Chapter Seventeen
I walked into Bailey’s still in a daze. Beckett had come over, not ten minutes after Fin left. I wanted to feel relief that they didn’t run into each other, but I was inexplicably disappointed. I had the irrational desire to introduce Fin as “not my friend,” even though I didn’t know what that meant.
“Hi, Beckett, this is Fin. He’s not my friend. We’re going to talk about that later. Oh, and don’t mind that our clothes are wrinkled and it’s obvious we spent the night wrapped in each other’s arms. That’s just part of our non-friendship. Also, as a side note, I owe him seven thousand dollars that he thinks I lost in online poker, but I didn’t really.”
Yeah, that sounded about right.
I clocked in and put my apron on, going about my regular hostess duties. I was the only one scheduled this early in the afternoon. Two other hosts would be coming on closer to dinner service, but I had to make sure everything was set up first.
It would be an easy but busy night. Sunday’s were mostly always the same. The dinner rush was early and heavy and then it would die down and the rest of the night would drag on. Britte usually worked with me, but she requested this weekend off when she knew she would be moving this weekend.
I made sure all the tables were set up with ketchup bottles filled and salt and pepper shakers in working order. I couldn’t stop replaying last night in my head. Fin convincing me my brothers just loved me, spending the night cuddled in his arms, this morning….
Ugh. He was just too perfect. How was I supposed to remember things like my moral integrity when he confused every part of me.
I walked to the back office that was through the stainless steel kitchen. Cooks and expeditors were prepping food while the two dishwashers were stacking clean glasses precariously high. I didn’t know everyone well, but working in a restaurant was like working with extended family. We knew everything about each other and for the most part got along, although gossip flew out of control.
The cooks whistled at me while I walked past and I shot them a flirty wave. They were lecherous and brazen but they were mostly harmless. Plus, everybody wanted to be on their good side, so we all put up with it.
I found Ty alone in his cluttered office, working on the schedule. Papers were stacked in random piles on his desk; his computer was set off to the side, but covered in more papers. The shelves above the desk were heavy with training manuals and videos, and where there weren’t thick binders there were manila folders filled with more paperwork. He looked up at me and gave me a tired smile. Ty was not messy, Ty was regimented and orderly. But he shared this office with two other managers and the owner. I wondered if his exhaustion stemmed from the paperwork tornado as much as anything else.
He seemed too big for this office, his huge, broad shoulders filling out the small space and his tree trunk sized legs not fitting under the desk well at all.
“Hey, Els,” he greeted.
“Hey, Ty,” I smiled back. I didn’t even know what pulled me in here. This morning I had been determined not to let Fin get away with bossing me around. But since then, I wondered if it had something to do with the Sunday dinner I heard him talking to Ty about before. There was hope that he was taking me to meet his family before I could squelch it. And even though I’d been talking myself out of this all day, I was still here. I was still asking.
“How can I help you?” he looked down at the schedule again and frowned.
“Um, I was just wondering if I could have next Sunday off?” I tried to sound casual but Ty’s head snapped up immediately.
“Why?” h demanded.
I wasn’t expecting that question. I didn’t really think it was any of his business. “I just need it off.”
“Does this have something to do with Fin Hunter?” he asked carefully. His eyes narrowed on me and his body went still, alert. I felt like a threat, like I was an enemy or something and he was back in the army deciding how best to deal with me.
My voice shook when I answered, “Yes, it does.”
His tone was hard steel when he asked, “Is he taking you to meet his family?”
“I don’t know. He just told, um, asked me to get Sunday off.”
“Then he’s taking you to his grandma’s. He does one thing on Sundays and that’s spend time with his family.” He softened his voice just a little bit and he relaxed back into his chair. “Did he tell you about them?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“So are you a couple?”
“No,” I replied quickly. When Ty’s eyes narrowed again I realized I answered too quickly. “It’s complicated.”
“Ellie, when I warned you before to stay away from him that was because I knew he could hurt a girl like you. Hurt you deeply. I know he has a reputation, and I know you’re too good of a girl to get mixed up with that. But if he’s taking you home to meet his family then you are one of the only people I know of that has the ability to hurt him. I’m fiercely protective of that boy, so you better tell me how it’s complicated and how you plan to un-complicate it right now.”
I gulped. Oh boy. I was not expecting that at all.
“Close the door and sit down,” Ty commanded.
“But my job-“
