“Tartufo?” I ask.
“Yes, please!”
“Coming right up, Miss Russo. Dessert for anyone else?”
I don’t always wait on tables—my role here is more of a manager since Grandpa’s been slowing down—but I like to talk to customers, especially regulars, and five-year-old Isla is so sweet. I relay their order to the kitchen and to Atlas, who’s looking after their table.
“Oh, hey, Ayla,” Atlas says with an entreating expression. “D’you think I could leave a bit early tonight? It’s my little sister’s birthday.”
I keep my face neutral but inside, I’m sighing. Again? He had to leave early last week.
“We’re having a family party and I’m already missing most of it,” he adds. “I really want to be there to give her my gift.”
I know his sister is turning sixteen. I know he has another sister who’s eighteen and he’s twenty-one and in college, working here part-time. He’s a good waiter, so I’ve kind of been easy on him.
“This is the third time you’ve had to leave early in the last three weeks,” I say gently. “If the evening shifts are a problem for you, we can schedule you earlier.”
He blinks and frowns. “No, it’s not a problem. And I have classes during the day.”
“Right.” I hold his gaze for a moment, then say, “Okay, I’ll cover for you tonight.”
“Thanks, Ayla, you’re the best!”
He hurries off to look after another table. I turn and face my cousin Ashley, who’s tending bar tonight, a job I used to do. She shakes her head at me.
“What?”
“You’re letting him off early again?”
Now the sigh escapes me in a puff of air. “Yes.”
“He knows if he tells you it’s because of family, you’ll cave.”
I frown. “You don’t believe him?”
She shrugs. “Itcouldbe his sister’s birthday party. But I know last week, he didnothave to pick up his other sister from her cheer practice. I heard him telling Zoe he had a hot date.”
I push my lips out. “Shit. Really?”
She nods, eyebrows lifted.
“You should have told me.”
“I just did.”
“I mean before tonight.” I shoot her a reproving look.
“Sorry. I didn’t think it was a huge deal but… now he’s leaving early again, so yeah… I should have.”
Ashley’s right. I’m a sucker for family. And I like to treat staff here well. Grandpa has always treated the people who work for him like family and tried to accommodate them when he could, which resulted in loyal, long-term employees. But I can’t be a pushover.
Next time, I won’t be so soft.
“How’s Nonna doing?” Ashley asks as she wipes a beer glass.
I pick up a towel to help her. “I’m not sure. Last time I talked to her, she said she hadn’t been feeling well.”
Nonna is actually our great-grandmother, ourbisnonna, but we call her Nonna.
