Midnight Roots (Silver Creek Ranch)

Chapter Five

Dillon

When I get back to my little one-bedroom apartment, I feel like I’ve floated the entire way here.

I reach into my shirt, slipping my fingers around the silver necklace that I’m wearing to retrieve the keys and let myself in, feeling proud of the fact that I got the job.

As I walk into the front door of my temporary little place of my own, my stomach rumbles.

I’m still hungry, but when I got to the Catch + Candle , the only thing I was really concerned about was getting a damn job.

And now that I have it, I can eat a little something more than just a pastie .

Tossing my keys onto the small, three-legged chair that I found too endearing to leave behind in the antique shop, I head into my kitchenette and straight toward the fridge.

I lean down and reach for one of the small cups of plain yogurt and the small container of cherries sitting next to it. I set the cherries down on the counter as I begin to pull off the foil lid on the yogurt before pulling open one of the little drawers to retrieve a plastic spoon.

I clear my throat as I pry open the container of cherries, then reach in with the spoon to drop some into the yogurt. It’s not the most filling meal in the world, but until I get my first paycheck, it will have to do. Besides, I’m pretty good at economizing when I have to. A lifetime of doing this has taught me what is necessary.

It hasn't always been easy. In fact, I don't remember a time when it was easy at all, but hopefully, things are turning around now that I'm in Ironhaven. I finish my small meal and look around my scarcely furnished apartment—mostly second-hand antique furniture in the small space. Maybe I'll save up and buy a new bed, that would be great for my back.

I decide to explore a little. It's a sleepy little town, and there isn't much, but I'd like to see what there is on offer and maybe see if I can rustle up something a bit more substantial for dinner, maybe from the bargain bin.

I clean up after myself and rinse off my spoon. I pack away the cherries, and I head toward the door, picking up my clutch once more.

I don't have much left, but maybe I can get an onion and tomato and some noodles and make something with that. I still have a little bit of packet gravy from my last place in the cupboard .

I head out and walk along the alleyway that leads from the entrance of my apartment to the main street. The main street isn't much, but it's what I've got to work with. I'm determined to look at this in a positive light. I remember when I was on the bus coming in, there was a supermarket on the corner nearby. I'll just take a quick stroll there and see if they have a bargain bin or something I can shop from.

I walk in, and it's immediately cooler than the hot weather outside, which causes a sweaty sheen to form on my skin. I fan myself and look around. I wander the aisles, looking at the various prices. I pick up two tomatoes and an onion, and I find some discounted noodles that are about to expire. That's about a dollar fifty, and it'll satiate my growling stomach.

I head to the cash register, where a woman rings up my items and bags them. We don't speak until she gives me the total, which I fish out my clutch and count out beforehand to her. She finishes up and hands me the bag, and I leave again, heading straight back to my shabby little apartment.

I take out the one threadbare pot I own and sit it on the two-plate stove on the counter. I pour in some water and add the noodles. Once they're cooked, I drain them and put them in a chipped bowl before I fry up the onion and tomato and add the last of the packet of instant gravy. Once it's cooked through, I throw it on top of the noodles and grab my trusty fork. I am going to sit by the dirty window so I can look out at the alleyway and just make out the main street beyond it.

This is my new home. This is where I'm going to place some roots. I need to get to know folks who come to the catch and candle because I'm sure the friendlier I am, the better tips I'll get .

I'm going to have to practice my balance—like juggling plates and drinks so I don't break anything cause I'm sure that'll come out of my wages.

I'm nervous for tomorrow, and if I wasn't so damn hungry, I'm sure the stress would turn me off my pitiful meal. I finish the food and rinse off all my dishes, drying them and packing them away.

It's hot and muggy, so I decide to take a shower. I remember that brown-haired man in the Catch + Candle. He is also hot and muggy. Although I should probably keep thoughts like that to myself, he probably has a wife or something. I run the water, and the pipes shake in the wall before water starts spewing out of the shower head and into the bath. I get undressed and climb in, rinsing off my body. I lather up my body with a bar of soap and enjoy the smell of lavender that fills the air. The turmeric glycerine soap is especially good for my dark skin, bringing out the glow from within. I scrub every inch of me. I'll probably have another shower before work tomorrow, but I want to be at my absolute best.

I need to find my trainers. Comfy shoes is what Cece said, and trainers are about as comfortable as I have, even if they're a little worn out. I shut the shower off and dry off my body. I look around, feeling content despite not having much. I don't have fancy face creams or expensive skin care stuff, but I have lotion, and while I rub it all over my body, I think about the man in the grill side of my new place of employment.