Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 126602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Nate dropped his head into a nod.
I walked out of the office and crossed the restaurant, pushing through the double doors that led outside.
* * *
Starting over wasn’t easy, but I didn’t want easy. I just wanted a chance to make it happen, and Nate gave me that.
I owed the guy.
But now I needed to make sure he knew that just ’cause I owed him and probably would for the rest of my fucking life, that didn’t mean I could be pushed around. And I wasn’t leaving this office until he got that point.
Whitecaps had two cooks now. Me, and this kid Nate hired last week.
I worked with J.R. for a day and a half while he was training. He seemed all right enough. Knew what he was doing. Talked a little too fucking much, but I was used to that kind of shit around here. And yeah, it was damn good luck he started when he did, seeing as I needed the day off yesterday for settlement, but every motherfucker here had another thing coming if they thought I’d just sit back and watch my job get taken from me. No fucking way.
Nate glanced up when I stopped on the other side of his desk. “Hey. How’d it go with the house yesterday?” he asked, sounding genuinely interested. “Everything work out?”
“Yeah.” I crossed my arms over my chest, thinking about how I wanted to approach this. “Gotta talk to you about something, though.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not stepping down so that little prick can take my shifts.”
Nate’s brows lifted. He sat back in his chair and removed his glasses, dropping them on the desk, and studied me, saying nothing.
Fuck. I gritted my teeth, thinking maybe I should’ve approached this differently. I wouldn’t have shifts to fight for if I got my ass fired.
“Are you referring to J.R.?” Nate asked.
I nodded.
“He handled it well yesterday. No major issues. No complaints.”
“Yeah? Good for him,” I growled. “Ain’t like it’s brain surgery.”
Nate tilted his head, asking, “What’s the problem, Sean? You needed the day off, and he covered it.”
I breathed deep through my nose, wanting to keep my anger out of this but finding that hard when I was feeling threatened. But tearing into Nate? What fucking good would that do? I couldn’t mess this up.
And I always messed everything up, fucked it all when it was going good.
Don’t blow this, asshole.
“Appreciated that,” I said calmly. “I don’t remember saying anything to you about it Sunday, but just know I’m grateful. That shit yesterday was important.”
Nate said nothing. So I kept going.
“That being said, I need the hours. I need the money. I need my fuckin’ shifts. I can run that kitchen by myself. You know I can. So, I’m not seeing a reason for that kid sticking around. You need to cut him loose. If he handled things yesterday as well as you say he did, he’ll have no problems finding work. You don’t even need to feel bad about it.” I shrugged. “Shit, I’ll tell him if you want. I got no problems doing it.”
Might even enjoy it a little too. Payback for talking my fucking ear off.
Nate’s mouth lifted into a half smile. “I think that kid might shit his pants if you fired him,” he said, then his face grew serious as he sat forward, looming over his desk. “I hired J.R. to help,” he shared. “To take some of the workload off you. I know you can handle that kitchen, but Jesus, man, everyone needs a break. You open and close for me every day.”
“Am I complainin’?” I asked.
“No, but I doubt you would. You and I both know there are days and times when we’re busier than others. There’s no reason why there can’t be two of you back there.”
“Full season, I can handle it. I’m not askin’ for help.”
“And I’m not asking your permission to give you help, am I?”
Nostrils flaring, I clenched my jaw to keep from saying something I couldn’t take back.
“Look.” Nate raised his hand to halt me from speech. “Let me say this before you flip my desk over and knock me out, since you look ready to do that. You and J.R. are going to be splitting up the shifts. That’s not up for discussion.”
Cursing, I turned and headed for the door.
Fuck this. Fuck this fucking job and every motherfucking asshole working here. I am done.
“And I’m giving you a raise.”
I froze, blinking at the wall. What the…
“And just so we’re clear on this—it’ll cover the cut in hours you’ll be taking and then some.”
I slowly turned my head, meeting his eyes. “Why?” I asked, voice tight.
Nate gave me a look like he knew that question was coming. “How long have you been working for me?” he asked.
“Fourteen months.”
“And how many times have you been late in those fourteen months?”