“You don’t get tips. You’re just a cook.”
“I do, and you have them. Give my money back!”
My throat burned from screaming so loudly, but I couldn’t stop myself, and they yelled right back. At this point, we were no longer arguing with facts, just barking at each other.
I’d demand my money.
One of them would insult me.
I’d demand my money again.
A different one would put me down.
Back and forth we went until my back was against the wall. The wolves shone in their eyes, and no longer was that false sense of safety of being at work there.
I was screwed.
Chapter Five
Gabe
I woke up late and starving.
Checking in the previous night, I hadn’t realized how late it was until the owner of the motel, Bennett Duke, commented that it was lucky he’d gotten up for a glass of water and heard me arriving in the wee small hours. Seeing him behind the desk this morning, I poked my head in to thank him for helping me out.
“It wasn’t any trouble. Part of the job of a roadside motel owner is being available to check in people at all hours. How long do you think you’ll be with us? I didn’t ask last night because you looked like you were about ready to keel over. You seem better now.”
“I slept better than I have in a while.”
“Well, we do pride ourselves on our comfortable beds.”
I stepped inside, not wanting to have to shout back and forth. “I don’t know how long I’m staying. Is that all right? If you have another reservation, I can leave whenever you need me to.” Not that I had anywhere else to go. And the motel, for all that it looked a little bedraggled from the road, my room was neat and clean, featured that comfortable bed and the shower had great water pressure. Not a lot more a person could ask for the low price.
“Not at all. We’re glad to have you as long as you care to stay with us. Be sure to let us know if we can be any help or if you need more towels or coffee pods…”
“I’ll do that. Right now, I am going to go in search of something to eat. I haven’t had anything since lunch yesterday, and my stomach thinks I forgot about it.”
He chuckled. “It’s easy to do when you’re driving along.”
Bennett was nice enough not to comment on the fact that if I’d been so in a rush to get somewhere, I was not acting that way now. Maybe people in hospitality were trained not to pry.
“Well,” he said, reaching for the ringing landline phone, “I’m here if you need me.”
I kind of did. Hoping I looked less awkward than I felt, I waited while he took the call and informed the person on the other end of the line that they had the wrong number. He set the receiver down and said, “Would you like a recommendation for somewhere to get a bite to eat?”
“Yes, that is what I was going to ask. I’m taking up all your time though.”
“Not a problem. Now, the two best places nearby are Fred’s Fried Chicken and the Good Times Diner. Both have good food, great prices. Just depends on what you’d like to eat.”
I considered. “Fried chicken sounds good but maybe I’ll have that later or tomorrow. Can I get breakfast all day at the diner?”
“Not sure about all day, but you can get it now. Or a burger. Their breakfasts are very good and generous servings, too. But their burgers…well, just make sure you get one while you’re here. They will ruin you for any others.”
“These guys pay you to send customers?” I was joking, but not totally He could really be a commercial for the restaurants.
“Nope. I just know what I like. Now”—he pulled out a paper map of the area, unrolled it, and smoothed it out on the counter—“here is Good Times, and here is Fred’s. You shouldn’t have any problem finding them.” The phone rang again, and he reached for it then said, “The internet is better there, they claim.”
Sounded like a rivalry to me. I didn’t think it required a reply, especially after he’d been so nice about their food and prices. I hadn’t even gotten online the night before, and probablywouldn’t today either. Last thing I did before falling asleep was turn off my phone. My father would be enraged when he realized I hadn’t done what he asked, and I didn’t want to hear about it in voice, text, email, or any other social media one of his betas might use.
