Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,9
from his truck ready to come in from the crisp morning air and join us inside.
My morning staff was small but efficient. Rosie and Jimmy manned the kitchen filling orders as quickly as possible. Ed pitched in with refills on top of bussing tables and keeping the kitchen clean as needed. While Candace and I interacted with the customers playing both waitress and cashier as well as anything else needed along the way.
The breakfast shift was always busy which I preferred as it made the day pass by. The next several hours passed by in a blur. Once the lull between breakfast and lunch had set in, I was beyond exhausted. I hadn’t even had a drink yet, let alone food. My plan for caffeine survival had failed when we had gotten busier than usual, and I simply hadn’t had time to take even the slightest break.
A stray hair hung in my face and I could feel my bun wasn’t holding any longer. I knew I was a hot mess when Jimmy came out of the kitchen and demanded I sit down. He had a steaming cup of coffee and a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast for me too.
“You look terrible. Are you okay?” he asked, genuinely looking worried for me.
“Couldn’t sleep. I’m fine. Just tired,” I assure him.
“You should go home and take a nap before the lunch crowd arrives.”
“You know Shay would love that. It’s not worth it, but thanks for the offer and the coffee.”
“You’re going to eat too,” he insisted.
“I will. Promise.”
“Alright. I’m gonna get back there and start prepping lunch then. If you need anything else, just ask. You know we’re all here for you.”
“Thanks, Jimmy.”
I grabbed for the coffee first taking a long sip and welcoming the heat and jolt of energy it provided. My head was pounding but I knew the caffeine would help with that too.
I had just started devouring the eggs when the door opened. I stilled when I heard the click of heals across the tiled floor. I closed my eyes praying it wasn’t her. When I slowly opened them and looked up Shay was standing there with her hands on her hips.
“I’m not paying you to eat all the food, Susan.”
“You aren’t paying me at all,” I muttered under my breath.
“You look terrible.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said trying to pull back on the sarcasm in my voice.
“You know employees aren’t to be seen eating out here like this. What are you thinking?”
“My mistake,” I said gathering my plate and coffee, hellbent on moving to the small staff table in the kitchen to finish my meal.
“Where are you going? Get back here. I was talking to you.”
“I’m tired. Just tell me what you want.”
She huffed. “You’re such an ungrateful wench sometimes. I give you all of this and this is how you talk to me?”
“I’m sorry. What can I do for you?” I asked with little effort to change my tone.
“The power bill bounced. You aren’t bringing in enough money to make ends meet,” she insisted. She thrust the bill into my hands.
I looked down, noting it was a disconnection notice and it hadn’t been paid in three months. I was furious.
“You told me you were paying the bills. Do I need to start taking care of this again?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If the funds were in my account, then I could pay the bill.”
I bit my lip. A third of the business income went into her account. She had more than enough money to pay the household bills and still splurge on whatever she wanted.
“It was the week at the spa, wasn’t it?”
“Don’t sass me, Susan. You have no idea how hard I work and how stressful it is to run a business like this and take care of you girls. You should be more grateful for everything I do for you.”
My blood was boiling, and I could see Jimmy holding Rosie back and begging her not to get involved.
“Thank you. Don’t worry about the bill. I’ll take care of it,” I managed through gritted teeth just praying that would appease her so she would leave.
She gave me a sly smile. “And right you should.”
She turned and walked back out. The clicking of her heals did nothing to quell the anger I was feeling. Somehow that small annoying sign only made the fire burn within me even hotter.
Halfway to the door she turned back to me with one of her scrutinizing looks that reminded me that no matter what I