Page 37 of Broken

“Trust me, we make sure to charge a clean-up feein the price,” she said, smiling.

Tanya chuckled but still she helped. Petal had afeeling she didn’t like to be sitting around while other people worked. It madesense, she was the same. She didn’t like not working. Being in a big familythere was always something needing to be done, and people that needed to do it.She glanced over at the little girl.

“Did Leanna enjoy her birthday?” Petal asked.

“I did, thank you,” Leanna said, looking up andsmiling. The little girl was only five years old, but she looked so grown-up.

She turned to Tanya, to see the woman smiling.“I’m glad, Pumpkin.” Tanya went to her daughter and kissed her on top of herhead.

“Do you guys want anything else? Tea? A milkshake?Milk?”

Tanya and Leanna shared a look. “Chocolatemilkshake.”

Petal chuckled and promised to have them rightout.

They were in their lull, just before the dinnerrush. Rosalie would help later. They really needed to hire someone.

So far, they had gone through four women, all ofthem club women, and none were ideal. All four had been caught with customers.She and Rosalie didn’t want to deal with angry wives or girlfriends. Also, theydidn’t want to risk their diner getting a bad reputation.

Warden had allowed them to send out anadvertisement, and so far, the only people to respond had been students whowere not interested. They had come to their job interview stoned or playing ontheir cell phone. Not ideal candidates. It was like the job wasn’t takenseriously because it was a diner.

Petal remembered when she got this job. She hadconsidered it a great opportunity. Sure, Al had been handsy, but he wasn’t abad boss. He wasn’t a great boss, but the pay was okay. He just liked to seehis waitresses in tight uniforms, and he liked to touch.

Of course, she didn’t realize what an asshole hewas going to be, and a coward. Siding with the Evil Fuckers MC and gettingRosalie hurt had been the end of him.

Pushing those thoughts aside, she finished themilkshakes and carried them over.

Tanya smiled. “Thanks, uh, I was wondering, is theposition open for a new waitress?”

Petal was taken aback at first, the questiondidn’t seem to register with her, and then when she realized what had beenasked, she nodded her head and smiled.

“Uh, sorry, yeah, it is still open.”

“I was wondering if I would be able to apply?”

“Of course. I mean, don’t you have the DIY store?”Petal asked.

“I do, and I still work there, but Harry iscutting back the hours the store is open, for his health, but also because thefoot traffic is not happening. I’ve told him he needs to get online, but hedoesn’t listen. I need to make up the extra hours.”

“Have you waitressed before?” Petal asked.

“I did it before I got the job with Harry. Iworked for Al when he owned the place.”

“I didn’t realize that.”

“I was actually one of the first women to give hima black eye for putting his hands on me.”

Petal laughed. “Wow, I had no idea. I mean, Iheard the tale of someone giving Al a black eye, but I didn’t realize it wasyou. Can I have your autograph?”

Tanya began to laugh.

This would be awesome. Tanya working for them, andMyth coming in for his burger. She never considered herself much of amatchmaker, but she had a feeling this could work. Her best friend finally gotthe woman of his dreams, and she got to see true love spark.

“How about you write down the hours you’re workingfor Harry, and I’ll talk to Rosalie, and we come to some arrangement?”

“That sounds great to me.”

Tanya took one of the pictures that hadn’t beencolored in, wrote down the hours, and handed it back to her. She looked over atLeanna, offered her a quick smile, and then made her way back behind thecounter.

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