“You mentioned in our previous phone call that you know how to work the cash register?” Nancy, the proprietor of Heaven’s Café, asked her.
Nancy was a lean, wiry woman in her late forties with a no-nonsense attitude. Rose didn’t miss the tattoos the woman sported under her long-sleeved blouse and pencil skirt. Rose briefly wondered what her story was, then decided now wasn’t the time. She had to focus and pay attention. Rose didn’t want to screw up on her first day at work.
“I do,” Rose said. “When things got too busy at the diner and bar, I handled the cash register.”
“You do have plenty of experience waitressing. I called the previous places you’ve worked and the managers had positive things to say about you.” Nancy held out a hand, and Rose shook it. “I’m looking forward to working together, Rose.”
“Me, too,” Rose said.
Prudence had offered to look after Stefan on her first day of work. It was a temporary solution. Rose promised her she would find a viable solution soon. Prudence mentioned there was a good daycare center in town. Checking out the daycare was on Rose’s checklist this week.
The morning and lunch crowd kept Rose and Nancy busy. Although Nancy mentioned a part-timer came in three times a week, it was mostly just the two of them. Rose could handle the workload. She was used to working at understaffed places. At the end of the day, Rose was beat.
“I have to admit, I’d been reluctant to hire you,” Nancy said as they cleaned the tables. “When it comes to women, Brick isn’t exactly a good judge of character. The last woman Brick sent my way, well, let’s just say she didn’t last a day.”
Rose halted at those words. Her skin prickled with unease. Of course, she wouldn’t be the first damsel in distress Brick helped. Unwarranted jealousy hit her out of nowhere. She and Stefan had only been staying with Brick for a week. The sex had been amazing, but it wasn’t like Brick was her boyfriend or anything yet.
“So Brick has helped other women find jobs before?” she found herself asking. Rose cringed after hearing herself.
“Sure, but he’s never taken one under his personal protection,” Nancy said. “I saw the way he looked at you when he dropped you off this morning. You’re different.”
Rose wasn’t sure if she ought to be relieved or worried after hearing that. “You don’t have to worry, Nancy. I’ll do my job just fine.”
“I can see that you’re a hard worker, even if you’ve only been here a day.” The woman flashed her a smile for the first time. “I know I can be a little blunt sometimes, but I can tell you’re a good person.”
“This is a wonderful café you’re running,” Rose remarked. She’d fallen in love with the cozy décor and warm tones of the place right away. Lunch came free for employees, so she knew the food and coffee tasted fantastic.
“I named it after my husband, Heaven. He used to ride with the MC,” Nancy explained.
“Used to? I’m sorry to hear that,” Rose said. She didn’t miss the grief in the other woman’s voice.
“We always talked about opening a café after he retired,” Nancy said. “But he got gunned down during a job. King and Brick promised me they’ll help keep this place running, in memory of Heaven.”
“So … it’s guilt money?” Rose asked.
Looking at Nancy, Rose wondered if she’d end up like this one day—alone and deeply missing Brick. Anything went in the MC. A job could go wrong at any moment, and the MC had plenty of enemies. It could also be the other way around, and Rose would get caught in the crossfire, leaving Brick alone.
What would happen to Stefan then? Her brother was practically dead to her after Donny abandoned Stefan and her to the mercies of Dragon and his crew. Dang it. She might be overthinking matters.
Nancy chuckled. “You don’t mince your words either, don’t you? I can see why Brick’s smitten with you. Well, to be fair, I was mad at the MC for a long time, but I’ve come to terms with Heaven’s death. You see, he died the way he wanted after all.”
Someone knocked on the café windows. Rose was about yell they were close, but it wasn’t a customer. Brick grinned at her and gave her a wave. Her heart did somersaults despite the fact she’d just been thinking about how dangerous it was to fall for a man like Brick.
“Go on,” Nancy said with a nod. “I can close up.”
“You sure?” Rose asked her.
“Yup. The place is spotless, thanks to your help. See you tomorrow, kid.”
“Tomorrow then,” Rose said with a nod.
She wiped her sweaty palms on her apron before taking it off. After folding it and leaving it at her cubby, she snatched her purse and headed outside to meet Brick.
“How was your first day?” Brick asked her. “I hope Nancy didn’t work you too hard.”
“It was fantastic,” she said, surprising him. “I think I’m going to enjoy working with Nancy.”
“That’s good to hear,” Brick said. “What do you want to eat for dinner?”
“You pick?” Rose asked.
Brick looked thoughtful. “You in the mood for tacos and fajitas?”
Her stomach rumbled at those words. Prudence promised to watch Stefan tonight. Rose had been worried it might be too much trouble, but the other woman said it was fine, even though King would probably be unhappy with her.
The President of the Ruthless Reapers MC didn’t seem to be a fan of her from the start.
“Sounds good,” she said.
They walked to where Brick parked his Harley. Brick helped her put her helmet on, even though she could put it on herself. He leaned in and gave her a breathless kiss that left her wanting more.
“Looks like someone’s hungry for more than tacos tonight.” She couldn’t help but tease.
Brick flashed her a predatory smile that made her shiver in anticipation. Rose climbed behind him, and they zipped for the restaurant. Despite the crowd, the proprietor of the place recognized who Brick was right away and found them a good table.
“I could get used to this,” she murmured. After they ordered, Rose told Brick all about her day. Unlike the men she dated in the past, he listened. He seemed genuinely interested in what went on in her life.
“What about you?” she asked him.
“I visited Trigger in the hospital after dropping you off at work,” Brick said.
“How is he?” Rose asked.
Brick had taken her along during one of his visits. Trigger, like Prudence, supported their relationship and seemed glad his uncle found someone he could be serious with. Was Rose that person?
“There was a delivery job after that, but it went smoothly,” Brick said.
Brick didn’t hide what the MC did for a living, but he didn’t go into the exact details either. That suited Rose just fine. While she worried about him and his men constantly, as long as they came back safe, she was relieved. Her mind took her back to her conversation with Nancy.
“I found out Nancy named her café after her husband,” Rose said. Their food had arrived, and they both dug into their fish tacos. Rose also ordered a tequila. Brick didn’t order any alcohol because he was the one driving.
A grim expression crossed Brick’s face. “Heaven was one of the good ones. He was taken from us too soon.”
“Brick,” Rose said and hesitated. “I can’t help but wonder if that’s the kind of future in store for us.”
Brick reached for her hands across the table and clasped them. “What brought this about?”
Rose shook her head. “I can’t imagine the hell Nancy had gone through when her husband died. She still misses him.”
“Rose.” He expelled a breath. “No one can predict what the future will bring. What happened to Heaven was an unfortunate accident. I won’t die so soon on you. Promise. King made me Vice President because I’m level-headed and patient. I plan ahead to ensure our jobs run smoothly.”
“When you went after Dragon and his men, you acted on impulse,” she pointed out. “Not that I’m ungrateful, of course. If it weren’t for you, Stefan and I might not be alive today.”
“Your fears are valid,” he said. “But ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to stick with me or not.”
“I’m sorry for bringing this up out of the blue,” she said, and Brick released her hands. The rest of dinner was a quiet affair. They shared a dessert, then he paid for the bill. Although they practically had sex every other night, this was their first official date. She had gone ahead and ruined it.