Page 3 of Crown of the Fae King

“Pete’s not here!”

She nodded. “Doctor’s appointment. I would have thought for sure he’d be better off with a big animal vet.”

My stomach started barking and wagging its tail. Breakfast, it seemed, was back in the realm of possibilities.

“And the good news?” I didn’t even care what it was. All I needed was a very clean costumer to leave something untouched. After working together for a few months, the rest of the staff knew my cupboards were bare, and they were kind enough to turn their backs when I squirreled away a little something inside a napkin. But with Pete always watching, I couldn’t save much. And if he caught me, he’d charge me full price for every little scrap.

Rena’s brows bounced. “Those weird sisters from Jerome were just here. Ordered two cups of coffee and a big breakfast, then said it was for you and left. They said to call it a birthday present. So…” She pulled her arm out from behind her and held out a plate piled high with pancakes, hashbrowns and a couple of fried eggs, all topped with a thick pile of bacon.

The rule was that any protein left on a plate was set aside for Bar Killer, Pete’s dumb-as-hammers rottweiler. It was a massive stuffed animal brought to life. No personality at all. Eat, slobber, sleep. It was a wonder he hadn’t gone the way of the screen door.

It was too good to be true, and I said as much.

Rena shook her head. “It’s all yours.” Then she lowered her voice. “And Jericho was cleaning the camera lens when I brought it back, sosomeonewon’t even know.”

The woman really was risking her job to make sure I got a meal. Pete probably had a dozen cameras in the place, and he’d sure as hell review the footage when he got back from his appointment. But I couldn’t let her good intentions account for nothing, so I reached for the plate.

She held it back for a second. “You’re going to sit down and eat, right now, before you go out there. And if you want to save some for later, go ahead. But you’renotto give it away.”

My hands froze.

Rena rolled her eyes. “How often do we leave at the same time, Lennon? You think I don’t know where you go?”

“Youfollowme?”

She sighed. “I have. A couple of times. Just to make sure you were all right. But I don’t anymore. It’s none of my business, is it? But those old broads meant this for you.” She slapped her modest gut and jiggled it. “They sure as hell don’t think any of the rest of us are starving.”

Rena pushed the oversized plate into my hand and headed back to work. The place was always hopping for breakfast, so it was only fair…that I eat fast.

Despite what she said, I went straight for the packing station and pulled out two foil doggy bags. I slid half the bacon into one, along with a handful of hashbrowns. I rolled up two of the pancakes and slid them into the other. There wasn’t room in my stomach for more than one of Jericho’s pancakes, no matter how delicious. And though it was selfish, I kept both the eggs for myself. If I didn’t take care of me, I wouldn’t be around to help anyone else.

I hurried back to my coat, found the inside panel I’d made for just such an occasion, and slipped the foil packets inside. It was waist high, so if Pete did a quick search of my pockets, he wouldn’t notice them.

Breakfast was so good I cried while I ate and thanked God for those old hippie sisters from Jerome. It had to be luck alone that my birthday was in a few days. They couldn’t have known.

I crammed the last bite of pancake between my teeth, washed it down with quickly cooling coffee, and headed out to rescue Rena from the hungry masses. I had the hiccups for half an hour.

Pete didn’t show up until nearly eleven, when the worst of the morning crush had ended. We all worked silently, waiting to see how badly we would have to pay for that blissful, Pete-free morning. I was just starting to relax when he bellowed for Rena from behind the closed door of his office.

She forced a smile and pointed to table six. “They need coffee and their check.” She handed off her order pad and gave me that too-frequent look that said, “In case I don’t come back.”

I was far too busy to eavesdrop, but I did pass the office slowly when I had the chance. Jericho scowled while he babysat pancakes, but forced a smile when he caught me looking. An untrained eye might not recognize that look, but I did. After a year of employee turnovers, it was obvious Jericho was ready to walk.

I felt sick, worried the tightrope that was our work lives was about to snap, and it would be my fault.

Pete was loud. Always. Now, his low murmur made me sweat. Rena was mouthy, but smart enough to choose her words carefully, except on days she wanted to tempt fate. I couldn’t hear her at all.

Finally, I had a lull and joined Jericho in the kitchen. Together, we leaned against the counter and stared at the floor, waiting, dreading.

Rena’s voice escaped through the cheap wood of the door and echoed in the nearly empty building.“Are you shitting me?”

Jericho and I looked up, wide-eyed, and laughed as quietly as we could. Nothing ever felt as good as someone telling off Pete Salinas.

“She runs this place, does the work of three,” I whispered. “He won’t let her go.”

The big cook nodded, but he didn’t believe that any more than I did.

Rena nearly ripped the door off its hinges and came out red-faced. She glanced at us and opened her mouth to speak but shut it again and headed for the dining room. At least she hadn’t grabbed her coat and stormed out the back.

---