Friday morning found Tim hard at work at his computer. He’d gotten in much earlier than usual because he had to work on a particularly frustrating file. Besides, he hadn’t slept well last night, so since he wasn’t sleeping, he’d figured he might as well be working. He sipped his coffee slowly and shook his head.
What a fucking mess, he thought for the millionth time. I can’t believe people run a business this way.
He stared at his computer screen, and tried to make sense of the client’s list of transactions. They weren’t labeled, and most of them had been made in cash. He was having a hard time figuring out how to reconcile them, or even determine if they were legitimate business expenses.
Hell, these might be ATM receipts for lap dances, he thought sourly.
A smile started to curve his lips, but it faded quickly when he remembered last night’s discussion with Crystal. She’d been dancing for several months now, and things were going well.
Too fucking well, he thought disgustedly. Talk about a love/hate relationship.
Tim was surprised how much money she was making, and he had to admit that she was happy. Her tips easily covered his tuition, so that problem was solved. The remainder went into a small safe they’d installed in the trailer, until it could be deposited in their bank account. He kept close records, and planned to report all of it when they filed their taxes.
He called Joe regularly, and Joe always confirmed that she was doing great. He’d even invited Tim to come back and watch Crystal anytime he wanted, as long as he behaved himself.
Things were good until last night. Fuck, I hate arguing with Crystal.
The argument had started when she’d mentioned she’d like to stop working at the restaurant, and dance almost every night of the week, and it had all gone downhill from there. He’d reminded her that stripping was supposed to be a part-time deal, just to have some fun and bring in a little money. Crystal had pointed out that stripping would still be part-time, and she made more money working there three days a week than she did working four days at the restaurant.
Money’s not the problem, dude, Tim’s voice of reason echoed in his head. You’re the problem.
He sighed, and rubbed his hands over his face. The argument had ended, but the issue wasn’t even close to being resolved. She was pissed, and he wasn’t sure what to do now. Most times he found a resolution, and they had great make-up sex. Not this time.
“Tim?” Rudy’s loud voice carried over the row of cubicles, and interrupted Tim’s train of thought. He looked up, and saw his boss leaning through his office door. I’m never going to finish this account, he thought with a sigh.
After saving the troublesome file, he grabbed a notebook and pen, then hurried into Rudy’s office and closed the door. Rudy was grinning and listening to LeAnn, who was already sitting in one of the chairs facing his desk. She finished talking just as Tim walked in, and they both laughed hard for a minute. Tim didn’t hear the joke, but he smiled anyway, and sat down.
When they’d finally calmed down, LeAnn flashed him a warm smile.
“How’s it going, Tim?” Rudy asked.
He shrugged. “Sucks, boss,” he admitted. “I can’t make heads or tails out of that new account you assigned me.”
LeAnn covered her mouth and giggled, and Rudy laughed again. Tim flushed; he knew something was up. “What?” he grumbled.
“No one likes that account, and everyone takes turns working on it,” LeAnn explained, and her eyes twinkled with humor as she squeezed his arm. “I handled it last year, and my reaction was much worse than yours, believe me.”
“I think you broke down in tears, didn’t you, LeAnn?” Rudy teased.
“No,” she replied quickly, then amended, “Well…maybe I shed a tear or two.”
Rudy chuckled. “Do the best you can,” he advised Tim. “Call the office manager over there, and she’ll help you out. If you need to visit their office, that’s fine…just let me know, and I’ll go over with you.”
“Thanks, boss,” Tim said gratefully.
“By the way, Tim,” he continued without a pause, “I wanted to let you know that Candace spoke highly of your performance the other day. She thought you did a fantastic job with one of her biggest accounts, and even the client had complimentary things to say about you. Great job!”
Tim’s mood immediately lifted. “Hey, that’s great! I gotta tell you, Rudy, I really enjoyed working with her. I learned a ton from her, and I’m looking forward to working with her again.” Then his gaze shifted between the two of them. “So what did you need to see me about?”
Rudy smiled at him. “Any idea what’s coming up, Tim?”
Tim blinked in confusion, “Um, the 4th of July?”
“Nope,” Rudy said. “Your anniversary with this company.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Had it been another full year already?
“Yes. And this is your annual performance review.”
Suddenly Rudy’s expression was serious, and LeAnn’s had gone equally sober. A pit started churning in his stomach as Rudy pulled a file from his desk. He was sure he’d been doing a good job, but what if he’d been wrong?
God, please don’t let me get laid off!
“Tim, I’ll make this simple, and cut right to the end,” Rudy said, and met his worried gaze directly. “You’re performance at this company has been…”
He paused dramatically for several seconds, then finished, “Outstanding!”
Relief eased the younger man’s taut muscles, and he swiped his palm across his forehead. He hadn’t really expected a bad annual review, but this was only his second one, and he still wasn’t used to the process.
Rudy and LeAnn shared a laugh; then Rudy leaned across his desk and held out his hand. “Thank you, Tim, for all your hard work.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You’ve been great to work with, and we’re happy to have you,” LeAnn added, and squeezed his shoulder again.
“Thank you, LeAnn,” he exclaimed, then continued, “I can’t thank you enough for all your help and support. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Their eyes met, and suddenly something unexpected clicked. LeAnn blushed, and quickly looked back at Rudy, who was signing Tim’s performance review with a flourish. “Here you go,” he said, sliding it across the desk. “You can either sign it now, or take it back to your desk and review it first. Either way, you’ll get a copy.”
Tim scanned the document quickly, taking note of LeAnn’s high praise and comments. He was surprised by how comprehensive it was…it even included his college grades.
After a minute he nodded with satisfaction. “I’ll sign it now, Rudy. Thank you very much.”
“Good.” Rudy handed him the pen, then smiled again. “There’s just one more thing.”
It was probably a new work assignment, he thought, but asked “What’s that?” for form’s sake.
“Well, we need to discuss your promotion.”
His what? Baffled, because he was sure he’d misheard, Tim just stared at his boss. “I’m sorry?”
“Your promotion, Tim.” LeAnn teased. “You’re being promoted, you dummy!”
“But I’ve only been here for two years!” He glanced between them, then jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “There are more experienced folks out there.”
“Tim,” Rudy explained patiently, “LeAnn and I have been discussing this for a while. You do fantastic work, and you have a great work ethic. Yes, there are more experienced folks working in your department. But they don’t have an interest in being in charge…in some cases, they don’t have the right temperament for it, either.”
Tim didn’t know quite how to respond to that, so he only nodded again.
“Do you remember when LeAnn passed the word that we had a Team Leader position open?” he added.
This time Tim’s nod was more confident. “Yes, but I didn’t think I was ready.”
It was the response Rudy had expected, and he smiled. “Well, about a week later, several people asked me to consider you for the position.”
“What?”
“That’s right. Your co-workers think highly of you, Tim, and think you’re well-qualified for the job. Do you realize how rare that is in today’s workforce?”
He did, and felt a thrilling mix of pride, humility, and excitement tangle together in his chest.
“LeAnn and I discussed it,” Rudy continued, “and we both agree that you’re ready for this position. Yes, it’s earlier than you might have expected, but we’re convinced that you have the knowledge and talent to grow into the position. So we’d like to offer you the position of Team Leader.”
Excitement took the lead, and Tim’s eyes shone with delight. “Thank you both…I accept!”
Rudy chuckled. “Good. It would have been awkward if you’d refused.” Then he slid another piece of paper across his desk, and motioned for Tim to read it. “The Team Leader position is salaried, not hourly. Your new salary is listed there, and so is your bonus. If it’s acceptable to you, sign again at the bottom.”
The increase was significant, and the $10,000 bonus—the first bonus he’d ever gotten in his life—simply staggered him. Briefly he considered how far he’d come in the past two years…from unemployment and scrounging for gas money to a hefty promotion and raise. Never again would Crystal have to work twelve-hour days, and stagger home exhausted to eat off-brand hot dogs on plain bread because their refrigerator was empty. Never again would he suffer the shame and embarrassment of depending on his wife to support them both, and struggle to make her few dollars of bad tips last them through the week.
