“The room under the stairs is yours for one month. You should be able to find a job and get enough money together to find an apartment. Destin isn’t too far from here and the cost of living is more affordable there. If our parents return before that time I expect your father will be able to help you out.”

              Letting out a sigh of relief I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Thank you.”

              Rush glanced back at the pantry that led to the room I was sleeping in. Then he looked back at me. “I’ve got some things to do. Good luck on the job hunt,” Rush replied. He shoved off from the counter and walked away.

              I had no fuel in my truck but I had a bed. I also had twenty dollars. I hurried to my room to get my purse and keys. I needed to find a job as quickly as possible.

Chapter Four

              There was a note stuck under the windshield wiper of my truck. I pulled it out and read:

              “Tank is full. Grant.”

              Grant had gotten me gasoline? My chest felt suddenly warm.  That was so nice of him. Rush’s words “mooch” rang in my ears and I realized I would need to pay Grant back as soon as possible. I would not be thought of as a mooch like my father.

              Getting into the truck, I cranked it up easily and backed out of the driveway. Several cars were still outside, although not as many as last night. I wondered who all stayed the night. Would they always be here? I hadn’t seen anyone this morning but Rush and the girl he’d run off.

              Rush wasn’t a very nice person but he was fair. I had to give him that. He was also sexy as hell. I’d just have to learn to overlook that. It should be easy enough. I didn’t expect Rush would be hanging around me often. He didn’t seem to like to be around me very much.

              I’d decided that I’d get a job in Rosemary to save on gas. Then I could move out of Rush’s house quicker. I had found a local newspaper and I’d circled several different jobs. Two were waitress jobs at local restaurants and I’d stopped in to apply. I had a feeling I would get a call back from one or both but I wasn’t sure I wanted to work at either. I would if it was all that came available though. It just didn’t look like the tips would be that good and with a job like that you need the tips. I also stopped by the local pharmacy to apply for the front register position but they had already filled it. Then I’d gone by the local pediatrician’s office to apply for the receptionist job but they wanted experience and I had none.

There was one last job I’d circled and I had put it off because I figured it would be a harder job to snag; a serving position at the local country club. It paid seven more dollars an hour plus the tips would be much better. I could be out on my own even sooner. Plus, there were benefits. Health insurance would be great.

              The help wanted ad had said to come to the main offices behind the golf course clubhouse to apply. I followed the directions and parked my truck beside a fancy Volvo. I adjusted the rearview mirror to check my face. I had picked up a small tube of mascara while I was at the pharmacy. Just a little mascara helped my face look older. I ran a hand through my pale bond hair and said a quick prayer that I was able to get this job.

              I had changed out of my shorts and sleeveless top when I’d gone to get my purse. I figured a sundress was more likely to help me get a job. Rush said I looked like a kid. I wanted to look older. The mascara and dress seemed to help.

              I didn’t bother locking the truck. It wasn’t in danger of being stolen here. Not when most of the cars parked nearby cost over sixty thousand dollars. The steps up to the office door were few. Taking one last deep breath I opened the door and stepped inside.

              A petite woman with a short brown bob and a pair of wire-rimmed glasses was walking across the reception room when I stepped inside. She glanced over at me as she made her way to one of the offices but stopped in her tracks when she saw me. She gave a quick glance at the rest of me and then nodded her head in my direction.

              “You here for a job?” she asked commandingly.

              I nodded, “Yes, ma’am. I’m here about a server position.”

              She gave me a tight smile. “Good. You have the appeal. The members will overlook mistakes with a face like that. Can you drive a golf cart and can you open a bottle of beer with a bottle opener?”

              I nodded.

              “You’re hired. I need someone on the course right now. Follow me; we’ll get you changed into uniform.”

              I didn’t argue. When she spun back around and started stalking toward another room I followed behind her. She was a woman on a mission. She opened a door and walked inside.

              “You wear a size 3 in shorts? Your top is going to be smaller than what you’re wearing. The men will love that though. They like larger chest sizes. Let’s see…” She was talking about my boobs. That was awkward. She grabbed a pair of white shorts off the rack and shoved them at me. Then she grabbed a pale blue polo shirt from the rack and shoved it at me. “That’s a small top. It needs to be tight. We are a classy establishment here but our men like to have eye candy too. Therefore, we offer it up in a pair of white shorts and tight polos. Don’t worry about paperwork. I’ll have you fill all that out after work. You do this for a week and do it well and we will see about moving you into the dining room. We are short-staffed in there too. Faces like yours aren’t easy to find. Now, get changed and I’ll be waiting to take you out to the drink cart.”

              Two hours later, I’d stopped at all eighteen holes on the golf course twice and sold out of drinks. The golfers all wanted to ask me if I was new and comment on my excellent service. I wasn’t an idiot. I saw the way the older men were leering at me.  Thankfully, they all seemed careful not to cross any lines.

              The lady who hired me had finally told me her name when she’d all but pushed me up onto the cart and sent me off. She was Darla Lowry. She was in charge of hiring staff. She was also a whirlwind. She’d told me that I was to return in four hours or when I ran out of drinks, whichever came first. I’d run out of drinks in two hours.

              I walked inside the office and Darla stuck her head out of one of the rooms. “You’re back already?” she asked, walking out with her hands on her hips.

              “Yes ma’am. I ran out of drinks.”

              Her eyebrows shot up, “All of them?”

              I nodded. “Yes. All of them.”

              A smile crossed her stern face and she let out a laugh. “Well, I’ll be damned. I knew they’d like you but those horny men were willing to buy whatever you had just to get you to stay longer.”

              I wasn’t sure that was the case. It was hot out there. Every time I stopped at a hole the golfers looked relieved.

              “Come on, I’ll show you where to restock. You need to keep serving until the sun goes down. Then come back in here and we will get that paperwork filled out.”

              It was dark by the time I arrived back at Rush’s house. I’d been gone all day. The extra cars in the driveway were now gone. The three-car garage was closed and one expensive red convertible was parked outside of it.  I made sure to park my truck out of the way. Rush might have more friends coming over and I didn’t want my truck to be a problem. I was exhausted. I just wanted to go to bed.

              I stopped at the door and wondered if I should knock or just go inside. Rush had said I could stay here for a month. Surely that meant I didn’t have to knock every time I came back.