,” Claire said with a shrug. “If you hate the office so much, why don’t you just quit?”

Gayle paused halfway into shoving a blanket into the kit, her face screwed up tight in deep thought as she considered the question seriously.

“You know what?’ she said after a moment. “Screw it, I’m going to do it. I’m going to quit.”

“Ahh, that’s so exciting!” Claire said, coming around to swoop her up in a hug as the two women celebrated the decision. “Oh, also! I don’t know if you want a new job right away, but I heard that they have an admin position opening up.”

Gayle frowned. “I dunno, where?”

“Here!” Claire said excitedly. “I mean with Balance the Scales. You could work for them permanently.”

Gayle brightened immediately. “Well now, that’s an idea. Maybe I’ll apply. I have enough money to live for a bit and volunteer more anyway, and I’m sure Lilly could use more help at the Dragon’s Treasure, as well, which would help offset it.”

Claire nodded. “She needs all the help she can get, that’s for sure.”

Their mutual friend Lilly had a dragon-themed store selling memorabilia, gifts, and the like, and it was always packed. So they both helped her out as well.

“Yeah. I’ll do that and spend more time here!” Gayle decided excitedly. “Thank you for that! That’s amazing.”

Claire grinned. “Well now, you look way happier! That’s so exciting, I almost wish I had a job I could quit as well so we could do it together!”

They both laughed over that.

The loud repetitive beeping of a truck backing up interrupted their laughter. Another delivery was due to arrive, and that meant that things were about to get hectic as all the new product was offloaded and thus had to be sorted and stacked. First, though, the paperwork had to be signed.

“I got it this time,” Gayle said as Claire went to go meet the truck driver who was just now putting the vehicle in park outside the large tent flap. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Thanks,” Claire said, and resumed packing her kits. “Appreciate it.”

Gayle pulled back one of the flaps and tied it open. As she moved to the next one, the truck door opened and the driver got out, facing away from her. She paused for a moment to admire him, surprised to see that he was in fantastic shape. Long hair was tied up in a ponytail. On many men it looked silly, but that combined with the tight black t-shirt just worked for this one. He had jeans on that fit perfectly without the need for a belt and dark brown boots.

It was a good look. Gayle was flat out staring by that point.

And why shouldn’t I? I’m single now. I can look at whoever I