The Broody Brit for Christmas (Holiday Springs #1) - M.J. Fields Page 0,66
out the door, Bo with an arm wrapped around Sally as she cried was touching.
When I open the file, I see a dozen or so employment applications. Leafing through them, I see she’d starred five.
Dana, who has worked part-time here for a year, is on the top. A single mother of three kids, whose ex up and left her just over a year ago, right after she had their last kid, who hadn’t worked since high school, is often late, and always looks like she is somewhere else, isn’t bar manager material in my opinion. But for some reason, Sally thinks she is a five-star employee.
Below Dana’s are several applicants who haven’t applied for Blizzards, but some of my restaurants in surrounding cities. Gabriel Laurent, a recent graduate of Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in France, is also five-starred.
“Why the fuck would a culinary school graduate want to work at a bar that serves mostly fried food?” I ask myself out loud.
“To get his start.”
I nearly jump out of my seat at the sound of Beckett’s voice. “Seriously, mate, I’m getting you a fucking bell to wear around your neck.”
“You gave me a key and your security passcodes.” He sits down in the chair across from my desk. “And I use them.”
“How about a call, a text, a heads up that you’re going to stop by?”
He waves his hand dismissively at the thought. “The chef. Hire him. Make it a test run, and when we get the resort, if he’s worth a shit, you open a restaurant and have him take it over.”
I look him over. “You look like shit.”
He smirks. “But I feel fan-fucking-tastic.”
Rule Number Twenty- One
Not all boys are made of, ‘snakes and snails and puppy dog tails…’
Nikki
On Monday, when Raff and Nate walk into the shop after school, out of habit, I start to turn and head toward the back and then remember I’m no longer hiding.
Nathaniel is all smiles, and I notice for the first time he has a dimple that matches his father’s. The part of me that was embarrassed by my behavior the first time we met has finally disintegrated. By Wednesday, I’ve finally garnered enough courage to ask Nathaniel if he’d mind helping Nellie and me out at the shop.
“With Halloween just around the corner and the caramel apple decorating contest coming up, we could sure use the help.”
He looks up at Raff in question.
Raff nods. “Of course.”
“Perfect.” I grab my purse and walk around the counter. “Let’s you and I go grab some apples from the store.”
Raff looks at his watch. “Shit.”
“You late?” I pull my coat on.
“No, but I have a couple of interviews to conduct, and we haven’t done much decorating.”
“By much you mean, we haven’t done any,” Nate states.
“We normally hit Adam’s farm and—”
“Adam Fosters?” I ask, and Raff nods. “Haven’t seen him in years. Nate, how about you and I go get some apples and grab a few pumpkins?”
Nate again looks up at his father, and Raff nods. I kind of adore the way he looks up to him.
Nate nods back. “You and I can go get costumes and decorations tomorrow. Maybe Nikki can come, too?”
“The costumes have been ordered. We just have to go try them on and see if any adjustments need to be made. And I’d love for Nikki to join us. However, that may spoil the surprise.”
“She won’t look, will you, Nikki?”
I make a cross over my heart, that is all sorts of smitten because Raff is apparently the kind of man who dresses up on Halloween with his son. I mean, dayum, could he get any sexier. “Cross my heart.”
As if he’s reading my thoughts, his lips turn up slightly.
“Can we go now?” Nate asks, drawing my attention back to where it should be, to him.
“Yep, let’s do this.” I grin at Nate, and when he grins back, I know without a doubt I want everything that Rafferty Graham has to offer me.
I step toward Raff and give him a quick peck on the cheek. He looks stunned, which makes me a little bit too happy, and then I smile. “Thanks for letting me borrow him.”
On the way to Fosters’ farm, it is too quiet. I can tell he is nervous, and it is making me even more so. Being the adult, I decide I need to step up.
“This feels awkward, right?” I ask, and he giggles. “I don’t want it to be like that at all. I hope you know you can