Page 2 of Summer Waves

“Persistent little brat,” I mused then set my phone down so I could get back to work.

“Welcome toForks & Spoons,” Tabitha, the bubbly cashier, called out from the counter. She turned around to see me. “Hey, boss!”

“Hey, Tabitha,” I smiled and looked around the eatery. The place was filled with tourists and such, who were enjoying their food. It made me smile to know that it was my recipes they were enjoying.

“I didn’t know you left the office,” she laughed.

“I needed some fresh air,” I sighed and walked over to the counter off to the side in case any customers came in.

I looked Tabitha over. She was practically glowing. Her chocolate-colored skin glistened in the sun that shined through the windows. Her hair was braided half-way back with the rest of it loose. She was wearing a different shade of lipstick than usual. This color was a dark maroon.

“Hot date?” I asked with a grin. She winked at me and then laughed.

“The same guy,” she whispered shyly.

I loved how she went mushy when she talked about the guy she had been seeing for the past month. If anyone deserved to find their happily-ever-after, it was Tabitha. She was a hard worker and the sweetest person on the planet.

“He has lots of friends if you want him to set you up on a blind date. A few of them are doctors,” she boasted.

“No, that’s okay. I’ll stick with being single,” I laughed. She gave me her usual frown. Anytime I mentioned staying single she lectured me. I had a feeling today would be no different.

“Boss, seriously, why do you insist on staying single? You’re a waste of woman,” she gestured at me and I laughed. “I mean, why’d the good Lord put a beautiful, smart, kind woman on the planet if she wasn’t going to find Mr. Right and be happy the rest of her life? Hmm? Can you tell me that?”

I went to answer her, but she simply continued on. Rhetorical questions, I suppose.

“You’ve worked hard to getForks & Spoonsup and running. Now, look at it,” she said gesturing around at the customers. “You have tourists coming in left and right.Andyou have regular customers, too. I think the place can survive without you if you took a day off.”

“Wait. How did we go from me going on a blind date to dating to me taking a day off?” My eyebrow rose and I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

“Boss, seriously, when’s the last time you took a day off and enjoyed yourself?”

“I left earlier,” I replied. She rolled her eyes.

“I bet you went to the bank and then to the warehouse to do inventory,” she sassed. I didn’t bother replying. She was right. Those were the two places I had gone. “I shall take your silence as me being right… again.”

“Okay. Okay,” I laughed. “Does it matter if I’m single and a workaholic? Is it really that bad?”

“Yes,” Ricardo said behind me. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest, because he scared the crap out of me. I hadn’t even heard the front door chime.

Ricardo was the delivery guy forForks&Spoons. He was funny, out-going, and good at making sure customers received their deliveries hot and on time. Customers loved him, which gave me one more reason to keep him working here.

“Bethany. Sweetheart. Beautiful. Listen, I know you don’t want to hear this, but what’s the point of having all this…” he gestured at me, “...if you aren’t going to share with anyone?”

“I said the same thing, Ricki,” Tabitha chimed in.

“Don’t you two have work to do?” I teased.

“Nope,” they said in unison. They were two peas in a pod.

“Guess I’ll have to find you two something to do then. I’ll be back with a list,” I smirked and walked off. Behind me, I could hear them groaning and blaming one another for having more work to do.

I wasn’t going to give them more work. Hell. They always kept up on their responsibilities and usually had the next day’s stuff done, too. But, I’d figure something out for them to do. Maybe then they wouldn’t have time to think about my love life… or lack thereof.

Chapter Two

Giovanni

“Look, it’s not that I don’t want to give you a job,” I said, looking at Jacob, who was currently looking at me like my mom’s pomeranian when it wants what I’m eating. “You’ve never worked a day in your life.”

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