Free Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love by Ariana Hawkes Page B

yourself working crazy hours either.”
    Raven gazed up at the flawless blue sky and the bright green leaves of the trees. “This isn’t so bad, I guess,” she said.
     
    *
     
    Raven spent the rest of the day in a daze. She told Caitlyn that she wouldn’t mind some time to herself to think, as she knew that Caitlyn was eager to go out and look for work. Caitlyn had always had a job, since they were fourteen years old. However crappy it was, she’d never been out of work once. After checking that Raven was really okay, she zipped off in her car, full of enthusiasm.
    Once Raven was alone she went for a long walk in the forest, wandering aimlessly, with only the GPS on her phone to let her know where she was. The forest was very dense in places, almost blocking out the light, and she loved the way that it was cool and shady, but from time to time, she’d step out into patches of sunlight and be bathed in a golden glow for a fleeting moment. It was a lovely place. She imagined herself running through leaves, chasing a little girl or boy, shrieking in delight, and her heart filled with love for her unborn child. Timo kept popping into her mind too. She felt so ambivalent toward him. He was the father of her child. And she had felt a connection between them, in the midst of the amazing sex they’d had. But he was still a stripper and she felt seedy at having slept with a guy who probably did that kind of thing all the time. She wouldn’t contact him ever. She didn’t want him to be involved. And if he’d want to visit the child, it would be too painful to keep seeing him and wishing that things were different. No; she was going to do this on her own, with the help of the good friends that she was so lucky to have.
    Her resolution made, she felt like she’d walked far enough. She tapped on her map app and used it to guide herself back to the cabin.
    On the way, she called the doctor, and told him about her concerns about the alcohol she’d drunk since she’d been pregnant, suddenly terrified that it could’ve harmed the baby. He told her not to worry. That many women don’t realize that they’re pregnant during their first trimester, so continue to drink. As long she didn’t drink any more, it wouldn’t be a problem. He also suggested that she drink ginger tea and take some vitamin supplements to help with her morning sickness.
     
    *
     
    The following morning the sickness wasn’t so bad, and by lunchtime, Raven was looking forward to her interview at the boutique store.
    Raven liked Lori at first sight. She was a very kind woman, and she seemed excited to meet her. She showed her around the store and the catalogs, talking animatedly, and holding her gaze with her unusual, violet-colored eyes. She said that she had an eleven-year old stepson called Tad, with her husband Bruno, who was a firefighter. She also had a two-year-old daughter called Nancy, who spent a lot of time hanging out with Lauren’s daughter. Nancy was in the back of the store, playing. She had Lori’s eyes and radiant smile. Raven didn’t want to deceive her and explained that she didn’t have a ton of experience, but Lori brushed her worries aside, saying she could tell she had a passion for design.
    “When can you start?” she asked as Raven was saying goodbye.
    “You’re offering me the job?” she said, stunned. Lori laughed.
    “Of course, my dear!”
    “Oh, in that case, I can start tomorrow.”
    “Great!” Lori laid a hand on her arm. “Lauren told me you’ve been having a hard time with morning sickness. I had it bad with Nancy, so I do understand if you need to come in a little later.”
    “Thank you,” Raven replied, stunned that there were such kind people in the world. “I’ve been drinking ginger tea though, which seems to be doing the trick.”
    “Ok, in that case, I’ll see you at 9.30 tomorrow.”
    “See you then,” Raven said, and she couldn’t stop grinning all the way home. As they were pulling up at the