“We don’t do breakfast,Chef.” I do my best to fit every ounce of disrespect I can in the syllable. “He doesn’t need to be here before the sun is up. I can’t afford to pay another four hours of labor every day.”
“What you really can’t afford is tonothave your prep work done. Good luck doing a lunch service with nothing ready for the day. Your customers will walk out before their food is ready.”
How long can it take to prep the vegetables for the day? Rory is probably the only person in town who will order a salad anyway.
“Well, I don’t know what to tell you. I can’t pull money out of my ass, we’re going to have to make it work with what we can do.”
And because the universe can’t even grant me simple favors, Wilder doesn’t get riled up. His jaw doesn’t clench, his cheeks don’t turn red, and he doesn’t quit on the spot.
No. Instead, he taps the paper in his hand and rolls himself up to his full height.
“We’ve got two cooks on the schedule for all of midafternoon. I doubt we’ll have five covers in the hours between lunch and dinner, they’ll be bored outta their minds. Nah.”
He scratches out the schedule in thick black ink, almost like the artwork that covers his skin. The sleeves of tattoos that are staring me in the face with the way his chef jacket is rolled up to his elbows like that. He could be on the cover of Forearms Porn magazine looking like that.
Scribbling arrows, crossing out names and writing in others, Wilder finally taps the piece of paper with the top of his pen and pushes it toward me. He gestures to it as he explains the changes.
“We can move Charlie to six to two, and Samuel can do one to closing and take care of breakdown. If we get swamped during lunch before Samuel gets in, or at dinner, I can jump in to help on the line or expedite, whatever’s needed. Same on their off days. I’ll cover Charlie’s shift on Tuesdays and Samuel’s Thursdays. Rest of the week I’ll jump in when the line needs me and focus on the rest of my duties otherwise.”
I hate that what he’s saying makes sense.
I hate thatIdidn’t think of it.
I’m used to scheduling shifts for the grocery store. Multiple employees there during the hours we’re open. It feels counter intuitive to have half of one of our two cook’s shift be during the hours we’re closed.
“Hey now,” he says, one meaty finger coming beneath my chin to pull my gaze up from the floor. “This isn’t anything you’re doing wrong. This is just part of our deal, remember?”
I pull my chin away with a grumble, but it doesn’t break his spirit.
He continues, softer than I’m used to hearing his gruff voice. “No one is born knowing it all, Alexis. I’m here to help you become the best damn manager Heights Bites will ever have.”
“Right.” I blow out a heavy breath. “Our deal.” I make air quotes on the words.
One obsidian eye actually twinkles at me in the dim light. “You held up your end by approving the new menu. I’m holding up mine.”
Begrudgingly, I ask, “Are you going to make me fuck you as part of this deal?”
The smirk that pulls up one side of his crooked mouth shouldn’t send a lick of flames straight through my middle, but it does, heat pooling in my core and warming me from the inside out.
“Naw,bella. Those kinds of deals never seem to work out. If you want this, all you gotta do is ask.”
My eyes flutter shut, a breath heaving out unsteadily as I hate myself for the disappointment I feel low in my gut at his response.
Hatred for asking the question.
Disgust at hoping for another answer.
“But if you need an excuse to give in, I’ll give you one.”
Eyes popping back open, I gawk as Wilder presses into me, predatory gaze locked on mine.
“You can keep pretending like the thought of my cock isn’t what gets you off every night, little liar, if that helps you feel like you’ve won. All I want is the chance to make you come again.”
Biting down on my tongue, I manage to suppress the whimper that gets lodged in my throat at his words.
His strong nose grazes the side of my neck, and fuck me for tilting my head to the side to give him further access. My internal conscience is a hussy and she doesn’t care about this war I’ve waged against him. That running him out of town is half of what gives me satisfaction these days.
She wants the other half of what gives me satisfaction.
