“And now, despite my public, ongoing feud with the Easton’s and Stinson’s because they are corrupt cheaters, I kind of like her.”
Well, more thankind of. I am fucking obsessed with her.
Ty tosses the football back to me, then facepalms dramatically. “Christ Almighty. Why can’t you just be anormalguy and hook up with one of the random hot servers we hired, like Sheldon did?”
“What?! I told him not to!” I hold up both hands, then point two fingers at my eyes and back at Ty. “Literally had that ‘I’m watching you’ talk with him in the walk-in cooler. I want no drama at this restaurant.”
Ty groans. “Bro. Do I need tospellit out for you? Do. Not. Hook up. With themayor’s daughter-in-law.Are you insane? This is serious. That man is into someshadyshit.”
“What’s he going to do, hire a hitman?”
Ty shrugs. “Maybe. Wouldn’t be the first time.”
I scoff. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with her and her fiancé. She was wearing the ring in church, too. But you heard Keith and Dave Smalls talking at Easton’s Eatery, like I said. Dude is a dirtbag. If sheiswith him, she shouldn’t be.”
“Donotplay the savior here, man. You just want to get your dick wet.”
“It’s more than that with her. And I’m notsavinganyone. I justlikeher. ” I toss the ball back to him and he catches it.
Ty shakes his head, then squints. “I wish I was a romantic like you. Wait a sec. So…you don’t want to go downstairs and talk with the employees tonight because if you do, she’ll recognize your voice! Ha! It all makes sense.” Ty pounds the football. “Iknewyou were acting weird tonight.”
I sigh. “Yeah. I may or may not have sexted with her last night.”
“Come again? Yousextedwith her? Likeafterthe club?” The pitch of Ty’s voice raises. “So why did you freakinghire her,man?! Why on Earth would you bring this drama into your life? And into the restaurant? Never mix business and pleasure.”
“Let’s not get off topic. The point is…I’m in a pickle.”
“Yeah. You could say that. One hell of a pickle.”
“Plus, ‘Thor’ is supposed to meet up with her tonight. For a date.”
Ty laughs. “So what are you going to do? How the hell are you going to meet up with her?”
“What do you think I should do?”
“Man, I think you should just call her up here or meet up with her later,” Ty says, pacing. “Tell her the truth. Lay it all out. ‘Yeah, I like you. I hired you. And yes—I’m Thor as well as Hunter.’ Honesty’s the best policy. Just rip the Band-Aid off.”
“You’re right,” I say, nodding as I open the door and follow him downstairs. “I’ll just head down right now and tell her everything. Why not? Plus, I’m starving. I need a steak.”
He chuckles. “Only you would eat at your own restaurant every night.”
“Not every night,” I correct. “Monday’s off-peak hours. We’re only at seventy-five percent capacity.”
When I reach the restaurant floor, that number looks more like ninety. It’s packed—for a Monday, it’s damn near shoulder-to-shoulder—and I end up behind the bar just to keep things moving.
Then I see her.
Faith.
Flying out of the kitchen toward the service bar where Daphne is waiting with a tray.
Panic hits. I duck down behind the bar like a fugitive, pretending to stock glassware.
“So, Hunter doesn’t even come on the floor during peak hours?” Faith asks, exasperated. “Just hides in his office?”
“He usually comes down,” Daphne replies, glancing around. “Not sure where he is.”
I stay crouched, ears perked like a bloodhound. This is the real danger zone.
