When it comes to Gabe and I, we’re the sun and the moon, forever destined to be within reach, but always with a planet between us.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Lo
Iarrive early for my shift and head behind the kitchen toward Art’s office, to stow my purse. Judah pulls open the door as I lift my hand to knock and I jump. “There she is. Hey, gorgeous.”
“Hey, cutie.”
They close the office door behind them. “So, how was the weekend away?”
“Um ... next question.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Let’s just say it sucked.”
They gasp. “Tell me he wasn’t lousy in bed.”
“Well, for me to know that, I would’ve had to sleep in the same bed as him.”
“Girl, I covered your shifts so you could play Little House on the Prairie at Lake Tahoe instead of fucking his brains out? I want my fucking weekend back. At least one of us could have gotten laid.”
“What can I say? I make it a habit to fall for the wrong men.” I sigh and shake my head. “Or maybe it’s the right man at the wrong time. Yeah, let’s go with that.”
“Uh-uh. I’m gonna need details once you put away your purse.”
I glance at my phone for the tenth time this hour. It doesn’t escape my attention that there have been no calls or text messages from Gabe. “We don’t have that long before our shift starts.”
“Fine,” they say with a dramatic sigh. “Drinks afterward?”
I smile. “Sounds like a plan.”
Judah struts off in their Louboutins and I enter the office. Arturo throws his pen down on top of a huge stack of books, swearing in Spanish. I widen my eyes, because I’ve only seen him doing that in the kitchen when the sous chef messes up. “Should I come back?”
“No, pequeña azul. Forgive me. I am knee-deep in IRS bullshit and I have no idea what any of these numbers mean.”
“Well, it just so happens that I am fantastic with numbers. Want me to take a look?”
“No, I can’t ask that of you.”
“Sure, you can. I can balance any books.”
His brows shoot skyward, and those rich chocolate eyes seem to smile. “I will double your pay.”
“What?” I laugh.He can’t be serious.
“I mean it. I will pay you whatever you want to help me with this. Free dinners for a year, double your salary, rename the restaurant in your honor.”
“Okay, I don’t need you to rename your business after me, but I’m happy to do the books on a regular basis if you pay me a little more.”
“I’ll pay you double.”
“You don’t have to do that, just—”
“You are worth it, mi amiga.”
“Okay.” I nod. “When should I start?”