against the wall, and pressing her hands above her head, where they couldn’t push him away.
And she wouldn’t really want to.
Grace realized with a start that she was doing it again. Fantasizing about her boss. The boss she was lying to daily, even if only by what she didn’t say to him. She knew she couldn’t afford that kind of complication in her life right now and vowed to stop it from that moment on.
Closing time, and the ability to go hide at Sarah’s apartment, never seemed so far away.
The hours passed quickly enough though, between her side work and stocking for the next day’s business. Before she knew it, they were saying goodbye to the last customers of the night and Tyler was locking the door behind them.
Most of the lights at the rear of the restaurant were shut off, the ones up front dim enough to cloak the whole room in an aura of peaceful calm. She wiped down the last of the tables and straightened, arching her back in an effort to work out some of the kinks. Tyler was rummaging around behind the bar, so she felt inconspicuous enough to bend over and do a few toe-touches, stretching out her muscles. When she heard him walking toward her, she stood again quickly and reached for a chair to upend on the nearest table.
“Leave it, Grace. I’ve got a busboy who can come in tomorrow. He’ll finish up here.” She saw that he held the previously offered bottle of champagne in one hand and a pair of plastic cups in the other. At her look, he explained, “I didn’t want either of us to have to wash another damn glass.”
She smiled in appreciation. “Thanks. But I think I’m too tired for champagne.”
He walked over to a table, set down the bottle and cups, and pulled out two chairs side by side. When he looked at her, she read nothing but tired appreciation in his gaze.
“Come sit with me, Grace. It’s been one hell of a day, but after a week of being open, I’m starting to think we’re going to pull it off. Surely that deserves one celebratory drink.”
She wavered and was sure he could read the indecision in her eyes.
“Have I seriously hit on you once in the last few days?”
“No.” She had to admit that, and repressed the thought that she’d been disappointed.
“See? And tonight I’m too wiped out to flirt even. I’m totally harmless.”
“I doubt that,” she muttered loud enough for him to hear and chuckle at. Then she gave in and sat next to him. When he poured her a cup of champagne, she accepted it with gratitude.
“Here’s to surviving the grand opening and our first crazy week.” Tyler lifted his cup and she clinked her plastic cup dully against his. “You busted your butt working tonight, darlin’. I appreciate that.”
She felt the champagne she sipped burst in sharply fruited bubbles on her tongue, before tilting her head back and letting the cool liquid trickle slowly down her throat. She brought her gaze back to his and found his eyes on her, not quite as dulled now.
Safer to keep talking.
“It was hardly just me.” She waved a hand in a tired circle, encompassing the whole room. “Your family work at least as hard as I do, and you put in more time than all of us.”
“Yeah, well, this is my baby.” He closed his eyes for a moment and she felt free to stare at him for once. He looked tired. Tired, but still strong, as if he could jump up and work another twelve-hour shift if that’s what it took to run his business. Something about that determination made her want to know more about this man.
“Have you always wanted to own a restaurant?” The quietness made it easy to ask personal questions. Like trading secrets in the dark at a grade-school sleepover.
His hands where they rested on the chair arms were limp with relaxation. His voice when he spoke was surprisingly clear.
“Sometimes it feels like it.” He laughed and sat up straight before stretching hugely in his chair. “But no, I didn’t know what I wanted. I fell into the business
And she wouldn’t really want to.
Grace realized with a start that she was doing it again. Fantasizing about her boss. The boss she was lying to daily, even if only by what she didn’t say to him. She knew she couldn’t afford that kind of complication in her life right now and vowed to stop it from that moment on.
Closing time, and the ability to go hide at Sarah’s apartment, never seemed so far away.
The hours passed quickly enough though, between her side work and stocking for the next day’s business. Before she knew it, they were saying goodbye to the last customers of the night and Tyler was locking the door behind them.
Most of the lights at the rear of the restaurant were shut off, the ones up front dim enough to cloak the whole room in an aura of peaceful calm. She wiped down the last of the tables and straightened, arching her back in an effort to work out some of the kinks. Tyler was rummaging around behind the bar, so she felt inconspicuous enough to bend over and do a few toe-touches, stretching out her muscles. When she heard him walking toward her, she stood again quickly and reached for a chair to upend on the nearest table.
“Leave it, Grace. I’ve got a busboy who can come in tomorrow. He’ll finish up here.” She saw that he held the previously offered bottle of champagne in one hand and a pair of plastic cups in the other. At her look, he explained, “I didn’t want either of us to have to wash another damn glass.”
She smiled in appreciation. “Thanks. But I think I’m too tired for champagne.”
He walked over to a table, set down the bottle and cups, and pulled out two chairs side by side. When he looked at her, she read nothing but tired appreciation in his gaze.
“Come sit with me, Grace. It’s been one hell of a day, but after a week of being open, I’m starting to think we’re going to pull it off. Surely that deserves one celebratory drink.”
She wavered and was sure he could read the indecision in her eyes.
“Have I seriously hit on you once in the last few days?”
“No.” She had to admit that, and repressed the thought that she’d been disappointed.
“See? And tonight I’m too wiped out to flirt even. I’m totally harmless.”
“I doubt that,” she muttered loud enough for him to hear and chuckle at. Then she gave in and sat next to him. When he poured her a cup of champagne, she accepted it with gratitude.
“Here’s to surviving the grand opening and our first crazy week.” Tyler lifted his cup and she clinked her plastic cup dully against his. “You busted your butt working tonight, darlin’. I appreciate that.”
She felt the champagne she sipped burst in sharply fruited bubbles on her tongue, before tilting her head back and letting the cool liquid trickle slowly down her throat. She brought her gaze back to his and found his eyes on her, not quite as dulled now.
Safer to keep talking.
“It was hardly just me.” She waved a hand in a tired circle, encompassing the whole room. “Your family work at least as hard as I do, and you put in more time than all of us.”
“Yeah, well, this is my baby.” He closed his eyes for a moment and she felt free to stare at him for once. He looked tired. Tired, but still strong, as if he could jump up and work another twelve-hour shift if that’s what it took to run his business. Something about that determination made her want to know more about this man.
“Have you always wanted to own a restaurant?” The quietness made it easy to ask personal questions. Like trading secrets in the dark at a grade-school sleepover.
His hands where they rested on the chair arms were limp with relaxation. His voice when he spoke was surprisingly clear.
“Sometimes it feels like it.” He laughed and sat up straight before stretching hugely in his chair. “But no, I didn’t know what I wanted. I fell into the business
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