Her face stretches with an evil but very sexy smile. I bet she uses it on a lot of men who fall to her feet. Is Jericho one of them?
“How are you liking this diner?” she asks back in a sweet voice.
“Love it. It’s a family business,” I reply with a neutral smile.
She glances around. “So I’ve heard.” Another evil smileplasters on her face before she focuses her attention back on me. “You’ve got a lot of violations in your family business.”
A sudden wave of panic steals my breath. I don’t know exactly what she does at city hall, but it very well could be something that could ruin the diner.
“My cousin was right,” she continues while running her watchful eyes over every single surface. “The place needs to be shut down. It’s not safe.”
“Your cousin?”
“Richard. You know him, right?” her smile turns into a self-satisfied one as if she just fulfilled her life-long goal.
Now I see where it’s all coming from.
She pushes the cup with her finger. “Anyway,” she starts with a tired sigh. “I might be able to overlook some of the violations. You know, for a favor.” Her eyes jump to me. “I’m still considered a newcomer in town and could use some friends.”
“You want to be my friend?” I ask, confused.
“Gosh no.” She laughs loudly as if the idea itself offends her. “But I need you to back off from your neighbor who I’m planning to make one.”
“Jericho?” This conversation has turned very bizarre.
“Yes. Him.” Now she’s watching me without blinking, not missing any emotions that might pass through my face with her request. And I do have a lot of emotions. A lot.
“Lady,” I start on a full lungful of air, “I don’t know who you think you are?—”
“A city inspector,” she replies with a sweet smile. “In fact, you’re on my schedule.” She pulls a notebook and pen from her bag and flips it open. “Let me see.” After another glance around, she starts scribing something on the paper. “I don’t see a fire extinguisher around here.”
“Over there.” I point at the kitchen.
“Well, it’s not enough. You need to have more.”
“How many more?”
A corner of her lips rises up, making her look like a horror movie character. “More.” Another scribble in her notebook. “Inadequate kitchen sanitation.”
“We clean our kitchen just fine,” I say through pursed lips.
“We’ll see about that. Poor personal hygiene of the staff,” she continues.
“What the fuck is that?”
Her face turns to me. “Make your staff wash their hands properly.” Then she mumbles under her breath, “Damn hillbillies.”
Both my eyes start twitching. Along with my hands. My fingers itch to scratch her face and show her real hygiene. I couldn’t care less what she says about me—God knows I’m used to it—but I don’t let anyone run their mouths about the people that work with me. They’re my family.
“Listen here, lady,” I lean over the counter closer to her, “this place has been following all rules and codes since my grandmother founded it. If you bringa real inspectorhere, they’ll agree with that.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “But I am a real inspector, you see. And your inspection is way overdue.”
“So you’re blackmailing me?”
“Blackmail?” She laughs. “No. Simply trying to find common ground. Richard prefers I close this place, but I’m willing to compromise.”
So this is the core of it all. Damn Dick again. I can’t believe I was ever in love with him. Removing Moons’ as competition would open the way for his not very successful diner. Local folks don’t like new things very much, and his place, run by the jerk himself, must not be very profitable so far.
