Chapter Twenty-Four
Tayler
“You’re hired.”
I turn to smile at Luke as he walks back into the kitchen with a stack of red plastic baskets.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. Besides Chris and Quinn, I’ve never seen anyone work the way you did just now.”
“I’m good,” I say, tossing down the towel I used to wipe down the counters. “But you already know that.”Wow, where did all that confidence come from?
I swear I see Luke blush, and it’s the cutest thing ever. “Yeah, you’re the best.”
Now it’s my turn to blush because I think he means it. “You hungry? I made you a triple-stacked burger,” I say with a laugh. “I made myself a single.”
“I could eat.”
“Where’s Zach?” The worthless piece of crap.
“Wiping down tables.”
“He always like that?”
“Yeah.” He nods. “It’s another reason I need help around here.”
“Apparently,” I say with an eyeroll. “However, I’m ordinarily in class at lunch. Today I had a pass because of my meeting this morning.” The meeting that wasn’t.
“I meant to ask. What happened?”
“Well, Dr. Bushnell couldn’t make it, so it was just her husband.” He was so smarmy. He kept touching me. I lost count of the number of times he reached out to touch my shoulder, arm, hand, and one time, my knee. It gave me the creeps, which also messed up my presentation. “He had no interest in having me redesignanything.” Well, he mentioned I could redo his bedroom. Disgusting pervert. “So, it was a waste of time. I even had a preliminary board of samples for him and a rough floor plan.” Which I based on the county assessor’s information on the building. The prep took hours, but that’s fine. It’s just part of it. Sometimes clients don’t like your work. That’s the way it is.
I pick up the baskets, and as I’m about to head out of the kitchen, the door swings open so hard, I jerk back and run into the prep table. The baskets I was holding filled with food for Luke and me are now on the floor.
“Goddamn it, Zach.” Luke looks at me with concern. “You okay, Tayler?”
“Yeah.” I stare down at my yummy burger. “Sad about the food, though.” I’m starving.
“Go sit down. I’ll make us up some more while Zach cleans this shit up.”
“Me?” he whines again. “She’s the one—”
Standing up to his full height, Luke glares at Zach, causing him to stop talking. “Clean it up and clock out.”
“But I’m on ’til three.”
What is wrong with this kid? He’s clueless.
“You’re getting off early.” Luke’s eyes are tiny slits, he looks angry. If I were that guy, I’d take a hint. “And if I walk out into the alley and see that butt on the ground, you’re done here.”
Zach glances at the back door, then back at Luke. “I’ll, uh, double-check.”
“Good idea.” We both watch Zach skitter out the back door, no doubt to pick up his cigarette. “Babe, go sit. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Okay. I’ll make sure nobody needs a refill.”
“Sure,” he says, his back to me. He’s already got the meat on the grill.
