Page 7 of Hidden Obsession

Shit! My hands shook at my sides at the thought of losing my job. It wasn’t like I loved getting on stage or this was what my dreams were made of, but it was the one job I’d found that gave me a little more than peace of mind. I had a little savings. I had just started to make plans. Stupid me. I knew better.

Focus, Maryanne! I reminded myself. If I got fired, I’d need a new job. I could check some of the different restaurants opening up around town for a waitress gig. Worst case would be going back to the gas station. For minimum wage. My heart faltered remembering just how tiny those checks were. How creative I had to be to get them to stretch when it came to food and rent.

And that was before my mom had me watching the twins.

Breathe, I reminded myself the moment I reached the door of his office. Worst case, I knew I could get the job at the gas station. Bill would hire me back on. I’d have to work nights to fully get back in his good graces, and the girls would have to stay with my Aunt Molly, but she was okay, better than them staying alone like I had when I was their age. It will all be okay.

I knocked and heard Jonas’ deep voice call me in. I opened the door, and there he sat at his desk. He was handsome and kind. I could see why tough girl Kitty had fallen so hard for him. Not only was he good looking, but he was patient with her and treated her like a princess. He wasn’t exactly my type, but then again, I wasn’t sure what my type was. Liar. My little heart tripped over itself thinking about the tall, dark-haired man who had been at the gym. Kitty and Jade introduced me to him, but I had been so flustered by how good looking he was and the way he looked at me, all I’d been able to do was smile and squeak out a hi before scurrying away like a scared mouse.

“Hey, Maryanne.” He stood and pointed at the chair in front of him. “Take a seat.”

“Thanks.” I sat down and kept my back ramrod straight.

“I don’t know if you remember my brother, Hollis,” he said, his gaze moving behind me. Shit! In my panic of why my boss wanted to see me, I’d totally missed the fact there was someone else in the office. I stood up in a flash.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry—“ I turned, and anything I had planned on saying slipped my mind. There he was, as if my thoughts had somehow conjured him to life—the guy who had been in my head since I went to the gym with Kitty and Jade the day Jonas asked Kitty to marry him.

And not only did I have his name now, he was also my boss’ brother.

“Hi.” His deep voice cut through the silence, or maybe it wasn’t that quiet; I just couldn’t make anything out over the roaring sound of blood rushing in my ears.

Hollis extended his hand, and when I leaned forward to take it, I almost slipped. He moved faster than a guy his size should be able to and held me up. “Are you okay?” The concern was genuine and clear in his voice.

“I fell for you.” I cracked the corny joke without thinking, and my face turned beet red. Shit! “I was just kidding, umm… Thank you for not letting me fall.” I shook my head.

“You can count on me.” He smiled, but there was something about his tone that made it feel like a promise.

Nope! Don’t go there, Maryanne! You are not some princess up in a tower about to be saved by a man who by all counts looks like he could definitely sweep you off your feet. My boss cleared his throat, and I jumped, pulling my hand and body away from Hollis.

“Blu said you wanted to see me?” I squeaked. Jonas nodded, glancing over at his brother before speaking again.

“I was wondering if you were interested in a second job.”

“A second…” I swallowed. I could. Especially if it was days I wasn’t at the club. Or even some evenings.

“I know the mornings don’t pay out that well, or at least not compared to nights here.”

“I don’t mind,” I quickly shared, hoping he didn’t get the wrong idea of why I’d had to switch over this week’s shifts.

“I know you don’t, kid.” Jonas’ eyes softened before he pointed at his brother. “But Hollis is looking for a girl.” I stiffened. Everything I knew about Jonas Porter was good. But was this the moment I saw a new side to him?

“A girl?” I asked slowly. My eyes skated back and forth between the brothers as if something would give away what that meant exactly.

“Yeah.” I blinked, and for a long moment, the three of us stood in silence.

“What kind of girl?” I asked quietly, hoping my boss wasn’t about to say what I thought he was.

I knew some dancers did other things to help supplement their income, especially before Jonas took over the Velvet Leopard. But maybe I was too naïve for my own good in really believing all that had changed?

“What kind of—“ Jonas turned pale then red. “No! Not like that.”

“Jesus, Jonas!” Hollis huffed under his breath before turning his full attention to me as he led me to the chair I’d first sat in and sat in the chair next to it. “I own a gym,” Hollis shared, and I swallowed. I knew that. I’d been there. It was a great new place in our small city.

“Right.”

“And one of my greeters is heading back to school for the fall semester. She goes to NYU so…” Just like that, a lightbulb turned on in my head and I understood.

“Oh! Okay.” I breathed out with relief washing through me. “You need someone at the front?” He nodded.