Looking for a new experience

Juliet found that lunch was lot more interesting than she had expected it to be. Daniel was far more laid back than Richard was and appeared to have little boundaries as to what he was willing to talk about. Melissa was similar, except that she preferred to keep private matters and work discussion out of the conversation.

They talked about a lot of light things for the first part of the conversation. It was mostly focused around Daniel and Melissa as Juliet was the first one to start asking the small questions. She didn't want the conversation to end up focused on her too much in case she let something slip that she wasn't supposed to.

Watching the way that they interacted, she could feel that there was something different about the relationship between the two sitting across from here but not wanting to be rude, she didn't ask about it. She didn't want to run the risk that either of them felt she was rude and would determine to not give her such an opportunity again. In that respect, she felt that Melissa would be the to decide such a thing as she seemed a bit more guarded compared to other sitting next to him.

Melissa seemed more of the person in charge in the relation between the two, in more of a protective sense rather than a controlling one. She was slightly older Juliet had learned from what Daniel had mentioned and she worked as an interior designer. She however shut down any further discussion of work or much talk until after most of their food had been eating. Mostly though it was her making sure that Daniel was eating rather than talking as Juliet could tell he was a much more chatty person than his partner was.

The other had already asked Juliet a few questions that she found a little difficult to answer such as what made her decide to work with Richard. The best answer she could come up with was the fact that she wanted to try something a little different as she had always been doing freelance work she tried to decide what career path she wanted to take. It wasn't a lie that he opportunity to work with Richard would give a different experience or that it was more stable than the work she had been doing for the past few months, given that he intended to pay her. Juliet also explained it was something her friends had talked about in a more casual setting thus she wanted the opportunity to explore what they talked about as she never had the time to go to the same clubs as them.

Juliet couldn't deny that she felt her answer was weak and by the look Melissa gave her, she felt that the other woman was a touch skeptical over such an answer as well. Truth was though, she still didn't know exactly what it was that she was getting herself into. She was taking the opportunity as a chance to move more freely in the club without raising any suspicions.

"The job will certainly be more stable for you. I am not sure that Richard would be a good fit for someone who's looking just for a casual experience. He takes what he does quite serious." Melissa commented as she waved Sam over to ask for a refill on her coffee cup.

"Is he difficult to work with?" Juliet asked as Sam refilled her cup as well.

"I wouldn't say that he's exactly difficult to work as much as he's just very professional and expects whoever he's working with to be the same. He isn't unfair, but he can't stand people who mix work and pleasure or mess around when they should be taking a job seriously." Daniel was the one who chose to respond to this question.

"So, he's a stickler for making sure you take your job serious." Juliet mused as she sipped on her cup of coffee.

"That's one way of putting it. Dan knows him on more of a work level than I do. I just knew from us being mutual friends and how I see him interact within his casual relationships. Are you looking for anything specific coming from this job?" Melissa leaned forward as she rested her chin on top of her folded hands as she looked at the other expectantly. It seemed to Juliet that this other woman was looking for a specific answer from her, but she wasn't certain what exactly that was.

"Broaden my horizons I suppose." She replied with a slight shrug. "If I had more information exactly about what I would be doing, I could probably give a better answer. But, all Richard has told me was to do some independent research and then meet with him tonight to further discussion the terms of the job agreement."

"He's been withholding information from you?" Melissa inquired, a possible hint of amusement at the back of her voice.

"He said that it would be better for me to do independent research about terms on the contract before he told me anything. Saying something about how he didn't want my decision to be influenced by anything other than my own thoughts or what I learned about before talking with him again." Juliet sighed. "I would prefer if someone would just talk straight with me about the matter than going about it in such a round about way."

"So, you're familiar with the terms, Dom, Sub, and such?" she nodded her head in response to Daniel's question. "New to everything though.. come to think of it I did remember he stopped me from talking last night saying something about research he wanted you to do. Speaking of research, I am supposed to be following up with him soon." Melissa stopped him before he could even reach for his phone.

