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Returning her eager smile with a tight one of my own I order, “A couple of draft beers, please.” I’m sure that X will have a beer with me, even if it is only a little after noon. The waitress prances away shaking her ass, but I hardly even notice as I sit back to wait for Xavier.
“Hey,” he greets, sliding into the booth across from me as the waitress returns and sets a pair of frosty pint glasses down in front of us.
“Mr. Cerelli,” she gasps with surprise when she sees him. “Is there anything else I can get for you?” Her voice is professional now, not a trace of the flirtation coloring her words.
“You hungry?” he asks me.
“I could eat,” I admit with a chuckle. I can always eat.
He nods and orders a sampler platter of some sort and we make small talk while we wait. Mostly about sports. What can I say, we’re both East Coast guys. We like sports, and Vegas has a hockey team now, so we have things to discuss.
When the appetizer platter comes from the kitchen, I’m surprised by the amount of food on it. Everything from jalapeño poppers to deep fried pickles.
“Do you need anything else?” the waitress questions, reminding me of her presence. I shake my head no, reaching to add some deep-fried goodness to my small plate. X does the same, dismissing her without another glance.
For a few minutes we dig into the food without talking, but when X tosses a deep-fried pickle in his mouth, slouches back in his seat and takes a long swallow of his beer, I know it’s time to talk.
Glancing around quickly I make sure that no one is close enough to listen in and say, “I mentioned that you have a manager sexually harassing and bullying your female employees,” he nods, waiting for me to continue, “I haven’t figured out why, but my guess is that if they don’t respond favorably to his advances, he does what he can to make them miserable.”
“Would this be Lawrence, by any chance?” He inquires.
“Yeah. You’ve had problems with him before?” If he has it doesn’t make any sense why he’s still working here.
“Actually no, but I’ve overheard Ana call him ‘Loser Larry’ before, and Ana isn’t the type to call names without a damn good reason.”
I believe that. From the small amount of time I’ve spent around Ana, she’s never been anything but sweet. Name calling doesn’t seem like it would be part of her nature.
“I can see that about her,” I concur, taking a bite of a crispy onion ring.
“I’ve been trying to get proof of what he’s doing, but no one has been willing to talk to me. I haven’t had much opportunity to build a relationship with my staff. I’ve been rather preoccupied for the last several months.”
He says the last bit sheepishly. His self-contained pride has been one thing I’ve noticed about him this last week. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for him to admit that his business suffered while Ana was missing.
“Last night…” I begin, only to stop when Xavier’s deep laugh booms out.
“I heard about last night. Geno caught the whole thing on video. I’m planning to talk to Heather the next time she is scheduled to work.”
My laugh joins his. It was funny watching the spunky ginger put him in his place, even if I am still pissed over the episode I just witnessed with Ellie. Thinking of her sobers me and my laugh trails off. I take another swallow of my beer while I mull over my next words.
“While you are at it, you may want to talk to Elinor Lovell as well.”
“Ana’s friend Ellie?” he inquires, brow furrowing with consternation. “He’s been harassing Ellie?” He demands this time.
I affirm his question with a nod, “I’ve witnessed it twice in just the last couple of days.” I can’t help the way that I snarl the words.
“Yeah?” His voice is knowing and filled with interest.
“Unfortunately.” I settle back, taking a steadying breath. I may have just revealed more to Xavier than I intended.
He grins into the bottom of his pint glass, not trying to disguise his amusement at all. Shit. Yep, blew it.
“When I talk to them, I’d like you to be present since you witnessed them both being hassled by him.”
That works for me, and as a bonus I will get another opportunity to spend time around Ellie, even if it is under these circumstances. “I can do that.”
With the matter settled, Xavier leans back and motions for another, more reserved, server and orders another round of beers. Turning back to me with a laugh, he asks, “Ellie, huh?”
Yep. He knows.
