Page 10 of Challenged by the Single Dad

Chloe shrugged. “Yeah. I mean, I worked there for a week so Clyde could train me. But then he left me to run the place for week. He hates flying. So he drove down, then drove back. Man hadn’t left Montana in over thirty years. But it was his favorite nephew, and he refused to miss the wedding. So I had to make sure the place was in one piece when he got back.”

Jagger handed her a black waist-apron for her to tie around her black jeans. She wore a black, short-sleeve, polo shirt and had her dark red hair pulled back in a casual bun with some whisps around her face. Nothing fancy. But still professional.

“I mean, if Clyde left the state after only knowing you for a week, that’s saying something. And Clyde says a lot of somethings.”

They both chuckled and he led her through the kitchen where she smiled and nodded at several staff members.

“Hey!” Wyatt waved at her from where he stood on the hot side, plating what looked like a delicious burger. “Welcome to the team.”

“Thanks.”

“This is Burke, Wyatt’s second-in-command,” Jagger said, introducing her to a tall, athletic man with tanned skin, short-cropped military-style hair, and blue-gray eyes with copper flecks around the irises.

Burke offered her his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

Damn, was it a prerequisite to look like a model to work here?

They entered the restaurant side and Jagger brought her behind the bar where Dom was busy making a couple of rum and cokes. He only gave her a cursory glance, which was as icy as the cubes in the bottom of the lowballs.

“Your mentor with the bad attitude,” Jagger said, referring to Dom.

Her belly did a flop. Even after glowing references it seemed like Dom was still set on treating her like a housefly in a Moscow Mule.

Did he still think she was going to bail on them after two weeks? Or was there more behind his disdain? He was awfully triggered by her needing Halloween off. Maybe that was it?

Hopefully, it wasn’t because she’d essentially converted his brothers from Bloody Mary lovers to Ceasar fanatics. And it wasn’t like she was being hired to be his boss or anything. He still had total control over his bar. She was just coming in to make his life easier. So he could go spend time with his kid. She didn’t want to be anybody’s boss. She was happy being a grunt. Being an employee. She didn’t need extra responsibility. Not right now anyway.

An order popped up, and she figured better just jump in with both feet. So she reached for it off the ticket printer at the same time as Dom. Their fingers met.

A little jolt of electricity zapped her where they touched. And she could have sworn she saw a literal flicker of light spark.

They both pulled their hands away at the same time.

He gave her a curious look, then snatched the ticket off the machine. “I’ve got this.”

Huffing out a sigh, she glanced at Jagger for help.

Jagger, who was still hanging out behind the bar with them, made a noise of frustration, then shook his head. “Dom, make the G and T, then come find me in Bennett’s office.” Then he tossed a wink to Chloe and heading back through the kitchen.

Dom glanced at Chloe. “You could put the clean glasses away.”

She located the rotating glass cleaner and did just that, pulling the clean ones out and tucking or hanging them back where they belonged. Another order came up on the ticket and she waited to see if Dom would snatch that one too, or leave it for her and go find Jagger like he was supposed to.

Suddenly, she found herself in another staring contest with Man Bun Man. Only instead of staring at each other, they were staring at the ticket just laying there, waiting for someone to fulfill it.

Exhaling and shaking her head, she set down the glass she had in her hand, stepped forward, and grabbed the ticket. It was for a Negroni.

Easy peasy.

Dom watched her like a hawk as she made it. Which, of course, made her hands shake a little.

Damn him.

But she executed a perfect Negroni and set it on the bar for the server to come grab.

“Didn’t Jagger want you to go find him in Bennett’s office?” she asked him as the sound of another order coming in added to the cacophony of music, light chatter, and utensils on plates in the restaurant. “I think I can make a …” she glanced at the ticket, “vodka soda with lime.” Then she flashed him a big smile.

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