The Long Lost Daughter

8 The Hideout

The drive to the city of Ocean where the University of California is located takes about 6 hours. I am determined to make this drive as short as possible so I only stop one time to get gas, go to the bathroom and pick up some lunch. I fight the urge to stop for another snack on the second half of my drive because I am always hungry, but I want to get to Ocean as soon as possible. 

I get to Ocean about 1:00pm in the afternoon. I decide to go check into the motel that I plan on staying in for the night. The motel is on on the outskirts of the main downtown area of ocean and right down the street from the apartment I will be renting for the next year. 

Once checked in I head to my room with the bag I packed for just tonight. Once inside the small motel I pull out my professional clothes that I had packed. My plan for today is to head into downtown to start applying for jobs. Downtown Ocean is only 10 minuets away from my apartment and 5 minuets away from my college, it is the perfect place to find a job.

I haven't had time to do a ton of research on what is downtown, so I plan on going in to every place and filling out an application. Hopefully since I will already be there, they will ask to have an interview on the spot. Because of this I settle on making myself look presentable. I pin my brown hair up into a bun with braids on each side of my head. The bun sits at the nape of my neck and I feel that it looks very professional. 

After doing my makeup the day we had my late birthday celebration I have been wearing it more. Just a little bit of concealer, powder and mascara. Today I even threw a little bit of sparkly eyeshadow and eyeliner to complete the look. 

The professional clothes that Aunt Rae let me borrow are a pair of slacks and a white blouse that is baggy enough to be tucked into the pants. I also decided to put on the bracelet Ashley gave me. I make a mental note to try and wear it more often when I can. I have never been one to wear jewelry, but I think it adds to the professional look I have on. I then add a belt, and a pair of low black heals. I gather my resumes and head back out to my car and make the short drive to a parking structure in the downtown area. 

I spend about two hours walking around down town and I go every kind of business that there is. From restaurants to arcades. Some places turned me down immediately, some let me fill out an application and some took my resume. All of the places that took my application or resume told me that I would be hearing from them. 

I don't have that high of hopes since I did not get to talk to many people directly because I was mostly just dealing with their normal employees, but I am trying to keep my hopes up. I need a job. It is what is going to allow me to live off campus while I am attending college. I have enough money to get me through the summer, but I am going to need the funds to keep living in my apartment during the school year. 

After two hours walking around in heels I am exhausted. I am regretting the decision to wear heels. I never wear them, and I have been on them for the last two hours. Not the smartest decision I have had. However I can tell this is one of the perks of being a werewolf. I know if I wasn't, my feet would be covered in blisters by now. I am also starving because I still have not had anything else to eat today because I was so eager to go on the job hunt. 

Because at this point I know every single businesses  that is on the main downtown street I decide to pick up a sandwich at a little deli I applied at earlier today. As I am walking down the street I notice a door that I must have missed on my first time passing by. 

The door has no signage on it, but I can sense that there are people behind the door. I have been becoming more accustomed to my werewolf powers that come through in my human form. My sense of smell is better, and I have more strength that I never had before. I never go to the gym, so this strength is new for me. Another sense that I have noticed since finding out I was a werewolf earlier this week is being able to sense when other people are around. 

I don’t know why, but I feel a pull that is making me want to find out what is behind the door. As I walk even closer to the door I catch the faint smell of coffee. My mouth begins to water. It is hot outside and after a day of traveling and walking around a nice iced coffee sounds amazing. 

Fueled by my want for a coffee, I push open the door and once inside I am blown away by the place before me. There are tall book shelves that are on every every wall. There are tables everywhere that have groups of people or individuals sitting in comfy looking chairs. There are also couches and bean bag chairs scattered through the room. 

From where I stand at the door I can see all the way to the back of the room which is where I notice the coffee bar. It seems like they have food, snacks and a stand where I assume people can purchase the books on the shelves. 

For it being a Sunday evening, during a time where school is not in regular session, I am surprised to see a lot of people. As I am standing there just admiring this place that I have stumbled into with my mouth wide open I hear a chuckle behind me. 

“Hello welcome to The Hideout, I assume this is your first time here?” The gentleman asks with a smile on his face. I can tell he is amused with my impressed expression with this place. 

He appears to be a few years older than me, but quite a bit taller than me. Me being 5 feet 2 inches, most people are taller than me. This guy has to be at least one whole foot taller than me. The stranger has bright blue eyes with dirty blonde hair that is styled up so it remains out of his face and he is completely clean shaven. He is wearing a forest green shirt that has a logo that reads "The Hideout" on the top of his left peck, with black slacks. 

Did I mention this guys muscles? He is ripped. I mean does this dude live in the gym? I clearly have spent way too long checking this guy out because with another chuckle I snap my eyes back to his. 

"Like what you see?" he asks in amusement. 

I know for a fact that my cheeks are bright red. I have never been one to be interested in guys, hell I am a virgin after all. I don't know what has came over me. I clear my throat in an attempt to change the subject and to distract from my embarrassment. 

“No I have never been here before. This seems like a really cool place" I say not acknowledging the fact that I was just caught checking him out. I am sure this guy is used to it. Mr. Tall and Handsome looks like he knows that he is hot and is not afraid to flaunt it. He does seem nice though because he seems to understand that I don't want to talk about me being caught checking him out. He just shakes his head and smiles. 

