“About your job – I’m sure you need a new one, and I might be able to help. The pay’s nothing to brag about, and I don’t really know how it compares with what a bank teller makes, but if you need a position fast, this would definitely be that.”
She tried not to sound too desperate at the thought of possibly finding a new job so quickly. With the crappy economy, thoughts of a months-long job search had been tormenting her ever since she’d walked out of the bank. She had no savings and the rent was due in two weeks. She’d be willing to at least consider almost anything. “Oh yeah?”
He nodded. “We normally have two receptionists down at Hot Ink, but one of them quit a few days ago and Jed needs someone to take her place as quickly as possible. He’s been having the other girl work crazy hours and filling in himself when she’s not there. Is that something you might be interested in?”
The mere mention of working not only at a tattoo shop, but the same one as Eric, had immediately kindled her interest and her curiosity. “So I’d be at the front counter answering phones and scheduling appointments?”
He nodded. “That and answering some clients’ basic questions, selling the little bit of merchandise we carry, handling payments and stuff like that.”
She loosened her hold on her coffee cup just as the liquid was about to spill over the top. “That sounds great. Do you think Jed would be interested in hiring me?”
Eric grinned, and it fueled her enthusiasm to see that he seemed just as pleased at the prospect of her working there as she felt. “I’m sure he would be. You have experience with customer service and handling transactions, plus your image is already being used to advertise Hot Ink. I’d say that makes you perfect for the job.”
She beamed back at him. Maybe she wouldn’t have to tell Jess she was unemployed after all. “Do you think you could recommend me to Jed?”
“I can take you to talk to him right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if he hired you on the spot – he’s working the front desk and he hates it.”
****
Mina tapped her pen against the counter, thinking of Jess as she stared out Hot Ink’s large storefront windows at the darkened street beyond. It was a quarter after eleven. The shop was supposed to have closed at eleven, but Eric was still working, finishing a tattoo that was taking longer than anticipated, thanks to the fact that the client receiving it couldn’t seem to hold still for more than a minute at a time. He’d be done soon – hopefully, anyway. The other artists had left just a few minutes ago, leaving only Mina, Eric and his client behind. She didn’t really mind. She’d started at Hot Ink three days ago, but this was the first time she’d worked at night. She was supposed to work mostly during the day, but the other receptionist had left her shift early, sick. When Eric had called Mina to relay Jed’s request that she fill in for a few hours, she’d agreed after a quick phone call to Karen, who’d promised to swing by Mina’s apartment and check on Jess. With Jess taken care of, Mina didn’t feel too guilty over leaving her home alone at night. After all, she could use a couple extra hours on her paycheck.
Not that her pay was bad. She’d assumed she’d be taking a loss by accepting the job, but as it turned out, when she counted the tips the artists paid her in return for her booking them appointments, she was actually making a little more than she had at the bank. She’d decided on her first day that she loved working at Hot Ink, and the pay revelation had been icing on the cake. Besides the money, there was the fact that she could basically wear whatever she wanted to work. Today she wore jeans, a casual sweater and her favorite flats. The ensemble was infinitely more comfortable than what she’d had to wear at the bank. More importantly, she didn’t have to deal with anyone like Ashley. In fact, she liked everyone she worked with – especially Eric.
She glanced at him over her shoulder, where he was hard at work tattooing his restless client. He was lost in concentration, but he frequently made time for her when he wasn’t with customers. Working together made it easy for them to spend time with each other, even if it was just chatting from opposite sides of the glass display case that housed the shop’s selection of body jewelry. She smiled when he put down his gun and looked up at her as he mopped excess ink from his client’s bicep.
He returned her smile before turning back to the other man. “All right. We’re finally done.” He put down his ink-stained towel and proceeded to clean the fresh tattoo, cutting an appropriate length of bandage and securing it.