Page 7 of With Spite

Maybe Patrick would keep his mouth shut?

The universe had a good laugh as Patrick spread it far and wide that Bernice was mine by the next morning.

The only person who didn’t know was Bernice.

Three

I run a tight shipwreck.

—Bernice to Hux

Bernice

After the multitude of asthma attacks that I’d had over the last week, I wasn’t feeling too gung-ho as I made my way into my first day of work at The Mercantile.

Honestly, I’d almost turned the job offer down after the interview because of how rigid and intense the store’s owner, Vera Hosea, had acted during the interview.

She acted like the job was the holy grail.

That this job would be more important than anything to me, and that I had to get with the program or not accept.

But I was desperate for a job.

I hadn’t skipped a day of work since I was fifteen.

It felt weird not to have a job.

Meanwhile, I had my feelers out for a job that I could use my NP—nurse practitioner—license in the area.

The job at The Mercantile would work…for now.

“This is the pharmacy area. We have a pharmacist on staff, but no one that can help the customers to get their prescriptions but him. Sometimes, it might be necessary for you to come over here and help out until he can get himself free.”

Heidi, Vera’s daughter, was the one taking me through my job duties today.

I liked her a hell of a lot more than her mother.

Which sucked because I knew that she didn’t work here full-time. Apparently, she worked at a factory and kicked ass with the men of the world all day.

I wondered why she didn’t work here, but that wasn’t my business to ask.

“Okay, so what do I do?” I asked.

She helped me through the checkout process. Then she walked me through the food side of the store, letting me know that I would be responsible for also taking out food orders to customers.

By the time she’d outlined all my responsibilities, I wondered how the hell I was going to fit this all in.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said. “And you should be fine. My mom works, my dad also when he’s not working. Also my brothers. You’ll always have some help here, along with the other employees.”

I nodded nervously.

“This is my brother, Harvey,” she said, pulling someone to the side and from behind a shelf. “Harvey, this is the newest hire, Bernice.”

“You should quit,” Harvey grumbled.

“If she quits, then we’re going to have to work here more,” Heidi said to him.

Harvey frowned. “Never mind. You should work your ass off.”