Kickstart My Heart (Burgers and Brew Crue #1) - Lacey Black Page 0,85

from a shy little girl to a more outgoing one, has been amazing.

It’s midafternoon and the restaurant is practically empty. I’ve refilled salt and pepper shakers, wrapped silverware, and am now working on sanitizing the menus. It’s the little mundane things that most may hate doing, but I enjoy. It’s soothing and allows me a few minutes to just breathe.

“Hey, Mallory,” Gigi says, coming up behind me at the servers’ station.

“Hi, Gi.” I offer her a smile. I notice she returns it, but her lips are tight.

“Listen, I’ll finish that up. Jasper wants to speak with you in his office for a quick minute, okay?” The older woman reaches for the sanitizer spray and rag, taking it from my hand.

“Oh. Is everything okay?” I ask.

“Yep!” she states, a little too cheery. Something is definitely up.

And then it hits me.

Oh God.

Am I getting fired?

I give her a tight smile and make my way through the kitchen. Someone stands at the sink, rinsing a few dishes before loading them in the dishwasher, while a younger man flips a burger at the grill. I walk past them both to the back where Jasper’s office sits.

When I approach, I knock on the doorjamb and smile. “Hey, you wanted to see me?”

Jasper stands up and grins. Of all the owners, Jasper’s the one I’ve gotten to know the least. Sure, I know he’s bossy and has a take-charge attitude, but on a personal level, I don’t know him very well at all.

“Have a seat,” he says, indicating one of the empty chairs in front of his desk. I notice the desk is full of papers and files, but in a way, it looks like organized chaos. What I don’t see is anything with my name on it.

You know, like termination papers.

“Something has happened.”

His words take a second to register. “Lizzie?” I whisper, that single word agony to speak.

“No, she’s fine. She’s with Jameson,” he assures me, getting up from his chair and coming around to sit in the empty seat beside me. “I promise she’s okay.”

I meet his eyes. “Tell me.”

“Walker was arrested.”

“What?” I gasp, my mouth falling open in shock. “Why?”

“Drugs.” He registers my disbelief and holds up his hands. “It’s bullshit, Mallory. Walker doesn’t do drugs, but they had a warrant to search his place.”

I shake my head, trying to clear the images of me and my daughter playing in the living room. Putting her to bed in the guest room. Cooking dinner in the kitchen. We were there, and there were drugs?

“Don’t go there, okay?” Jasper insists, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. “Isaac called a lawyer. We’re gonna get this shit taken care of.”

I sigh as fear sweeps in. “I need to get Lizzie. Now.”

He nods. “Okay. Jameson has her at his house. We’ll go there first.”

I’m already on the move. I untie my apron and make a beeline for the employee break room. I toss it in the locker, not even bothering to clear out my tips for the day. I grab my purse and turn back to the entrance. Jasper’s there, keys in hand. “We’ll take my car.”

I probably should drive myself, but I’m sure it’s safer with him behind the wheel. My legs move, but they appear to be on autopilot right now. Driving probably isn’t in my best interest at the moment. Nodding, I follow him out the back door.

The late October afternoon is cool and dreary, and the breeze holds a bite. I ignore it though and follow my boss to his car. He drives some expensive number, a Mercedes, I think. I’m sure it’s nice, but nothing registers as I buckle my seat belt and grip my purse as if it were a lifeline.

“It’s going to be okay, Mallory. I promise,” Jasper reassures, as he starts up his car.

He drives quickly, but safely, in the opposite direction of where I usually go. Within a few minutes, he pulls into a driveway of a small house with dingy siding and faded shutters. The landscaping is overgrown and the porch in need of a fresh coat of paint, but that’s not what grabs my attention. At the end of the driveway sits the biggest garage I’ve ever seen. It has three large doors and is much newer than the house. In fact, the garage doesn’t even look like it matches the house at all.

“Come on,” Jasper says softly, placing his hand on my lower back and escorting me to the front door. The touch is