“Well welcome, as you can see we are a bookstore and coffee shop. We offer a wide variety of books in many different genres. We have some of the best tasting coffee in all of California. You will enjoy our sweet treats, and we have great tasting food as well. You won't be able to find anything like this place anywhere else near Ocean. Feel free to take a look around and enjoy yourself" he tells me. 

“Thank you so much” I say and quickly walk away. The faster I can get out of that situation the better. 

I understand why they call this place The Hideout it surely is hidden, there was not even a sign on the door. I make my way along one of the side of the large room looking at all of the books. They have quite the selection. I have always enjoyed reading, but in high school I did not have much time to do my own personal reading. Maybe now that I am in Ocean and will have more free time I will make time for reading again. 

Once I reach the back of the room where the coffee bar is I decide to order a small iced coffee. There is a young woman about my age that is the only one working the coffee bar and the register. I can tell she seems busy and overwhelmed. I feel bad for her. 

I decide that if anyone in here is going to know if they are hiring it is going to be her. I muster up the courage to ask “Hi, sorry to bother you. My name is Penelope. I was just wondering if you knew if they were hiring here?”

As she comes closer I notice she has some of the same features of the guy at the door. She has long dirty blonde hair that is pulled into a low pony tail inside of a black hat, which I am sure is to make sure her hair stays out of her face. She is taller than me but not by much. She also seems to be fit. What is it about California? Does everyone live in the gym? Maybe I will need to start going. 

“Oh it’s no bother at all. I actually think Daddy was getting ready to hire someone. I think he is tired of it just being my brother and I around here" she tells me with a wide smile. That must mean that her brother was the one who greeted me at the front door. That is why they has some of the same features. She seems like a really nice person. 

“That’s my Dad his name is Alex, he owns this place. You can go over and ask him”  she tells me pointing to a man who is sitting at one of the tables by himself. He looks exactly like the guy at the front door, just older with scruff on his face. Mixed in with his dirty blonde hair is some grey hairs, but he is just as muscular and fit as the first guy I met. 

“Are you sure? He seems kind of preoccupied” I ask. The last thing I want to do is interrupt and be in the way when I am trying to ask for a job. 

“Of course he won’t mind at all! In fact tell him I sent you. My name is Darla.” She says as she extends her hand to shake mine.

“Thank you so much Darla” I say as I shake her hand. Once we let go, she quickly gets back to work and I make my way over to her Dad. 

As I get closer I become very nervous. I have been applying to jobs all day, but something about this place is different. When I get only a few feet from the table Alex snaps his head up almost seeming to sense my presence. 

Once he makes eye contact with me there is no turning back so I ask, “Hello are you Alex?”

“Yes I am, what can I do for you today?” Alex answers in response. The man has a very deep voice. I don’t know if I have ever heard a man with that deep of a voice before. He definitely succeeds in making more nervous. 

It even causes Ruby to start slightly shaking in fear in my head. I want to ask her if everything is okay, but I haven't gotten the hang of not looking crazy while communication with her. Snapping out of my nervousness I reach forward offering my hand in a hand shake. 

“Hi my name is Penelope. Darla sent me over here. I was wondering if you guys were hiring? I just moved here to Ocean and I will be attending University of California in the fall. I am available to start whenever. I also have a copy of my resume" I smile when he returns my hand with a slight shake. 

As soon as he drops my hand he asks, “Where are you from? Who are your parents?”

“I just moved here from Arizona. I never knew my Mother she died shortly after I was born and my father is no one special he disappeared a while ago and left me to live with my aunt" I tell him. These are strange interview questions. But if he gives me the job I do not mind sharing this little bit of my life. 

He stands up and looks down at me. As I guessed, he is quite tall. Not as much as the guy at the door, but he is very similar to the height of my father, who was about 6 foot. He leans down placing his hands on the table maintaining deep eye contact with me. 

“What are you going to be studying this fall?” He asks completely changing the subject.

“I am not sure yet. I am planning to take all of my general education classes and seeing what I like more. I am just excited to be in my dream college. I am trying to find a job that will help me to be able to live off campus and pay for school."

“Well you seem like you know what you want. The job is yours" he tells me taking me completely off guard.

“Are you serious?! Thank you so much!" I exclaim. 

“You will be my first employee outside of my children. You will be a barista just like Darla. Come in tomorrow to fill out paperwork and we will get you started" he tells me with no where near my same amount of enthusiasm. I have the biggest smile you have ever seen and his face has not moved from the serious manner he had when I first introduced myself. 

“Oh my gosh I can not even begin to tell you how much I appreciate this. I will see you tomorrow" I say shaking his hand one more time before making my way to the front door.

I turn back to Darla and give her two big thumbs up to tell her I got the job and I say goodbye to the young man by the door before heading out. I should probably learn his name now that we will be working together. I also realize I never got my coffee. Oh, well.

By the time I get back to the motel I realize that I never did get any actual food so I order a pizza from a place I found on my phone. My feet are still killing me so I get it delivered so I do not have to stand or go anywhere. I devour the whole thing, lay on the bed and watch a new series on Netflix.

Tomorrow is a big day. I will be moving into my studio apartment and starting my first job. So far this move is everything I could have dreamed of and more. I just hope that everything continues to go according to plan.