Of course, my big plan was going to go up in flames if I couldn’t get my shit together. I forced myself to forget about the good-looking, sex-on-a-stick Aiden Vale and focused on the next customer. By the time my shift ended at noon, I’d broken four plates, spilled coffee on two customers as well as the tablet that Emily used as a cash register, and wasted at least ten dollars’ worth of food. That didn’t even count the number of orders I’d gotten wrong that Emily had been forced to redo.
My whole body ached as I sat down on one of the plastic chairs in the small break room Emily had set aside for employees. I’d already punched out and the next shift had arrived. I straightened when Emily came into the room, a bright smile on her face. “How you feeling, honey?” she asked as she began straightening up the small room. It was something I’d noticed about her very quickly— she was a bit of a neat freak.
It didn’t bode well for me.
“I’m sorry,” I said as I pulled the piece of paper I’d been working on all morning out of my pocket.
“Sorry? For what, dear?”
Her endearments made my chest hurt and I automatically put a hand to my sternum before I realized what I was doing.
“I can’t pay you back right away, but I can get the rest soon,” I said as I handed her the piece of paper along with the fifteen dollars I’d managed to pilfer from the allowance Billy had given me the previous week.
“What is this?” she asked as she examined the paper. Before I could even respond, she frowned and said, “An IOU?”
I nodded. “I really appreciate you giving me this opportunity…”
Emily’s sudden movement as she sat down in the chair next to me startled me and I couldn’t stop myself from jerking away from her as she tried to put her hand on my knee.
Fuck.
“I’m sorry,” I automatically said at her look of confusion.
“Ok, sweetie, let’s get through this,” she said, her voice surprisingly firm. Not angry, just… determined. “I don’t know what you thought was going to happen,” she said as she waved between us. “But this,”— she held up the paper and money— “isn’t happening.” She put the money down on the table next to us. “You did great today, Ashton. You had to learn a high-stress job without the benefit of any kind of training whatsoever. You were polite to the customers, even when they got pissy, and you picked things up as fast as anyone I’ve seen.”
Her words almost left me speechless.
Almost.
“I was terrible,” I whispered. “I broke things. I spilled coffee. Those things cost money to replace…”
“You think you’re the first one to break a plate or drop a pastry?” she asked. She waved her hand dismissively and then leaned forward, her eyes pinning me. “Now you listen to me. You. Were. Great. Today.” She paused for effect before saying, “I wasn’t kidding when I said you saved my life by starting today, Ashton. Running your own business means you’re working twenty-four seven and you can’t always find the best help. You worked hard today and no matter how tough things got, you stuck with it and you didn’t let me down. That means something. Don’t tell Jenny this because she’s my cousin and I love her, but I’m kind of hoping she and that boyfriend of hers go run off and become tree huggers so I can offer you some more hours. Dishes, scones, spilled coffee— all of that’s replaceable. Good people aren’t.”
Her speech caused my throat to tighten up, and I fought back the tears that threatened. Did she really… believe in me?
I watched as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small wad of cash and began counting out some bills. “Today’s tips,” she said as she nodded at the money. “Each shift splits them fifty-fifty.”
“No,” I automatically said, but she thrust the money at me anyway. I couldn’t help but flinch when her hand neared the brace I was wearing on my wrist and I instantly cursed myself for the hurt I saw in her eyes. She drew back, carefully setting the money on the table instead. I wanted to tell her I was sorry, but I felt like someone had forced a handful of crushed glass down my throat.
“Listen, Ashton,” she began carefully. “This isn’t going to work for me, either,” she said, and I knew what she was talking about. “I don’t know who it was that put that look in your eyes… or other things,”— her eyes flitted briefly to the wrist brace— “but try to remember it wasn’t me. Now I know that isn’t easy, but try anyway, because I don’t think you took this job just because you need the money.”