Page 44 of Beauty and Kaos

“Give me a second,” Evan replies. “I’ll be right over.”

“Did I hear you say something about some snapper crates? I saw a stack sitting on the back deck earlier and put them in the cooler. If that was them, it was my fault. I’m sorry.” I shrug innocently, feigning guilt. “I thought I was helping.”

Cyrus’s posture starts to loosen, and he looks between Evan and I. Finally, he nods. “Don’t worry about it. Next time, if you see the yellow flags on the crates, those go to the back freezer. We ship out nearly as much fish as we cook.”

“I’m really sorry,” I reiterate. “Evan told me notto touch the crates, but I just thought he was concerned about the weight. I went rogue. It will never happen again.”

Cyrus shakes his head. “It’s okay.” Glancing back at Evan, he hands him a gold key on a green lanyard. “Three and six are headed out for a night charter. Ice them down.”

Evan nods. “I’ll do it right now.” When Cyrus brushes past him and disappears into the lobby, Evan looks down at me. Beads of sweat collect in the lines of his very confused forehead.

“You covered for me.”

“I didn’t want to see you chewed out over a fish,” I explain coyly, reaching up to pull the clip out of my hair. Purple hair tumbles down around my shoulders, and I toy with it as I put it back up. “Plus, I’m a server. Apologizing for something I didn’t do is part of my job.”

He smiles. “Thanks. He can get rather… passionate about his work.”

“I get it,” I reply, leaning back against the wall and arching my back just enough to make my breasts strain against the front of my top. “Keeping you in line keeps the rest of us in line. That’s why they all scatter like scared ants when he’s around.”

His gaze falls on my top, and he licks his bottom lip absently, leaning in closer.

“But you’re not a scared ant?”

I shake my head. “He may be your boss, but you’re mine. I have allegiances.” I know my words hit home when his eyes meet mine, and he studies me closely. Too closely.

“What are you doing tomorrow night?”

“Why?”

He smiles. “I’m not hitting on you. I want you to come work the Aurora. Your sales are already over three thousand, and yourexperience is solid. It’s about four hours work, and pays five hundred to start. Plus tips.”

“You want the new girl to work Bass and Lace?” Her voice intrudes into our conversation like an alarm bell, and I glance over to see Natalie walking up to us, arms folded, looking offended. Evan doesn’t acknowledge her.

“You in?” He asks, watching me.

I nod. “Yeah. I’ll do it.”

He smiles, and finally looks over at Natalie. “She needs an outfit. Take her shopping.”

Natalie’s mouth drops open. “What?”

“Yeah,” he reinforces, reaching into his pocket and handing Natalie a black card. “Put it on that. Get something for you too. I’ve got a purple tray, make the rest of her purple.” He nods at my feet. “Shoes too. No boots.”

I frown. Cocktailing in heels should have been mentioned at the beginning of the conversation. I glance over at Natalie. She looks mad, and I struggle to hold back the satisfaction it gives me.

“Just tell me when and where,” I comment.

She shakes her head in disbelief. “Neither of us open tomorrow, so meet me here at 9 AM. I know where to go.”

“Oh, team meeting!” Mia says, stepping into the circle. “What are we talking about?”

“Natalie’s taking me shopping for Bass and Lace tomorrow,” I explain.

“I want to go!” Mia exclaims excitedly. “I could use a new outfit for the party too.”

“Are you working it?” I ask her, and sheshakes her head.

“No way. Those parties are way too much fun, I don’t want to work while I’m there. I grabbed tickets from Evan weeks ago.”

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