“I need two of you here at all times. Not sure how that works with your life, but I’m so used to it being three or four of us that I don’t have anyone else to call in. Fuck, even Elle is so green I’m nervous.”
“I can handle the work. Maybe not the manager stuff like inventory and ordering what you need, but service? Cleaning? I got all that.” Elle hit the table with a fist.
“Great. Elle is charge of cleaning before and after her shifts. Done.”
Elle blinked and nodded at the same time. It was cute, and I could picture her as a front-row type of student, always answering questions and ruining the curve on tests. I smirked, and she caught me staring at her.
I wiped that smile off my face.
“Alex or I will always be here with her,” I said, gesturing my chin toward her.
“Why? Because I’m ablondewoman?”
“No.” I swallowed down the comment about wanting to make sure she was safe. “Because you’re new.”
Her lips formed a pretty littleohshape. “Hm. Fine.”
“I like it. Plus, this place gets rowdy, and no offense, Sunshine, you couldn’t throw someone out. Alex and Cal definitely could,” Charlie said.
Elle looked at Alex’s arms with half a smirk, and they raised a brow in response. “Sweetie, you know nothing about me. My arms might not be beefsticks like this shithead, but I have my ways,” Alex said.
“They have a black belt in karate and collect knives,” Charlie said.
Elle smiled. “That’s awesome. Can you throw knives?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Sick.”
Alex almost smiled at Elle, and I rolled my eyes. Elle thoughtknifethrowing was fine but hated me. Cool, cool.
“Alex, you’ve been around a while. Could you deal with inventory for the next…two weeks? Might be longer, but we can start with that.”
“You got it, boss.”
“And making trips to the bank?”
“Sure can.”
Charlie sighed and gained a little color in his face. “This is crazy, right? I shouldn’t leave.”
“No.” Elle spoke before anyone else. “You absolutely have to go. We can handle it. If we can’t, we’ll close it for a day.”
Charlie looked at me, his eyes wide and worried, and I nodded. “You gotta go, man. It’s your daughter. She lost the only parent she knows. She’ll be thankful to have a parent left.” My voice shook, and I hated the momentary slip of vulnerability. I wiped that shit away and refocused. “Don’t be a fucking dick of a dad who sends a check once a year.”
Charlie stared at me a long time, his emotions clearly on his face. He was thinking about me, my parents. He opened his mouth to say something, and I cut him off. “No. Let’s talk business. What else do you need?”
“Maintain a good atmosphere. There have been a few fights lately, but luckily, the college kids aren’t back yet. Stop any aggression and underaged kids from entering.”
“So, basically I’m the muscle?”
“Yes.”
“I’m good with that. Can’t hold a tray worth shit.”
“Yet you can hit a dumb puck.” Charlie barked out a laugh and relaxed into the seat. “This might work. It’s not forever or ideal, but maybe this will be okay.”
“It will.” Alex’s voice got more intense. “Not everyone is accommodating in the world, so Charlie, any child will be lucky to have you in their life. Even if it’s messy. Acceptance and love and safety are all kids need.”
