Leandra really needed to get a car.

She had this thought only after she had agreed to take someone’s shift out of the kindness of her heart; they had a sick child and no one to watch him, and Leandra wasn’t opposed to any extra money, especially not when shifts went by like lightning at the Empyrean. It wasn’t until she remembered that Ehrielle was off and in San Diego for two days did she realize her mistake. She was forced to take a Lyft all the way up to the resort, and it hurt her heart to part with the thirty dollars needed for the ride, but there was nothing that she could do; she had already agreed to the shift.

She had enough to do that night that she didn’t think about her dilemma until the end of the shift came, and by then the problem had increased in magnitude; Lyft rides were twice as expensive at that time of night, and she had barely been able to afford the fare to get there. For an hour after her shift ended she sat outside near valet pickup, trying to figure out how she would survive until payday if she decided to go ahead and pay for the ride. She didn’t have many budget friendly options; it wasn’t like she could afford to stay at the Empyrean overnight. She got along with her new coworkers, but she didn’t know them well enough to ask for a ride; the Empyrean was entirely too far out to ask anyone to go anymore out of their way. She sighed, unlocking her phone screen again. She would just have to pay for the ride, and use the best of her survival skills to finish the week. She had done it before, but it wasn’t fun.

“Leandra?” Leandra paused, frowning at the sound of her name on someone’s voice from a small distance away. She looked up and her eyes widened at the sight of Atsushi emerging from the building, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a phone; his eyes were intent on her, his brow furrowed just slightly.

“Mr. Sato…” She stood from her seat and made her way over to him slowly, stopping short a few feet.

“Are you done working for the night?”

“Yes, sir,” Leandra responded with a nod.

“You must be waiting for a ride out here, then.”

“Or a miracle,” Leandra said automatically, without thinking. Atsushi frowned curiously at her. “I, um, I don’t have a ride home,” she explained sheepishly. “And a Lyft is pretty expensive right now…”

“You don’t have a ride home?” Leandra shook her head.

“I’ll figure it out though,” she assured him with a shrug and a smile. “I always do.”

“Why don’t you let me give you a ride home?” Atsushi offered; Leandra paused, her eyes widening as she looked at him.

“What?”

“I was just leaving myself,” he explained, turning slightly to gesture towards the valet. “I’d be happy to give you a ride.”

“It…It would be out of your way…” Leandra made herself say, hindered slightly by surprise. “It’s kind of a long way from here.”

“I don’t mind,” he assured her with a shake of his head. “Come on; I’m happy to help.” She couldn’t turn him down; Leandra relented and nodded, causing him to smile handsomely. “Excellent; let me get my car.”

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter