Love Songs Box Set

I Can’t Get No Satisfaction-4

After I clocked out a little after one-thirty, I grabbed my backpack and made my way through the store and out into the busy parking lot. It was a warm, early spring day, so I decided to walk home instead of taking the bus.

As I passed some of the tables outside the store, I heard someone call my name.

“Georgie!” a male voice said, stopping me in my tracks.

I turned and saw Ry Archibald waving at me from where he sat underneath an umbrella next to the store, having what I assumed was his lunch.

Surprised, I slowly made my way to where he sat and stood at his table. “Something I can help you with, sir?”

Ry’s brown eyes studied me before he said, “You don’t remember me, do you?”

My brow furrowed. “You seem vaguely familiar, but I can’t place you. Sorry.”

He gestured to the seat across from him. “Can you sit for a minute, or are you in a hurry?”

I adjusted the backpack strap on my shoulder. “I was heading home to rest for a little bit before my second job, but I have a few minutes.” I sat, mildly curious as to what he wanted.

“You’ve worked here for a long time?” he asked, going back to his soup and sandwich.

“Years, sir. Why?”

“Darlene said you were one of the best employees. You keep your head down, stay out of politics, and quietly get the job done.”

I was surprised at that. “I didn’t know she felt that way, sir.”

He smiled. “Call me Ry, Georgie. Everyone else does. Did you call Darlene ‘ma’am’ all the time?”

“Actually, I did for a few months until she threatened to fire me if I didn’t use her first name. Naturally, I complied. Nothing like the threat of unemployment to get staff to toe the line.”

Ry gave a crack of laughter. “So true.” The laugh had transformed his round, mature face into something wonderful. Geez, where’d that thought come from?

Once he calmed down, Ry became serious. “Before we go any further with our working relationship, I want to be forthcoming. Obviously you don’t remember me, but I remember you. It was years ago, at a gay bar. You were drunk and wanted to bust your cherry for your birthday. I helped you out.” He focused on his lunch again and I slumped in my chair, stunned.

What were the odds that my back-alley trick would end up being my boss many years later? “I…Will this affect our working relationship in anyway?”

“Not at all,” he replied. “I prefer full disclosure. For what it’s worth, I enjoyed myself, and I hope you did, too. You seemed so sad and desperate, and all the guys in that place are vultures. I wanted to protect you from that.”

Jesus, I was pathetic. But I was grateful all the same and swallowed my pride. “Thank you. I don’t normally do things like that. I don’t even drink, or at least, I haven’t since that day. I never went back to that bar. They’d probably laugh me out of the establishment, anyhow. I was determined to get f****d, no matter what, and needed liquid courage. I’d never go into a place like that otherwise, not that I’m Grindr material.”

Ry frowned. “What do you mean? You’re—”

I stood before he tried to pacify me with platitudes. “Forget what I said. It’s not a big deal. Look, I’ve got to get going.”

Ry seemed hesitant to end our conversation, but he let me go. “Well, I look forward to working with you. I hope it won’t be awkward.”

I shrugged. “Why would it? Our liaison is old news. And thanks, by the way, though it’s a few years late, for the way you took care of me that night. I never forgot it. You have a good afternoon, Ry.” With a semi-jaunty wave, I took off. I dared not look back in case I saw pity in his eyes.

* * * *

Later that day, I was in the middle of sorting and tagging clothing from an estate that had just been delivered when my cell phone buzzed in my pocket. I looked around to make sure no one was nearby, since management frowned on mobile use during work hours, then checked the text message.

It was from Darlene, asking if I could fill in on Saturday morning for someone who had a family emergency. Because I was a long-term employee, I was able to get mostly the same shifts each week, and the majority of my weekends off. But everyone assumed I didn’t have a life, so I was often called on to fill in at odd times. I didn’t mind, not much anyway.

I sent back, sure, right before my current supervisor popped her head around the corner, asking me to help unload a truck on the dock. I quickly put away the phone and headed out back.

As I worked, I thought briefly about my conversation with Ry. What were the odds that I would run across him again, let alone that he would even remember me? As drunk as I’d been, it was the memory of his kindness, his soothing voice, the apology at the pain of entry, and the way he’d hugged me as I’d cried afterward that had stayed with me all these years. I wanted a man like that in my life.

I hadn’t been touched in that way since then, and it had made the loneliness well up inside me to the point of tears. He’d been a sweet man, and the way Ry had spoken to me today told me it hadn’t been an act to comfort the “Nervous Nellie” virgin. I didn’t see a hint of interest in his eyes, but he was sympathetic, and I could appreciate that.

I wondered if he’d be working on Saturday. Management was salaried and worked whenever they were needed. I’d see when I arrived at five that morning.

* * * *

Buzz didn’t usually work on the weekends, so I merely nodded to my associates and went about my tasks. Saturdays and Sundays were our busiest days, so people were always underfoot. I didn’t see Ry anywhere, though Darlene was present.

By the time my lunch break came around, I was exhausted due to the constant questions from customers looking for rice milk, gluten-free pasta, Thai crystal deodorant, or whatever. I got a salad from the bar, grabbed a soda, and headed outside without my apron to get a few minutes of peace.

As I ate my solitary meal at an umbrella-covered table, I watched passersby, intent on their errands or laughing with their buddies. And then, I saw Ry walking through the parking lot, with Trent from customer service at his side, smiling up at him, a possessive hand on his forearm as he talked a mile a minute. Ry looked amused.

Something green and ugly welled up inside me, but I pushed it down. How could I be jealous when I hadn’t made any effort to the contrary? Both men sauntered by me. Ry smiled in passing while Trent ignored me in favor of trying his damnedest to get into the pants of his new flavor of the month, unless he had already. Maybe he wanted another go? Good luck to both of them, either way.