I nod.
"And you have experience?"
Nod.
"Then the job is yours." I watch her stare at me—which seems to be the thing for this group—for a few seconds before her smile brightens and she moves toward the desk. "I'm not worried about the application."
I blink as I turn to her. "No?"
Posey shakes her head. "Bill won't mind paying you under the table, and I'm assuming that's your preference."
"It is..." How did she know that?
I'm going to be stuck in Oregon for a while because of my truck, but I don't normally stick around anywhere long enough to plant roots. Like I said, I'm a nomad. Everything I need travels with me and if I stop too long I get nervous.
Which is kind of a lie.
I don't just get nervous, I'm terrified.
If I stay in one place for more than a few weeks then I knowhewill find me, the man with the soulless eyes.Hewill find me and my nightmares will come true.
So I keep moving.
Never stay in one town for long, keep to the outskirts communities and backwoods areas. I hide in plain sight, maintain somewhat of a normal existence but never form relationships or stay in one place long enough to do so.
Unfortunately, my truck is in need of quite a bit of unknown work and the only way to fix that is to make money. So I'll take this job, gradually replace the parts, and keep to myself until I can head down the coast.
"So what brings you to Ashland?" Posey asks as she drops down behind the desk, her green eyes sparkling in the dim light.
I clear my throat. "Just sort of passing through, actually. I'm heading down the coast from Alaska but my truck broke down so—"
"You need the work in order to get it fixed before you can move on?"
I nod.
It's kind of eerie how well she has me pegged.
"It won't affect my performance though," I quickly add. "I'm a hard worker, and I have quite a bit of bartending experience. I can mix drinks with the best of them. I even have some time as a line cook and waitress if you need anything like that. I just... I just won't be here long term, so if it's a problem..."
Posey is already shaking her head. "No problem at all, honey. We'll pay you under the table, keep you on as long as you're willing, and just see how things play out."
My brow furrows but I don't acknowledge her loaded tone. It’s justplay outimplies that she figures I’ll decide to stay or something but I can’t, not if...
Then it starts.
The dull thumping in the base of my skull, the throbbing beat that means I'm about two minutes away from a brain splitting headache. That's when the nightmares will come.
"I appreciate that. Appreciate it—" My knees buckle and just when I think I'm about to go ass over elbow, a strong hand grips my arm and keeps me vertical.
Then it hits.
Faster than a freight train.
Harder than a wrecking ball.
The migraine comes on so quickly that my vision blurs then goes completely black.
And I see him.
