Page 88 of Small Town Firsts
He was right, Beckett had given us both a chance. But there was one big difference between what Beckett had done and this. He had known Ronan’s reputation before he offered him the job. And I’d worked for Happy Acres for over ten years. “He could flake and disappear. I have no background on him.”
“You have me.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t know you very well either.” The words came out of me like a shot. This was something that needed to be carefully thought about. Not just because it sounded like fun.
Ronan took a step back, his face going blank. “I get you’re upset.”
“You act like this is all a game. Hell, you made a sleepy grab at me while Beckett was right there in the workshop and now this. He’s our boss, Ronan.”
“It’s not that serious.”
“Yeah. Obviously not to you.” Again, making me look like I can’t do my job or that I’m in control of the taproom.
“Are you ashamed of me or something?” I could see his fists tightening under his arms, making his biceps bulge. “Or is it you have trouble with Beckett seeing you with someone?”
“You are ridiculous. Whatever we have going on is separate and private from work. And not what this is about.”
“Couldn’t prove it by me.”
“If you got your head out of your ass, you’d see what I’m saying. Put yourself in my shoes. I worked my ass off to get this place ready, and your friend walks in with a borrowed shirt and starts rearranging things like he already owns the place. Talk about entitled.” He opened his mouth to interrupt and I just kept going. “I’m just supposed to hire him because he can scramble some eggs!”
“Maybe if you weren’t so rigid about going with the flow. Or,” he made a sarcastic gasp, “if you had an open mind about what’s good for the taproom and not just what’s already listed on your clipboard. Kain and I know each other. We wouldn’t have to waste time getting to know each other to make the menu amazing. Did you look at it that way?”
Another thing out of my control. Just like when Beckett brought him in. Like I’m just supposed to fall in line without details and information.
“And if the hiring was supposed to be about both of us, as you said when we were supposed to do the interviews together, then I’m tossing Kain’s name in the ring. Keep the scheduled interviews. Bet you’ll see that he’s the best one for the job anyway. Difference is, I don’t mind being proven wrong, unlike you.” He went around me and back up the stairs.
I tipped my head back, staring at the blue sky that practically hurt my eyes with its perfect blue. Now I was the bad guy? The hell with that. He didn’t like being wrong either, stupid Viking brute.
Storm whinnied and I moved over to pet his neck. “I don’t have to be right, dammit,” I said under my breath. He bumped my shoulder with his huge head. I just needed to look at things from all sides. And all the problems. I couldn’t justtrysomeone out. We didn’t have that kind of time.
Storm tried to nibble my hair and I pushed him away. “Sorry, I don’t have a snack, buddy.”
And why the hell did Ronan care so much about me and Beckett? He was my best friend—that was it. If he couldn’t deal with me having a best male friend, then we had even more troubles to contend with.
Reason number eleven why we shouldn’t be doing any of this hooking up crap while we were trying to work. It muddied the waters. Just business from here on out.
I went back up the stairs to find him speaking with the woman. He was reading over her application, chatting with her as if we hadn’t just argued.
Damn him.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” I said pleasantly.
“No problem. I was just telling Ronan that I’m on my lunch break.”
Of course he was on a first name basis. “Jessica, right?”
She nodded.
I walked behind the bar to find my clipboard. I’d already looked through the applications and did a first pass on vetting them. “You work at a restaurant in Kensington Square?”
“I’ve been stuck for a while at Bella’s. I haven’t been able to move up to what I really want to do. Mostly because there’s a lot of seniority ahead of me. Not to mention it’s a family restaurant.” She fiddled with the hem of her shirt. “I don’t have the right last name, let’s just say.”
Ronan nodded. “Yeah, I get that. What are you looking for, Jess?”
She nibbled her bottom lip.
“We’re looking for chefs and creatives,” I said gently. “We want to find ways to bring in young adults and the date night type people. Specialty drinks and food to match. Not a set menu.”
