Page 47 of One Hotlanta Night
She pulls back, steadying herself. “That’s just it, Viv. I’m not sure if itwillbe okay.”
Wiping the corners of her eyes before her mascara runs down her cheeks, she blows out a weary breath. “The Pork Belly wasn’t in great shape when I got it. And even though we have the customers, it’s getting harder to keep up with operating costs.”
She glances at her cluttered desk. “Insurance and licensing and the building lease and taxes… and with this dot-com bubble nonsense, food costs are soaring. Even after we raised menu prices, it’s still not enough to offset the loss.”
Claire sighs and wraps her arms around her waist. “And the repairs we need to do to remain compliant… there’s just not enough cash flow to make it happen. We have some really great nights, but the slow ones are draining us. Never mind the fact that I can barely afford to pay you as it is.” She blows out a breath. “Viv, you do such an awesome job handling front of house. I haven’t wanted to worry you with these details. But I’m running out of options.”
I place a hand on her shoulder and squeeze as she tries to gather her thoughts. “Don’t worry about me. You know I’m here for you. And speaking of people being in your corner, Derrick told me he might have some ideas on how to help.”
She scoffs, a choked laugh coming out. “Derrick? Please. He’s practically a baby.”
“Sure, if your definition of baby is six-foot-something and solid muscle.”
She laughs lightly at that. “True. But seriously, what could he possibly offer when he’s brand new to the business?”
“Oh, come on, Claire. There’s no way he’s as new as you think. Dude, buddy runs around this place like he grew up in a bar sink. You’ve seen what he’s done with that new system he put in place for stock, right? It has cut our inventory time by half.”
She nods slowly. “I guess so. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t really noticed.”
I reach out and squeeze her hand. “It’s okay. I’m your second set of eyes.” I lean back against the wall and fix her with my gaze. “Look, all I’m saying is that it doesn’t hurt to listen to what he has to say. He’s obviously got way more experience than he let on. Why not let him help us? You don’t actually have to say yes to any of his proposals. We’re not talking about marriage here,” I tease, reminding her of what she told me the night I went to L’Aventura.
She opens her mouth to protest.
“You need more help than what I can give you,” I tell her, cutting her off before she can protest. “I love that you appreciate my efforts, but let’s face it, the actual back office part of this place is still foreign to me. Let me do what I’m good at, taking care of front of house and making people happy, and see if Derrick can help with the rest. You can’t keep running yourself ragged like this, babe,” I say softly.
“I know,” she says. She looks down at her feet as she whispers almost to herself, “I know.”
Straightening her shoulders, she picks herself up, her signature smile back in place. “Enough about me. Tell me all about Miiiiichaeeel…” she drawls, and I stifle a grin. Fine. If she wants to change the subject, that’s okay. Claire processes best on her own time, and she knows I’m here for her when she’s ready. At least she’s open to talking to Derrick.
I relax back against the wall as I tell her about my date: the incredible food, the wine disaster, and the impromptu dance session. Everything is punctuated by Michael this and Michael that, and I grow more animated as I speak. Claire’s smile is wide when I finally wrap up with our plans to go to a bowling event his workplace is hosting.
“Viv, he sounds amazing! I’m so happy for you! You know, I could tell he was good for you when he came in the other night. Don’t think I missed seeing that sexy massage he was giving you, either. I’m sure he was good with more than his hands.” She winks.
“You’re not wrong.” I grin. “The mouth on that man.” I dramatically fan myself and pretend to faint.
“That good, huh?”
“The absolutebest. He made me see stars I didn’t even think existed.” I pause, my thoughts turning serious.
“What is it, chica? I know that look.”
“Claire. He told me he was falling for me.” My voice is flat.
She covers her hand with her mouth, eyes wide. “What?”
“Before we—you know—he made it very clear that he wanted me.Wantsme. He… asked me how I felt about him. Said he wanted me for more than just a night. He made it sound like a long-term thing.”
Her eyes search mine. “What did you say to that?”
Looking down at my hands, I admit, “I told him I felt the same way.”
“Vivian, that’s huge. If that’s how you feel, I’m proud of you.”
“But girl, he is so… noble. Honorable might be a better word. It’s like he’s a long-lost knight from King Arthur’s court; he’s so principled. The man says what he means and does what he says. He has told me stories…” I pause, not wanting to betray Michael’s confidence. “All I can say is he operates by a code of conduct I’ve never seen before. I’m in awe, to be honest. What if after he gets to know me, he doesn’t want me anymore?” My voice drops to a whisper as I confess, “I’m not good enough for him.”
“What in the Sam Hill are you talking about?” she demands. “I saw the way he looked at you. That man wanted to positively eat you alive and keep you safe while doing it.”
I smile because that sounds like exactly the type of thing Michael would do. But my heart sobers as I give voice to the doubts that have been running through my head since I left his place. “We haven’t gone into great detail about our pasts or anything, but I got the impression that once a girl doesn’t live up to his expectations, he breaks it off without a second thought. Said it was a waste of time. And I don’t think I’m worthy of him.”I know I’m not.
