Chapter 17 Jason
“Practice. You like it?”
“It’s great. Thank you…” Lydia blinked. “And I just realized I have no idea what your name is.”
“I go by Reign,” she offered her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Lydia shook her hand. “I go by Lydia.”
A moment passed, heavy with understanding. The question in Reign’s eyes was one Lydia had, and they both tacitly agreed not to ask because they already knew the answer and right now wasn’t the time to delve into painful history.
“I think we’re going to be good friends, Lydia.”
“Me, too, Reign.”
Reign walked her to the side entrance of the Blue Kudu, pulled her into a hug, and shook her lightly.
“You’re not going to let anyone ruin your tips tonight, yeah? I expect good news.”
Lydia chuckled and nodded. “I promise… Are you sure you’re okay to head home alone?”
“Not alone. Meeting up with a friend.”
“Boyfriend?”
“Male friend.” She waved her hand. “Boyfriend is busy tonight.”
Lydia sighed. “Friends sound nice.”
“Well, you made one today, and I come with a few more. See you, Lydia.”
“Bye, Reign.”
Lydia sighed and pushed open the door. She had more than a few minutes to spare before she had to clock in. Popping the lock on her locker open, she shoved her bag inside and grabbed the box of KN95s she’d been given, pulling the loops over her ears and checking the fit in the little mirror she’d mounted inside.
A shadow passed behind her.
She felt him getting closer before he said a word.
Lydia whirled hard and fast, humming, seemingly careless and in a hurry. Her forearm slammed hard into the person behind her, knocking him sideways. He went down in a tangle of limbs over the bench.
Bastard deserved it.
She gasped. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I had no idea someone was right behind me!”
Riley stopped at the end of the narrow row of lockers, eyes wide, lips pressed closed, barely hiding her amusement. The other woman on shift, wearing her usual low-cut top and tiny shorts, gasped.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” She whined, crouching down to help Jason right himself. “You could have really hurt him!”
He glanced up at her, glaring and sporting a bloody nose. Hopefully, he’d learn not to sneak up on her ever again. Last time, she’d just slipped past him before he could do more than breathe in the scent of her hair.
“Again, I’m so sorry, Jason,” Lydia said, giving her best concerned expression. “I really didn’t notice you right there.”
Too close. Uncomfortably and inappropriately close.
He sniffled and dabbed at the blood dripping from his nose. “It’s fine, and an accident, but you really shouldn’t be so jumpy.”
She blinked. “Jumpy?” She checked the clock. “I was just on my way to clock in. Which—if you’ll excuse me.”
She closed her locker and gathered her hair up, winding the baubles around the bulk of it and securing it out of her face. She got to the kiosk and clocked in right on time. She had her clock-in time emailed to her personal email. Riley clocked in just after her, meeting her gaze for a moment.
She turned back to Jason, who was on his feet, waving her over.
“That needs to be retied. We have standards, you know?”
Lydia cocked her eyebrow and glanced at the other woman. She went by ‘Peach’ most of the time, but today her badge said ‘Cherry.’
“Get over here, so I can tie it properly.”
“That would make me distinctly uncomfortable,” she tipped her head to the diagram posted for how they were meant to tie their aprons. “And unless the owners have changed those standards…” She glanced at Cherry again. “I think I’m good.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You should be a bit more grateful, I could give you fewer hours.”
“You could.”
But since there were only three waiters working after he’d fired the two male waiters and the male bartender, it was highly unlikely unless he’d like to be waiting tables by himself more than he already had to.
He tilted his chin up, crossing the space. “I think we need to have a private meeting about your attitude.”
“I’ll be sure to pencil that in as soon as the HR mediation calendar opens up.” She smiled. “Handbook says someone from HR needs to be present.”
Jason drew close, close enough that she could feel his body heat and was clearly meant to be threatening, but Lydia held his gaze. She kept her muscles relaxed and her back straight.
She hadn’t backed down the first or last time he tried this shit. Today was not the day to start.
“There are a lot of girls who would be grateful for a job here.”
“Well, when you hire them, let me know when my last shift is.”
His lips twitched and curled up as his eyes narrowed to slits.
“Too much makeup, I think. You’ll be docked for it and for insubordination.”
“Are you prepared to actually document that?” She glanced at ‘Cherry.’ “And are you doing that before or after you dock her and send her home? Does this standard you’re making up only apply to me?”
His jaw twitched. “You’re testing my patience.”
“That sounded like a threat. I wonder how Aegis is going to feel about that.” She tilted her head. “I heard the owner’s an affiliate.” She lowered her voice. “I’ve put up with a lot of your harassment, Jason. Don’t threaten me with something you can’t afford to back up.”
Jason’s lips lifted into a snarl, but before he could say anything, the hostess came rushing back.
“Where are all the waiters? We’ve got a nine-top, a party of three, and at least a party of ten coming!”
Jason sucked on his teeth, but Lydia headed after the hostess, who definitely had on too much makeup for the company standard, but that wasn’t her problem either. She shook herself, grabbed a tablet, and took six deep breaths before heading to the floor.
Jason had changed her tables to include the lonely three-top and a shit ton of empty, half-bussed tables. The fucking jerk. She greeted the trio, took their drink and appetizer orders, and typed them in before going to get cups, carafes, silverware, wet wipes, and appetizer plates. There were no already prepped baskets, so she packed a few.
“You curled your hair,” Riley said, sliding up beside her. “Hot date or is this a move for tips?”
Her lips twitched. “Definitely tips. No dating for the foreseeable future.” She shook her head and slipped the neck strap over her head. “How was last shift?”
“I took your advice,” Riley shivered. “It was pretty easy going, but I don’t know how much longer I can deal.”
Spending the least amount of time in the locker room was a tip from a previous employee: the only other Black person working at Blue Kudu before Lydia was hired. Jason had fired her after she’d shoved him off and threatened him with a knife.