Page 23 of Help Wanted

He held the door to Porter’s Wharf and could have sworn he saw her cringe as she passed him to go into the restaurant. He’d done that. He’d yelled at her and made her skittish. He hated himself even more and he hadn’t thought that possible.

She didn’t know him at all, and so far her impression was that he was a nasty ogre.

It was still early for lunch as they were seated at an empty booth.

“Their burgers are the best. I swear my niece is going to come out a giant burger after all the ones Sidney has eaten since she’s been pregnant.” He tried to make a joke, but Kenley didn’t laugh.

“I’m not very hungry.” And he’d ruined her appetite too. Could he possibly feel any worse?

He set the menu aside and leaned down, trying to catch her gaze.

“I’m sorry about this morning. I’m not much of a morning person, and I was a jerk.”

She glanced up and shook her head quickly.

“You weren’t. I shouldn’t have tried to change things—”

“Kenley, I was a jerk. There’s no way around that. Let me apologize and take responsibility, okay?”

She nodded. “At least you didn’t fire me for sleeping with someone,” she said with a hint of a smile.

He jumped on the opportunity to continue the feeble connection.

“I’d have to be pretty stupid to fire you after seeing all the work you put into saving my company money. Fortunately, I’m only mildly stupid.”

The waitress came and took their drink orders and left.

“So did Sidney call and yell at you?” She tilted her head to the side as she watched him.

“She did, but I had already decided I was going to apologize before she called.”

“I’m sorry she yelled at you.” He looked at her and saw how much she meant it. His gut twisted yet again with guilt.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry about. I’m the one who messed up. I’m going to give your new system a try. After I got my head out of my ass, it seems like it might be a good move.”

Kenley was trying to keep from smiling. Her warm brown eyes sparkled as she pressed her lips together. Full kissable lips. He was staring at them. He could feel himself staring and couldn’t look away.

“What can I get you?” the waitress saved him as she put their drinks on the table and pulled out her green pad.

“Oh…uh. Did you decide what you’d like?” he asked, waiting for Kenley to go first. He was raised with some manners after all.

“I’ll have the chef salad without onions, please.” No onions? Was she going to be kissing someone later? He knew she wasn’t married. He assumed she wasn’t engaged because her left ring finger was bare. Surely she had a boyfriend. Maybe she lived with someone. Someone who didn’t want to commit to her. What kind of rat bastard wouldn’t commit to—

“For you sir?” The waitress was waiting.

“Oh. Cheeseburger and French fries.” He needed to hold it together.

The waitress nodded and walked away, leaving them to their awkward silence.

“So are we good?” He went ahead and asked.

“Of course. No problem.”

“If you have any other ideas, please don’t be afraid to share them. I promise I’ll react better the next time.”

“I was thinking a parrot might liven up the place,” she said.

He swallowed while he tried to come up with a diplomatic way to say, “Hell no.” A parrot?