Page 52 of Ordinary Girl

“No!”

Cady’s face breaks into a grin. “Okay. Touch defensive there, again.”

“I’m not being defensive. I’m just tired.”

“Sure you are.”

We sit in silence for a few minutes, my eyes occasionally glancing up at the huge TV screen on the wall opposite: at the music channel playing rock videos.

“Skip said he would get me a job. He even said he could set me up with my own business again, if that was what I wanted.”

“Isit, what you want?” Cady asks, and I look at her. And shrug.

“I don’t know.”

“It would go a long way to helping him trust you. You take on a job with the club, or run your own business within the club, in their eyes that means you want to stay. Even if you don’t.”

I frown. “I – I don’t know what you mean…”

“I know you don’t really want to be here, Ana. And I know I told you that you had to suck it up and accept that this was your life now, but the more I see you, the more I talk to you, you’re never going to stop trying to find a way out, are you?”

I think about Joel. What we did last night. And I don’t answer Cady’s question, because I don’t know what to say.

“So, you ran your own business, huh?” She’s changing the subject, and I like that she knows when I don’t want to talk about something. “Tell me more about it.”

I start to tell her about the shop. About Lars and Lea and everything we’d achieved. “It was really starting to take off, Cady. We were even talking about finding a bigger place, expanding our stock...”

“Okay, here’s a thought,” Cady says. “Why don’t we do it together?”

I frown again. I still have no idea why this woman is being so nice to me, but it makes me feel a little safer, if she’s being genuine, and I think she is. I hope she is.

“Do what together? Run a business?”

Cady nods. “It’ll give us both something to do because, to be honest, since I got back here I’ve been at a bit of a loose end. I’m not one of those club girls that likes to hang out here all day, keeping this lot happy, I need a bit more stimulation than that. So, how about it? You fancy working with me?”

“I – I don’t know… I mean, yes. Why not?”

It would get me out of the house. And if Cady was with me maybe they’d start trusting me more. Leave me alone more. But, it would also mean Joel wouldn’t be around as much…

“Come on.” Cady jumps up off the couch. “Let’s go scout out some potential locations.”

“Shouldn’t we talk to Skip first?”

“I know the club’s property portfolio, kiddo. I know where to look, and what would be best for us. We’ll plan it all out, then we go to Skip. Then all he needs to do is sign it off, and he’ll do that no problem.”

“You think?”

“I know. I used to be his old lady, remember? That carries a lot of weight.”

“It all sounds too easy.”

She smiles. “It can be. If you know the right people.”

“I suppose I’ve got nothing to lose.”

“Exactly.” She holds out her hand and pulls me up off the couch, and I feel a flutter of excitement, something I haven’t felt since… since last night. When Joel was inside me…

Joel

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