Page 55 of Broken Rules
“I’m going up front to help the hostesses,” Joe barked. “We still have a forty-minute wait.”
In a panic, she remembered the one thing Damien had asked her to do. She had to make sure Joe didn’t duck out early. “Hey, Joe,” she called after him.
He stopped and turned.
“I have to talk to you. Don’t leave without seeing me first.”
“Great,” he said dryly. “I can’t wait.”
“Why do you have to meet with Joe?” Roger asked.
“Just restaurant stuff,” she answered, although she had no idea how she would distract her boss, and at that moment she was too busy to figure it out. She ripped the string of drink orders it half and shoved one portion at Roger. “Help me get caught up.”
“You got it, boss.”
When the wait was over, and their pace slowed down, Savannah glanced at the clock. It was nearly ten. She wondered what Damien was doing right then. She imagined him somehow climbing the side of Joe’s house and pulling his lean body over the balcony like he had done the first night they’d met—the first time Damien had attempted to rob Joe.
“Oh God,” she groaned.
“What’s up,” Roger asked from where he sat at the bar, eating his shift meal. “Do you need me to take over?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m good,” she said, grabbing a clean rag to wipe the unoccupied areas of the bar to keep busy.
“Hey, Savvy,” Joe suddenly called.
“It’s Savannah,” she snapped, meeting her boss’s gaze.
The smile that played at his lips told her he had intentionally tried to antagonize her. “I’m heading upstairs to eat if you still want to talk.”
She followed Joe to the upstairs bar where he claimed one of the back tables near the balcony. “What do you need?” he asked as he cut into a large piece of steamed Salmon.
Savannah eyed some customers coming back into the restaurant through the balcony sliding doors while she tried to think of what to say. But at that moment, her head was spinning. She felt like a deer in headlights.
“So, what’s up?” he asked before shoveling another bite of fish into his mouth.
Her heart pounded in her ears. She needed to calm down so that she could think straight. “I have a few important things to discuss with you. The...er...menu really needs to be updated. There are beers still listed that were eighty-sixed months ago.”
He raised a brow at her. “Is this the bullshit you made me hang around for? Come on, Savannah, you know we’re going to cover this at the manager’s meeting on Monday.”
“I...ah...” Her mouth ran dry. Her palms were sweating. How hard was it to come up with a serious topic of concern.”
“I’m worried about business.”
Joe’s eyes widened. “Worried? Are you serious? We had a wait most of the night.”
She wasn’t thinking—she was panicking.
A moment later, Brandi appeared at her side. “Just wanted to say goodnight before I head out.” Then she reached down and gave Savannah a hug. “Give him hell,” she whispered.
Give him hell? What was she talking about...
And then she understood and squeezed Brandi with all her might. How could she have forgotten that she had a real bone to pick with Joe?
After Brandi hastened away, Savannah looked Joe dead on. “I know about the camera in the office.”
He put his fork down and gave her an assessing look, but then he shrugged. “It’s my right to secure my business.”
“Not with hidden cameras. Brandi and I change in there all the time as I’m certain you know by now.”