Never again, he thought as he stared at the compensation statement. Never fucking again!
That single piece of paper meant the entire world to Tim. He wasn’t just working at a job anymore; he was building a career for himself, and a real future for Crystal and the family they might someday have. That realization was thrilling.
He signed it quickly, because some small part of him feared that Rudy might take it back. Then he rose to shake Rudy’s hand. His boss clapped him on the back, and thanked him again for his hard work.
When LeAnn rose, Tim enthusiastically hugged her. He couldn’t help realizing how well she fit against him, and hoped his body’s instinctive reaction wasn’t noticeable when he sank back into his chair.
“Okay,” he exclaimed, looking at Rudy expectantly. “What’s next?”
Crystal sank down onto a barstool with a weary sigh of relief. The lunch rush had been brutal, and she was exhausted. She was grateful for every moment of her mid-afternoon break before prep-work for the evening meal began.
“Long day?” Cliff’s deep voice jolted her out of her reverie.
She smiled when he slid a soda in her direction. “Thanks,” she said, sipping to renew her energy. “And yes. Training the new girl was a chore.”
He flashed her a lecherous grin. “She’s cute, though.”
Exasperated, Crystal rolled her eyes. “What happened to that girl you were seeing?” Not that she cared about Cliff’s love life, but it was a way to pass the time.
He didn’t respond at first, just ran a damp cloth over the bar until he’d cleaned every square inch. Then he released a heavy sigh of his own, and leaned against it. “We broke up,” he murmured. “I don’t know what it is about me, Crystal, but I can’t seem to make a relationship work. I thought we had something…but she just up and broke it off.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Cliff,” she responded seriously…but she eased back a foot when she saw his eyes filling with tears. She could empathize, but she didn’t want to become his shoulder to cry on. Besides, he was usually the cause of his relationship issues.
“I know what you’re thinking, and you’re usually right,” he muttered, swiping a hand over his face. “But I didn’t cheat on her. I treated her great, and I was hoping she’d move in with me. Damned allergies,” he added, grabbing a tissue.
What could she say to ease his pain without getting too deeply involved? “The right girl is out there for you, Cliff,” she finally comforted him. And even though she knew it was probably a bad idea, she continued, “If you want, I’ll introduce you to the new waitress.”
He met her eyes for a moment, then shook his head. “I appreciate that…but no. I don’t think I’m in a good place to start dating again.”
His response was so totally out of character that she could only murmur, “Wow! Are you actually growing up a little?”
He didn’t rise to the bait, and that wasn’t like him, either. “Yeah, I guess I’ve been a bit of a dog where women are concerned, haven’t I?” he sighed, hanging his head.
“Yeah, you have.” She said it gently, but wondered if maybe she shouldn’t have been so brutally honest.
He strangled the towel in his big hands, then chucked it toward the sink. “I fucking know it. I guess I’m getting sick of chasing girls. I’d like to find one good woman, y’know?”
The pain in his voice was genuine, and her sympathy deepened. Cliff was attractive and kept himself in shape, so he got a lot of female attention. But he typically went for the convenient or the ultra-sexy rather than searching for Mrs. Right. If he really was wising up…
Despite their past history, her respect for him climbed a notch.
He shattered it again by teasing, “So how are you and Timmy ‘the bookkeeper boy’ doing?” Then he lifted both hands in swift protest when she shot him a scathing glare. “I’m only kidding, Crystal. Jeez. I was just trying to lighten the mood.”
She didn’t entirely buy his excuse, but nodded to keep the peace. “We’re doing fine, Cliff. Thanks for asking.”
He turned away to pour himself a soda, then handed her a napkin to soak up the condensation on her glass. “How’s his job going?”
Pleasure briefly warmed her voice. “It’s going great, actually. I was worried it wouldn’t be a good fit for him, but he really likes it. He’s even gotten a few raises.”
“Cool.” He wasn’t sure he liked seeing her so delighted, so his reply was stiff. “It does fit his personality, though, because he was kind of a geek back in high school.”
“High school was a long time ago, Cliff,” she retorted.
“True.” He fell silent for a moment, then angled a sly grin in her direction. “I’m still surprised you two ended up together.”
