Page 1 of The First Time

Chapter One

Layla

“I already told you that we have this under control. Please, please stop following me around,” Zane, my assistant manager, snaps at me while I continue trailing behind him.

I don’t care what he says. I’m going to stick on his ass like panties stick to towels in the dryer. For as long as it takes for me to feel comfortable leaving this place for a week, I will be on his ass.

“I trust you. I do. Really,” I reply, not even convincing myself.

I’m awful at this. Why can’t I just go on vacation like a normal person and trust her staff to take care of things?

He stops dead in his tracks and then turns around slowly. For a second, I think he’s going to scream at me in front of my entire staff.

“You trust me? That is the biggest load of garbage that I’ve heard all day. Bigger than the dumpster behind our building.”

My jaw goes slack. “It is not. Idotrust you. I just want to make sure I have everything in order, so I set you up for success. I don’t want to leave behind abig mess.”

He still seems skeptical of my motives, but I think he eases up a bit as the muscles in his face start to relax. I know I’m being a pest, but this is the first vacation that I’ve taken since I bought this restaurant three years ago. My friend Charlotte has basically forced me to go on a trip with her. She says I will run myself into an early grave if I don’t learn to trust others and step away once in a while.

Judging by the annoyed look on all my managers' faces throughout the day, I think she may be right. I may have control issues.

But this place is my baby. It’s everything to me. It’s years of blood, sweat, and tears. All the nights that I sat in front of my computer trying to learn how to run a business instead of going out and enjoying my twenties like most of my friends.

“I’ll pretend like I believe you,” he tells me with a look of sympathy. “Only because I actually love you and want you to try your best to enjoy this break. You need it.”

“He’s not lying. You need it,” Madeline, my head chef, inserts as she walks past us in the kitchen.

Zane crosses his arms across his chest like he was just proven right. He looks at me expectantly, like he’s waiting for me to argue against needing this trip.

“No one asked you,” I shout to Madeline.

She waves her hand in the air like she could care less about what I say, then proceeds to help her staff plate the delicate desserts in front of them. Zane clears his throat waiting for me to respond.

“Okay, fine!” I throw my hands up in the air. “I may need this trip.”

He smiles. “Yes, you do. Maybe try to get laid while you’re at it. I haven’t seen a member of the opposite sex near you since we first opened this place. I’m beginning to wonder if actual cobwebs are growing down there.”

I gasp at him. “How dare you!”

He laughs, and then we walk back to our offices at the far end of the restaurant. As we turn the corner and walk down the quiet hallway, his words still poke at me.

“I’ll have you know; Ihaveslept with someone since I opened this restaurant.”

I follow him into his office, which is directly across from mine. He takes a seat in his chair behind his desk and then smiles up at me.

“Ok. So, you’ve slept with one person. How long ago was it that you slept with this person?”

“I…” I stumble as I try to remember. Shit, come to think of it, did I even sleep with him, or did we just fool around?

“Exactly.” Zane leans forward on his desk, his face turning more serious. “Look, I really do have all of this under control. I promise. I know it’s your baby, but you have to trust me.”

My shoulders slump when I see the hint of pain he’s wearing with his words. It hurts him that this is such a struggle for me to let go of and give to him. It hurts me that I’m the reason for his look of pain.

“I’m sorry, Zane.” I sink down into the seat opposite him. “I think part of me is terrified to leave and not be needed here.”

His face turns to the side. “What do you mean?”

I’ve never admitted this to anyone, barely myself. But leaving this place behind for a week is making me face some harsh realities in my life.

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