Fighting Fate Read Free Page B

Trystan’s greatest pleasure and achievement.
     
     
    Ivy had done the rounds in the town and she got the usual offer of jobs, which was in the strip joints. This was a town that attracted young, beautiful women as though this was the place all of them belonged. The airport and bus station spawned new hopefuls every day. In this world famous city there was no shortage of spritely females in need of money, and that meant there weren’t always enough to go around.
    Strip joints could offer her good money, but she hadn’t worked in one for years, because there was no chance of progression. Being there was as good as admitting that you were only as good as the breasts on your body and she didn’t want to simply be employed because god had graced her with a generous pair.
    Trudi was harping on about rent because Ivy had used the last of her savings to cover the money that was due now. If she didn’t find some form of employment this week then she would never be able to cover bills next week.
    Poring over the newspaper, which was laid out on the coffee table, she circled possibilities and would trek to the payphone on the corner when it was time to begin phoning. Those that she could visit on foot she would, the last thing she was afraid of was a bit of exercise.
    Trudi burst into the apartment waving a flyer, which she threw at Ivy, sending it fluttering onto the newspaper she’d been reading. ‘What’s this?’ Ivy asked, picking up the piece of yellow paper and reading an advert for a swingers club. ‘Uh, there’s no way—‘
    ‘Not that, on the back,’ Trudi said, sitting on the couch at Ivy’s back to tug off her boots. On the back of the flyer was an address, phone number, and another number beneath it.
    ‘What is this?’
    ‘I had a client last night and—‘
    ‘I’m not interested in hooking, Trud—‘
    ‘I know,’ Trudi tutted. ‘But his boss is looking for a live-in housekeeper, it’s the real deal. I mean I could never put up with that kind of crap, the “yes, sir, no, sir,” stuff. But you could and look at the starting salary!’
    ‘I don’t know,’ Ivy said, reading the number at the bottom, the salary was attractive. ‘What kind of place is it? Maybe they’ll expect extras, you know? If his employees use your services…’
    ‘Please,’ Trudi scoffed. ‘Have you ever met a guy in Vegas who doesn’t use sex services? I don’t think so. This is just perfect for you and I would think you should be more grateful that I thought of you.’
    Ivy knew that she and Trudi hadn’t seen eye-to-eye much, especially recently, but she didn’t think the woman was so eager to have her out. ‘I guess I could call and see what it’s about. The address isn’t too far so I’d still be in Vegas.’
    ‘Right,’ Trudi said, standing to begin shedding her clothes as she headed for the bathroom. ‘And Carlos says I could start seeing clients here at home and that would help with the rent. I mean there’s only one bedroom, so it would be cool to live alone, right?’
    Trudi didn’t wait for an answer, she went into the bathroom and the shower came on in the next minute. Reading the newspaper adverts again and then the back of the flyer Trudi had brought in, she considered both. Deciding that there was no harm in calling and finding out what was expected of her in the housekeeping role, she gathered up everything she would need and headed out to use the payphone.
    Getting a job and more importantly, getting paid, was the only priority right now. The truth was that unless it was linked to something sinister she’d happily take a job where she got paid and got somewhere to live into the bargain. But if it was as good a deal as Trudi thought then there would be several applicants. Hopefully Trudi had given Ivy a bit of an inside edge on the others, she had a personal connection, and got this tip before others knew the job was available.
    In the blazing heat, she picked up her pace down the sidewalk