Page 111 of Wildfire
Reality threatens my good mood. Only honoring Kai’s request to live in the moment stops me falling into a hole. That, and I’m outrageously busy. V&V’s menu launch has been a screaming success. The only day we don’t run out of plates is Monday because Tanner puts a cap on the order numbers. Because I’m not here.
He’s frowning at the slaw again. I heave a sigh. As much as I’ve got my happy hat on, he’s starting to irritate me. “Something wrong with the cabbage, mate?”
Tanner spares me a glance. “What?”
I point at the container. “You’re scowling at it like you think it’s gonna jump out and lamp you one.”
“No, I’m not.” Tanner pulls adon’t test meface and stomps away. Relieved, I get back to filling early-bird orders on top of prepping for the rest of the night. There’s a yoga convention in town. V&V doesn’t take reservations, but Tanner has it on good authority that our vegan dishes will be in popular demand from the moment YogiLife shuts down for the day.
Giggedy. I always wanted to spend an entire day braising butter beans.
I’m hacking up veg when Tanner comes back. “You make the mashed potatoes ahead, right?”
“Right. Every morning.” I eye him as he paces around. “It’s pre-portioned in those tubs. We just add garlic oil and seasoning when it’s heated to order with the beans and greens.”
He doesn’t smile at my rhyming skills. Miserable sod. He stares anxiously at the burger buns piled up on the side. The fries I pre-cut instead of taking a break.Is it the mess?Tanner doesn’t enjoy carnage, but he’s a chill boss when he’s not growling about servers using their phones or letting wine boxes pile up outside. When I get chaotic, he ignores it. Doesn’t even clean up around me. “Did I do something to upset you?”
“Huh?”
I point at his constipated frown. “What’s the face for?”
“I’m not making a face.”
“All right, mate. And I’m the fucking queen. If you’re not going to tell me, at least get out of my way, yeah? You’re slowing me up.”
I’m joking. Mostly.
Tanner sighs and sets down the notebook he’s been scribbling in all day. He waits for me to plate three burgers, a fish and chips, and whirl through the dessert station before he points his pen at me. “I don’t know how we’re going to replace you.”
“Okay.” I wipe the counters down, dart to the dishwasher, and check the order screen. “I don’t know when I’m going yet, so I could help you interview, maybe? I wasn’t too rude last time, was I?”
“You weren’t rude at all. But that’s not my issue. What I’m worried about is how one person is going to fill your shoes, because as far as I can see you do the work of three people without breaking a sweat.”
An order flashes up on the screen. Three more burgers. A fried-chicken sandwich. Two orders of extra fries.
I move around Tanner, hyperaware of him tracking my every move. He’s having a fucking laugh if he thinks I’m not sweating, and I tell him as much when I come up for air.
“I didn’t mean you weren’t working hard, Joss.” He knocks a fist to my shoulder. “Just that you’re too fucking good, like Jax warned me.”
“He’s got a lot to answer for if that’s the only warning he gave you about employing me.”
“What else should he have said?”
I gesture around. “That I’m a messy fucker.”
“So?” Tanner looks genuinely confused. “I don’t care as long as people get fed and they like it.”
“I’m loud.”
“So is every other idiot who works here. What else have you got?”
“I’m moody?” I’m not really sure where this conversation is going.
Tanner snorts. “I’mmoody, dude. Jax’ll tell you that. Don’t put yourself down. We love you.Harrisonlovesyou. He literally emailed me for the fifth time this morning to ask how much money you’d want to become our permanent chef.”
“For real?”
“For real. I wasn’t sure you’d be interested, as you were so adamant you wouldn’t stay past the summer, but then…”
