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“Since the kitchen is officially closed for the night, mind taking over the bar?” Jake asked. “I swear I’m gonna find someone else to replace Adan as soon as possible.”
Kendrick waved away Jake. “Take off. I got this, though I’m expecting extra pay for doing your job.”
“You’re worth it.” Sanjay licked the glass clean, the tip of his tongue chasing any pudding remnants. “And give me another banana pudding to go.”
“I thought you owned a bakery,” Kendrick replied.
“Yeah, but I don’t sell these. Come to think of it, give me two glasses…and some more chicken if you have any.”
“You’re damn lucky I have one extra order of chicken,” Kendrick said. “I kind of knew you’d want more.”
“You’re the freaking best,” Sanjay replied.
“You’ve got another fan,” Jake commented. “I see I’m going to be bringing home a lot of food.”
Sanjay liked the sound of that. He’d been alone for so many years that he’d forgotten how much he loved having someone in his life. Matt had ruined that for Sanjay, but it seemed Jake was going to help him rediscover that joy.
As Kendrick packaged the food for Sanjay, he asked, “So, you and Jake are mates, huh? That’s great. He’s a good guy.”
Sanjay smiled, feeling his cheeks heat up. “Yeah, he is. I’m lucky to have found him.”
Kendrick handed him the bag of food and winked. “I think it’s the other way around, but I won’t argue with you. Now get out of here before I make you help me clean up.”
Sanjay chuckled and made his way out of the kitchen, Jake following close behind. As they walked back to the bar, Sanjay felt grateful for the night. He’d met new people, tasted amazing food, and spent more time with Jake. It was more than he could have asked for.
As they walked outside, Jake took Sanjay’s hand. “Thanks for helping out tonight,” he said.
Sanjay leaned into Jake’s side, feeling the weariness starting to take hold. “I chopped veggies and ate your inventory, but I had fun.”
When they reached Jake’s car, the hairs on the back of Sanjay’s neck stood on end. He glanced around the darkness, trying to pinpoint what was making him so uneasy. “Jake.”
“I feel it too. Stay close to me.”
Sanjay’s heart raced as Jake’s hand tightened around his own. Without a word, they both quickened their steps, heading for the parking lot.
“Your boy shouldn’t have interfered.”
Sanjay looked over his shoulder to find two men closing in on them. Jake stopped, putting a hand on Sanjay’s hip, coaxing Sanjay to step behind him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jake said.
“Earlier,” the big guy said, “me and another guy had a disagreement. The cook tossed us out.”
Jake let out a low growl. “So what? You want some kind of fucking revenge?”
The skinny one cracked his knuckles. Sanjay wanted to roll his eyes at the cliché.
The large guy was not built with bulging muscles but rather resembled a barrel in shape. His ill-fitting shirt struggled to contain his protruding beer gut. His dark hair was unkempt and tousled, as if he had constantly raked his fingers through it in frustration. It looked as if he had run his hands through it a million times, leaving behind a chaotic mess of tangled strands, confirming the lack of care in his appearance.
The other stranger was slightly shorter than his friend, his frame thin and almost fragile. His clothes seemed to swallow him up, as though he had borrowed them from his large friend. A patchy stubble lined his jawline, with some spots still bare as if he had intentionally shaved them away. It gave him a rugged, rebellious look that clashed with his otherwise unassuming appearance.
“He had no right to throw me out,” the large man snarled.
Jake’s voice seethed with venom as he countered, “He had every right. If you can’t behave peacefully, then you deserve to be forcefully ejected.” His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched, as if daring the other person to challenge him again. The tension was palpable as Jake stood his ground, clearly ready to defend his authority at any cost.
Sanjay wasn’t sure what to do, but if the two strangers attacked, he would help Jake kick their asses.
The large guy reached into his back pocket. Sanjay’s heart beat even faster as he watched the jerk pull out a gun. With a snarl, Jake attacked him, taking him down.
Sanjay looked at the skinny guy, wondering if the stranger was going to attack him. When the beanpole stepped closer, Sanjay realized they were human. He could fight a human. Sanjay set his bag on the ground.