“Opposites attract.”
His grin deepened. “Seriously? You two were as opposite as two people could be in high school. And nothing’s changed.”
She rolled her eyes, then leaned forward to pierce him with a fierce glare. “You may not get this, but maybe you’ve grown up enough to understand. Tim loves and respects me.”
“God,” he exclaimed, rolling his eyes in disbelief. “You sound like a romance novel.”
She sighed, and visibly controlled her temper. “Try and understand this,” she insisted, “because it might help you in your next relationship. Tim treats me like a queen. And it’s not because he just wants sex. He does it because he loves me. It’s completely selfless.”
Cliff merely stared at her without speaking, so she finished, “That’s why I’m with Tim. I never had that with any other guy I dated. Not one.”
Her meaning was clear, and he felt a hot tinge of remorse. He remembered their high school relationship fondly; Crystal had been amazing in bed, completely uninhibited.
If he hadn’t screwed things up, they might still be together.
Probably not, though, he realized, because back then he’d been more into quantity than quality.
Still, he wished he could go back and redo things…a lot of things.
“Some guys just take longer to figure that out,” he said, meeting her intent gaze with one of his own. “I’d treat you that way if you were with me, Cristy.”
‘Cristy’ had been his pet name for her when they’d been dating. She’d liked it then, so he used it deliberately, hoping it would rekindle some of her old feelings.
Crystal blinked a few times, surprised that he’d been that direct. She’d always suspected that he still cared about her, but he’d always been careful not to come on to her. Apparently his recent breakup had jarred his emotions loose.
She didn’t know whether he really was growing up and looking for something serious, or just desperately searching for any port in a storm. It didn’t really matter; her relationship with Tim was a little unique, but she couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.
“Cliff, I…”
“Forget it,” he quickly interjected. “I just got dumped by one girl. I don’t want to be shot down by another…especially one I’m not even seeing.” Then he added, with a trace of bitterness, “Just think about what I said. Please.”
“Okay, Cliff,” she murmured. “I’ll think about it.”
The moment his expression brightened, she realized her mistake. Now she’d given him hope, and that wasn’t what she’d intended. They’d have to repeat the conversation when he started pushing…and he would, eventually. He always did.
He turned away to refill her glass, then asked, “So how’s your other job going?”
She accepted the subject change with relief. “Great. I’m making good money for a beginner, and I’m having lots of fun.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“Well, not with the customers,” she quickly clarified, before his imagination could run wild. “But it’s fun to get up on stage and dance, and the other dancers are really nice. I’m friends with one person in particular, and she’s hilarious! So yeah…I’m having fun and making good money. It’s going great.”
He stepped toward the attached restaurant and glanced through the doorway, then returned. “Sorry, I just wanted to make sure no one would walk in on us,” he confided with a secretive grin. “So, can I come see you one night?”
The pushing was already starting. Coolly she replied, “You’re welcome to visit the club, but I’m not going to dance for you. I’m not giving you a lap dance, or even rubbing against you if you come up to the stage.”
“Awww, you’re no fun,” he chided.
The last of her patience evaporated. “It wouldn’t be fun. It would be awkward and tense and icky.”
“It doesn’t have to be, Crystal,” he teased, “if you’ll just thaw out. We can still have fun together.”
Okay, now he’d gone too far. “Cliff,” she said sharply, and drilled a fingernail into his chest, “it’s never going to happen.”
Before he could make any more sly suggestions, she jumped to her feet, and swiftly left the bar.
Cliff watched her hurry away, and felt a familiar surge of lust roll through his body. He’d hoped Crystal would fall back into her old high school habits, but that hadn’t happened. Didn’t look like it was going to happen anytime soon, either, much to his frustration.
In high school, it hadn’t taken much to get her to spread her legs, even if she was seeing someone else. She’d changed, though, and in his opinion it had been a change for the worse.
That little fucker, Tim. She changed when she met him.
It didn’t help that Timmy, the fucking geek, was doing great at work now, and making decent money. He’d thought he had a chance when Tim was unemployed, but that had evaporated when he’d started his wimpy-ass bookkeeping job. He couldn’t imagine why Crystal stayed with the skinny little fucker.
