Chapter One
Halstrom
Several days passed before I saw the server again; she seemed much happier. I almost chased that nasty redhead to give her a piece of my mind but found her already being taken in hand by a friend of mine, Damon Asher, and I didn’t doubt he’d show her the error of her ways.
No, she couldn’t have. Hal watched the server casually swipe a few more fries from the plate she was about to deliver and stuffed them in her mouth. Shaking his head in amusement, he continued watching his midday entertainment. Hal had been a regular at the diner ever since the new server, Hailey, started working there several weeks earlier.
In morbid fascination, he watched as Hailey stole another fry and, after gobbling it down, marched over to a table for one with the plate. With a couple of gentle shakes, she probably repositioned the fries to make them appear more plentiful. She painted a smile on her face as she delivered the burger and fries to the man in the booth.
He continued staring at his phone, ignoring her and his food’s arrival. The server rolled her eyes and slammed the ketchup bottle down beside his meal. She had his attention now. Keeping her smile painted on, she batted her eyes innocently at him while he gazed up at her, surprise painted on his face.
“Will there be anything else, sir?”
When he shook his head, she slapped a bill on the table and swung her hips saucily as she walked away, knowing full well he was watching her ass. And what an asset she had attached to a pair of slender hips and toned legs. His phone forgotten, the man in the booth watched her until she was out of his range, and giving his head a shake, turned his attention to his meal.
It was hard not to chuckle at her antics, but it wasn’t a big diner, and Hal had no interest in drawing unwanted attention. He attended for amusement, which Hailey abundantly supplied, though she need not realize it.Since Hal’s initial visit to the sleepy diner, the establishment became unusually crowded on the regular. The way Hailey moved with grace between tables, her arms and hands never empty, captivated him, and obviously many others.
She was a good worker. But Hal suspected she had issues with consistency that were causing problems for her. She’d come in late for her shift and probably had stolen the fries because she hadn’t had time for breakfast, and it was already lunchtime.
He observed her recline on the server station, cheek resting upon her hands, conversing with the cook through the window. Hal appreciated the way Hailey’s skirt rode up just below hersculpted ass. It was hard not to imagine her over his lap and sliding his hand up her silky thigh to draw her underwear down to smack her pert behind.
“Hailey, I can’t keep covering for you. Why were you so late today?”
“Ugh, where do I begin? I blame the turtles.”
“Huh? What do you mean bythe turtles? Do you have pets?”
Hailey laughed, swinging her long blond hair over her shoulder as she turned her head to rest her other cheek on the back of her hands.
“No, silly. You know those turtles over in Asia. I was up late last night watching a YouTube video on turtles and how once they hatch, they have to beeline for the ocean before the seagulls swoop down and eat them. Eww, gross! But even worse, before they hatch, people go down to the beaches and steal the eggs. Like talk about wiping out the species. I don’t get it. Just leave the little guys alone and let them at least get their flippers wet.”
The chef looked genuinely confused by Hailey’s outburst.
“So, you’re saying that you stayed up late watching videos about sea turtles and that’s why you’re late?”
Hailey completely skipped over the question.
“I gave them my last twenty-five dollars, so I better get some tips, or this baby turtle saver won’t be able to keep the lights on come Sunday.”
It was already Thursday. Was she unaware that they were closed on the weekends, and they wouldn’t pick up the payment until Monday, assuming she tried to pay tomorrow and not today?
Hal needed to return to the office. He cleared his throat to get her attention, but it wasn’t until the cook shook her arm that she perked up. Had she been sleeping on her feet? As entertaining as she was, Hal had learned a lot about Hailey, and seeing her sleeping where she stood was not a surprise.The woman had zero regulation skills, and although he’d been happy, she worked there, strictly for selfish reasons, he was also shocked she still had the job.
Hailey yawned and walked to Hal’s table, painting a smile on her face. Before she could hand him the bill, which he already knew the total of, he had a wad of cash ready for Hailey. He handed her the wad and took the receipt from her.
She gazed down at her hand and up at Hal with a look of utter shock.
“Um, you paid me an awful lot for a Reuben and a coffee. Can I get you some change?”
“Keep your lights on, young lady.”
Hal had to hold it together to contain his laughter at how quickly her attitude changed, enjoying the pink flush that spread across her lightly freckled cheeks.
“Is there anything else I can get you, sir?”
Hal didn’t miss the use of the word Sir or the wink that came with it. She was playing with fire if she thought Hal wouldn’t take action. But Hailey hadn’t a clue as to the type of man he was, but she’d learn. The image of her spread over his lap appeared with staggering clarity. This woman direly needed a daddy to take charge and help her get her life in order.
But that wouldn’t be Hal. One thing he got clear on years ago was that he liked his life clean and uncluttered, and he had no space for someone as out of control as Hailey. Isn’t that how he’d built his financial empire by staying in control and keeping the messy world at bay with his numbers and graphs?