"You have plenty of time still remember. We agreed that you would get back to work and him after four, right now this is just supposed to be time between us. It won't do any harm for you to be off the clock for a few more hours while the club is still closed. He made a noise that sounded like he wanted to protest, but after a few of seconds of him and Melissa locking gazes, he seemed to think better of it. Turning her attention back to Juliet, Melissa went to back to talking "I am interested in finding out how this new job experience will work for you. I won't say anything about it myself until you and Richard talk about, maybe after that he'll be fine with you getting some answers from other sources, but I think you may be in a bit over your head if you think that this job experience you're looking for will be anything like this freelance work that you've done before."

"Is there something that I should be worried about?" Juliet asked, somehow the way Melissa was talking, it made her feel as though there was some big piece of a puzzle that she was missing out on. If the work contract was a nonsexual on though, there shouldn't be much else for her to worry about, right?

"As long as you intend to take everything seriously and be as professional as possible while you're working with Richard even if the situations you come to find yourself in are completely different from anything that you may have been expecting, you should be fine. To clarify though, the worst thing that could happen if Richard decides that having you as his partner while working at the club isn't going, he'll just fire you. Unless you really mess anything up it won't be like there'll be any long-lasting repercussions for it, except maybe a bit of a bruised ego." Although he was smiling which made Juliet think that there was something Daniel wanted to say, he was keeping his mouth shut while he watched the other two talk back and forth.

"It sounds a lot like you're telling to expect to be working with an uptight wet sponge. Sounds like his accountant attitude bleeds over into everything else that he does." This comment made both Melissa and Daniel laugh.

"It's more like his attitude makes him perfect as an accountant rather than the other way around. He was like this before he even decided that was the career path that he was going to take up."

"Wait, you two have known each other for that long."

"Off and on we have been friends for years. We just started talking more constantly after I got the club running and he decided that it was some place he would fancy spending a lot of his time off work when he wanted something else to do aside from staying at home." Daniel explained.

"It doesn't sound like he's a very personable person." Juliet replied with a frown.

"Richard is just Richard. I wouldn't say that he's not personable. He's just more of a reserved person who expects those around him who work with him to work at the same level he does. Friends he's a lot nicer with."

"I guess I'm not either or yet."

"Give it some time, you might change your opinion once you get to know him more. Maybe not though if you don't intend to have anything to do with him outside of working in the club with him."

Although she was really enjoying talking with the two in front of her, it wasn't doing much for helping her to come to a decision about whether she should be taking this job.

"I don't know. I guess I'll find out later tonight when we decide to talk again. Maybe you could answer one question though, he mentioned something in a text that sounded like he has kind of point system." Daniel and Melissa both looked at each other when she said this.

"he'll probably explain it to you once you finished signing the work contract and consent forms and such." Daniel replied. Juliet wanted to press him further about the matter, but before she got the chance, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Pulling her phone out, she saw that it was already past noon. She hadn't realized that she had been spending so much time talking with the other two. Before she even opened the text message, she didn't even have to think twice to know that it would be Maria asking her about lunch.

"Sorry a friend texted. I forgot I was going to pick up lunch for them while I was here." Juliet apologized after texting the other to let her know she would make it up to her by brining her food.

"Happens to everyone now and again. I'm sure this friend will be understanding. " Melissa assured as she finished the rest of her coffee. She took cue to mean that the other would be thinking about leaving soon. It had been a while that they were sitting there. With a few more hours to spare she wouldn't mind spending it alone with Daniel until the afternoon rolled around and he needed to get back to work.

"It was nice sitting here and talking with you guys. Sorry for the sudden disruption." Juliet apologized again after she had asked Sam for the bill and if she wouldn't mind putting something together to go that she could take to the library for Maria. It wouldn't be much, but she was hoping it would be enough to appease her friend who was going to be disappointed that she missed out on the chance to meet the polite club owner.

"It's alright. Melissa and I hadn't been planning on staying for such a long time anyways. I guess time kinda got away from us." he gave a light laugh as he turned his attention to the other. "Back home after this I suppose?"

"Absolutely. I know you won't be this free for another few days. We can put off shopping until then." Melissa replied as she messed with the other's hair, making sure that a few loose strands were back in a more orderly manner. A tiny part of Juliet lamented the fact that he was wasn't the one that she had gotten the chance to work with instead of the mildly rude, reserved person she was going to be meeting later that night.