“Private,” Torin interrupted, his deep voice had a snarling edge.
Nova sighed and the laughter finally leeched out of her. This sucked. She really liked her job and she hated that it was over now.
She looked at Torin. “I’ll clear out my locker,” she said.
“WHAT?” Addie yelled, staring at Nova, then at Torin, with her mouth hanging open.
Nova reached out and took Addie’s hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to leave you in the lurch, but I’m pretty sure the next words out of his mouth will be to tell me I’m fired.”
Addie’s mouth shut, then opened, and then closed again. She still hadn’t spoken when Nova released her hand and walked through the kitchen to the area that held lockers and coat racks for employees’ personal belongings.
She heard Addie snap, “Torin, do something!”
But Nova stopped listening as Torin’s low voice rumbled out in response. Whatever he said would be an excuse.
“I don’t give a shit!” Addie screeched. “She’s the best damn hostess we’ve had since you hired me!”
Nova smiled slightly. Maybe she and Addie could continue their friendship outside of the restaurant.
With a sigh, she unlocked her locker and pulled out her phone, tucking it in her back pocket. Then, she grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder. She closed the locker and turned to leave, stopping suddenly when she realized there was someone right behind her.
Torin stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and one shoulder leaning against the door jamb.
Nova smiled at him, more of a rueful curve of her lips rather than an expression of amusement. She held out the key to her locker. “Here’s my locker key,” she said.
He didn’t move to take it or even to get out of her way.
Nova stopped and stared at him, her arm dropping back to her side.
They looked at each other in silence for a protracted moment before Torin finally said, “So, that’s it?”
She frowned at him. “What do you mean?”
“You’re not going to ask to stay?”
Her brows went from low to so high that she worried they might fly off her forehead. “Excuse me?”
“You’re not going to ask to keep your job?”
Nova felt her temper prickle. She very rarely got angry because bad, bad things could happen when a will o’ the wisp lost their temper. Not because of anything they did, but because others would believe any misfortune that befell them was because they angered a will o’ the wisp.
He wanted to play games? Fine, she’d play.
“Sure. I’d like to keep my job,” she said. It wasn’t a request, but a statement.
The corner of his mouth twitched because he knew she was pissed. But he didn’t seem worried.
She expected his response to beThat’s too badorHell, no.
Instead, he said, “Good because the restaurant opens in a half hour.”
For the first time in years, Nova was surprised by a man.
After their disastrous first date and his reaction to seeing her in the kitchen, she expected him to let her walk out the door, thinking good riddance.
He straightened and dropped his arms to his sides. “Addie says you’re the best hostess we’ve had in years. I find it difficult to believe, so I’m giving you tonight. If you aren’t everything she promised, then you can give me your locker key before you leave after closing.”
Okay, that was more in line with what she would expect from him based on their previous interactions.
