Another bright and early morning. Three days in, and it wasn’t any easier at all. Heather decided that there was no getting used to the early morning calls. The two-car garage felt more drab every day. Leaning a shoulder against the wall between the two open doors, Heather tried not to let any of the scenery get to her. The bright yellow shirts burned her vision so early in the morning. Work would be a drag through broken glass, but at least it would be done in three weeks.
“Things are pretty slow today, you and I could probably disappear for a few minutes." Robert spoke from behind. Heather didn’t turn around, letting Robert’s breath frolic over her neck. Closing her eyes, Heather suddenly didn’t think her situation was so bad.
Even though she knew it was wrong, there was something exciting about flirting with her boss. At least that helped pass the time.
Laughing him off, Heather shot for the coffee maker. The dirty, worn machine was her best friend. Until that first cup of coffee hit Heather’s lips, she was practically dead to the world.
An older man’s voice broke Heather’s concentration. “Christ, is that rain?”
Coffee in hand, Heather turned to look out the open garage doors. The question must have been rhetorical, because the skies had opened wide. Large drops of rain fell, splashing into the dirt packed by thousands upon thousands of footsteps outside the two-car garage.
“Please tell me we don’t have to work in this.” Heather spoke to no one in particular as she took in the deluge.
Robert’s chuckle answered the question. She turned to see him with a cardboard box in his hand. He tilted it down, and Heather saw that it was filled with plastic ponchos. The day was going to be misery.
“Are you kidding?”
He shook his head. “Afraid not. The rain is supposed to clear up by mid-morning, and that means they’ll be on track.”
Heather was nervous that some of the other employees might catch on that she was getting special treatment. Instead of walking through the muddy field to the north parking lot, she rode shotgun on Rob’s golf cart.
So what, she told herself. This job is temporary, and it kinda sucks.
The rain had lightened, but it was still a steady constant. Heather did her best to keep her back to the weather. Even still, she could feel the cold and dampness seeping in. The outline of her Texas silver necklace was cool against her skin.
Just after eight in the morning, her phone vibrated, snapping Heather out of an hours long daze. She looked up at the low clouds racing across the sky. The sun was up, but the rain kept things gloomy and dark as far as she could see.
What time are you off work 2day?
Josie was up awfully early, pushing Heather to think something might be wrong. She texted her best friend back, asking if she wanted to get together.
Things were fine, but Josie missed seeing Heather. She could sympathize. Going to bed at nine PM was really taking a toll on her social life. She was firing off another text to Josie when Rob pulled up.
“Break time. Come on, let’s get you out of the rain for a little bit.”
Heather slid her phone back into her pocket and hopped into the passenger seat. “Thank god.”
They drove down to the grandstands, with Heather’s phone buzzing almost constantly. She pulled it out, laughing at the list of bars Josie wanted to hit up. The girl acted like she had just gotten out of prison. Heather replied, giggling as she did.
“What’s so funny?” Rob leaned over, his eyes on her screen.
Heather hit the Home button. “A friend of mine is going stir crazy. She wants to go out tonight.”
“Mhm. I see.”
Heather cocked an eyebrow at Rob’s tone. His eyes were still on the phone, but she let it go. They parked beneath the stands, out of the drizzle for the first time in hours. Heather still had a chill deep in her bones, but it was nice not to feel that constant drip on the thin plastic over her head.
She pulled the pancho hood down, shocked when Rob’s hand pulled her lips to his. It was sudden and hard. Heather didn’t fight it because the action caught her so off guard.
When Rob pulled back, there was no smile on his face. “What’s up? It’s like I’m kissing a dead fish over here. We don’t have much time, so we gotta be quick.”
“Oh, sorry. I was just surprised is all.”
The smile came back to Rob, but it was strange, a little off.
He leaned back in, and this time, Heather’s hands wrapped around the back of Rob’s neck. She smiled as their lips met, excited for the thrill of making out in the rain, not to mention that they were at work, and Rob was Heather’s boss.
His hands traveled down to her hips. They crawled beneath the plastic poncho. Rob certainly was moving fast. Her heart and mind tried to keep up. It was exciting, but Heather felt like she was on a roller-coaster hanging on for dear life.
Josie sent her another text, the phone lighting up in her lap.
Robert pulled back. “Oh, what the hell? Seriously, what is so important, huh?”
Heather tensed. “It’s my friend. What’s your problem?”
“It’s a real mood killer, you know?” The fire behind Rob’s eyes had changed to something far less passionate. The fire was anger.
“Mood killer? We’re making out on a golf cart. It’s raining. I’m wearing a garbage bag, Rob. What mood?”
Robert slid from the golf cart. “It’s a guy, isn’t it? I knew it. I knew this was bound to end in heartbreak.”
“What in the hell are you talking about?” Heather felt like she had taken a hard slap to the face. Rob was a completely different person. He flashed into an angry, illogical jerk.
Rob threw his hands up. “You’re unbelievable.”
She was struggling to hang onto the conversation. “Me?”
“Yeah, you.” Rob sat down in the drover’s seat and backed the golf cart up. “I need to cool off.” He sped past her, back toward the parking lots.