“Well, as you probably know, the sous chef has taken your place during the interim, and his capabilities are currently … a bit limited. We have some extremely important guests coming in. We also have a party of thirty-five that has reserved our private dining room. That’s in addition to a completely full restaurant for all three seatings.” A beat of silence ticked. “You know I wouldn’t ask unless I thought it was absolutely necessary.”
I moved to the edge of my seat, my ass balancing on the lip of the couch cushion. “Does Eden know you called me?”
“Yes.”
That explained why my sister had texted me a few minutes ago and said she would be reaching out in ten minutes and to pick up.
Two weeks off—that was bullshit.
It hadn’t even been a full week yet.
I couldn’t run away even if I wanted to.
“Please, Walker. This is going to be one of the biggest nights we’ve ever had since I joined the team seven years ago. Without you there … I just don’t have the same level of confidence that everything will be as perfect as it needs to be.”
My head slumped forward toward my thighs, and my teeth pressed together like I was trying to gnaw through a piece of glass. “I’ll be there.”
TEN
Alivia
“How’s everything going?” Hilary, one of my coworkers, asked as she stopped by the table where I was sitting at work.
I was folding napkins and making sure the silverware was clean and not spotted with food or dish soap. As I finished a fold and set the napkin in a bin, I picked up another heavy black cloth and began weaving it into the pattern I’d been taught to use. “Perfect.”
She hovered by the edge of the table, straightening her apron, and once that was adjusted, she moved on to her tie, making sure it was tight against her throat. “When you finish, meet me in the back of the kitchen, okay?”
“Sure thing.”
She smiled, and as she walked away, I tried to pick up my speed. I was just exhausted. This was only the second day of my new schedule, and I already felt like I was drowning.
Yesterday, I had worked almost fourteen straight hours, andit had, quite possibly, been the longest day of my life. What made it worse was that I barely got any sleep.
Dean and Mom fought all night. I didn’t know what they were arguing about. It sounded like a mesh of words and nonsense. But I could guess it was about money and rum and beer and cigarettes and not having enough.
My documentary played in my ears as soon as I crawled into bed, the volume extra high so I wouldn’t hear them shouting. The problem with that, it was too loud, and I couldn’t sleep. And when I had taken out my earbuds, I couldn’t get any rest because of their yelling.
I needed out.
This schedule, as daunting and difficult as it was going to be, was the only thing that would get me there.
Since I hadn’t yet completed a full week with the increase of hours, I didn’t know how much I would earn. But I’d already started looking at apartments, and I knew I couldn’t afford one on my own. What could possibly be in my price range was renting a room and having at least two or three roommates.
A situation that sounded heavenly.
I didn’t care how many people lived under my new roof. As long as one of them wasn’t Dean or my mother, I’d be the happiest person in the world.
I finished fanning the last napkin, and I pulled out my phone from my apron to quickly check the notifications that had come through in the last hour.
Not a single one was from Hooked.
Part of me thought Whiskey would reach out again.
Part of me wanted him to.
And part of me knew that would be the worst idea ever.
Was that why I hadn’t reached out to him? Because neither of us was in a place where dating was even possible?
