Paul throws back his head in laughter, slapping his knee. “Honestly, seems like a character. And he’s not completely wrong. I see what you have here, and I think we’d be great together. But, it’s not as selfish as he may think. I’m not only wanting to join in for my sake.” He stuffs his hand into his pants pocket and fishes out his phone.
Curious, I watch him swipe the screen before turning it towards me.
Right away, I see a bunch of recent reviews. Ranging from good, to bad, toworse.
My eyebrows pinch together as I scroll through. “I don’t understand. What restaurant is this?”
He gives me a straight-lined smile as he looks down at the phone in my hand. “It’s yours.”
My eyes widen as I look back at the screen. “What!?”
Taking another look through, I realize quickly that he’s right. Within the past few weeks, we’ve gotten a handful of shitty reviews talking about the food quality, the atmosphere, and the poor customer service.
“No, no, no.” I mutter, reading them more in-depth.
Paul sighs, sitting back. “Seems to me, the busy season has been taking a toll on you.”
I rake my brain. I thought everything was going fine. But then again, I guess I’ve sort of been…distracted. Not paying close attention to what’s been happening. I could probably be more present.
But how!? How when I’ve got so much going on!?
“I’ll do better.” I rush out.
Paul stands up from his chair, takes back his phone and gives me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t do it for me. But, if I were you, and this restaurant means a lot like you say it does, I’d be talking to Elijah again about our deal. Support isn’t a bad thing.” He shakes his head.
I rub my hand over my mouth, sitting back in my chair. “Yeah…okay, I will.”
Walking over to the door, Paul rests his hand on the doorknob. “Oh, and Tobias?” He turns to look back at me. “Come the new year, if you still don’t want to do this, I’ll be moving on.” He shrugs.
Fuck.
I nod simply. “I understand.”
Paul gives me a curt nod before leaving my office.
Offucking coursehe’d be moving on. It only makes sense.
Why does that thought make me feel disappointed?
I rub my hands down my face.
Of courseJude’s Placemeans a lot to me… but if I keep going the way I’m going, I’m scared that I’m going to run this restaurant into the ground.
30
Elijah
I scroll through my messages on my phone. A couple from Katelyn, wondering where I’ve been and asking if we can meet up after I help Flux. A few from Claire, begging me to come home since Tobias has been acting weird, and of course…a dozenfrom the man himself.
My chest aches when I open his most recent.
Angel: I can’t sleep without you here
Angel: I miss you so bad, E. I can’t stand it.
Angel: Come home to me. Please.
And of course, the one I got today.