I should kick his ass, just for old-time’s sake.
He wanted Crystal again…not to marry, of course, but damn, he wanted her back in his bed! It rankled that the biggest wimp in high school had managed to win her.
He’d hoped that his bogus ‘sensitive guy’ dramatics would crack her shell, but clearly that hadn’t happened, either.
“‘He treats me like a queen,’” he snarled, mimicking her passionate voice. “Fuck me, what a pussy!”
The two young men had hated each other on sight…not surprising, when Cliff had been so able and willing to torment the smaller teen. Now he grinned as he recalled those days. Tim and his best friend, Jeff, had both been skinny little weaklings; their acne and lack of social skills had made them easy, regular targets of Cliff’s gang.
Couple of pathetic little twerps.
He remembered pushing Tim around, and missed the superior feeling it had given him. Cliff had been the star athlete; Tim had been a nobody. The teachers and principal hadn’t given a fuck about him; they’d only cared about Cliff, and he’d known it. Confidence, superiority, and arrogance had defined Cliff in high school…
But those feelings were long gone. They’d disappeared after he’d gotten kicked out of A&M.
Kicked out? I got fucking shafted. I can’t believe the coach took that bitch’s word over mine. She totally wanted it!
The more time passed, the more desperation he was feeling. Tim was doing better than him now…and based on what he’d just heard, the geek had a great future. He couldn’t stand the thought of Tim being superior to him in anything…
And that was where Crystal came in. He knew if he could take her away from Tim, he’d win…and just like back in high school, Tim would fold. He’d have the sexy hot chick to fuck whenever he wanted…and taking her away from Tim would make it even sweeter and more satisfying.
He’d show Tim, once and for all, that he was the better man, and that Tim would always be a skinny loser who couldn’t keep his woman. He’d triumph again…and he’d make sure everyone knew it.
Curl up with your pencils at night, you little pussy, Cliff thought viciously, while I fuck your wife…or ex-wife. I just need a chance, a shot, a fucking opportunity.
As he wiped down the sink, he recalled his most recent conversation with Rowdy. The biker had mentioned, during his last visit to the bar, that their club was still looking for new Prospects. They’d been discussing it for several months, and he liked the idea, but he also realized how that very big step would change his life.
Well, what the hell. Crystal liked bikers, and maybe he needed to veer off in a radically different direction. After this latest breakup, he was ready to give it a shot.
Rowdy had said it would be a year, probably longer, before Cliff could become a patched member. But that life as a fully-patched member would be fucking great!
“Tons of pussy, all the liquor you can drink…and patched members earn a good living with the club,” Rowdy had said as he’d tossed back his whiskey shot. “Dude, you’d fit right in.”
He hadn’t said how the fully-patched members earned their living, and Cliff hadn’t asked. It didn’t matter anymore. He loved everything he’d heard, and it would give him a chance to change the game with Crystal. He still wanted her desperately—but if he couldn’t get her back in the sack, a steady supply of backup pussy sounded wonderful. He’d get her sooner or later.
She’ll get tired of Tim eventually. She’s a party girl. She needs lots of male attention.
She’d look at him differently if he was a patched member of Rowdy’s club. He already knew she hung around with that other biker, Shane…and if she liked one biker, there was a good chance she’d like another. He might be able to earn more money than Tim if he was a full member, and he knew she liked to party. As a member of a motorcycle club, they could party together anytime. He could easily make it past the first year as a Prospect, and he already owned an old Harley.
What the hell. I don’t have anything else in my life.
Cliff stopped cleaning the sink, and stared blankly into space for several minutes. Finally he made his decision, and nodded decisively. Rowdy had said he’d be back in a few days, and Cliff resolved to speak with him about becoming a Prospect. It was his ticket to success. He’d be a winner again, and Tim would go back to being a loser. It all made perfect sense.
As a patched member of a biker gang, I can fuck with him all I want, and there’s nothing he can do about it.
His lips curved into a malicious grin. I’m loving this idea. What the hell took me so long?