Page 94 of Obsession

One picture stands out.

He’s wearing a very expensive-looking tux with a random brunette on his arm. She reminds me of a younger Nicole Kidman with dark brown hair. She’s statuesque, with ivory-white skin and a sexy red dress on, and they’re both attending an event held last year in Paris.

Paris, of all places.

I glance at my tired reflection on the shiny metal counter and wince. Billy’s not wrong, but I feel a slight throb in my chest at the reality he’s just shoved in my face.

“You’re right,” I murmur. “But if you get the opportunity, can you track down where the rumor started? This is a workplace, and like it or not, I am the manager. If stories like these start affecting the waitresses’ job performance, it will be an issue for me. I need to nip it in the bud.”

Where I would have once ignored something like this, I’m no longer on an equal footing with the staff. I have to make sure that they at least respect me; otherwise, getting them to follow my orders will be a pain in the ass.

Billy nods in agreement, but before I can leave, he says, “I actually have to talk to you about something.”

“What is it?”

He looks a little sheepish. “My brother-in-law invested in a steakhouse down in Ohio. He wants me to go fifty-fifty. It’s a great opportunity, and with the baby on the way, it’ll help a lot, especially since we’ll be staying with my mother-in-law there. Brianna doesn’t want to raise children in LA. Says it’s not safe enough.”

I blink.

“Did you just say, mother-in-law?”

Billy grins, holding up his hand and showing me a gold band around his finger.

“Yeah, we eloped last week. I’m not going to find anybody better than her.”

I smile and step forward to hug him.

“Oh, Billy, that’s fantastic. Congratulations!”

He’s beaming when I step back.

“Thanks.”

“So, when do you plan on taking that offer?”

“Next month,” he says hesitantly. “I didn’t want to do you wrong and leave you hanging, so I thought I’d tell you now. That’ll give you time to hire somebody, and I can train them.”

Billy was the club’s main cook long before I was hired, and he’s one of my closest work friends. Seeing him leave will make me a little sad.

“I’ll talk to Mr. Middleton,” I promise. “Write down your duties for me, and I’ll create a job description.”

The look on Billy’s face has me pausing. “What is it now?”

“I may already have somebody in mind,” he says. “She’s quite young, but she comes by the soup kitchen that Brianna works out of. She helps out sometimes, and I met her a couple of times. She’s a good cook.”

When I don’t respond immediately, Billy adds quickly, “Look, when this place started up, Mr. Middleton gave me an opportunity. I was pretty much broke. I applied on a whim. Inever expected to get the job. He may be a stone-cold bastard, but he looks after his people, and he isn’t afraid to give people an opportunity. I would never recommend somebody who wouldn’t be a good fit. This job got me on my feet, and the kid I’m thinking about bringing on needs the same chance.”

I trust Billy, but I must talk to Hunter before doing anything.

“Give me a day,” I tell him. “Meanwhile, get me that girl’s resume, and I’ll talk to Mr. Middleton.”

I check my watch. I still have a few hours of work before I can go home. It’s not like I don’t have the time to talk to Hunter today, but I don’t want to approach him right now. My head is still a tangle of emotions.

I’ll wait until Billy gives me her resume.

Chapter 34

Really, Ricky?

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