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Throwing the towel over his shoulder, the balding guy smiled, rubbing his hands down his grease-stained apron. “Mitch. You got any experience?”
“I worked tables at a café last summer.” He didn’t need to know that I’d actually spent the summer serving finger sandwiches and iced teas to Mom’s friends at Montecito Country Club.
“How many shifts can you work?”
“Saturdays, Sundays, after school. I guess.”
“We’re covered Saturdays, but I’m short-handed Sunday afternoons and Tuesday and Thursday evenings. When can you start?”
“When do you need me?”
He scrubbed a hand over his stubble. “You free now?”
Now?“I guess.”
Mitch started for a door. “You can leave your bag in the office. I have a spare apron, and if you speak to Cindy, she’ll get you a uniform. I pay minimum wage plus tips. Envelopes are in the safe at the end of every week.”
“Okay.” My voice was small. I hadn’t expected this. At the country club, the general manager had interrogated me for almost an hour before they’d offered me the position. Then there had been two week’s training before they let me loose with Montecito’s finest.
After securing my bag away in the locker in the corner of Mitch’s office, I followed him back out front. My eyes searched outside for any signs of Kendall, but it was quiet. I just hoped it stayed that way.
“It doesn’t normally get busy until about two, and then all the kids want are shakes and fries.”
I nodded, unsure of what to say. It didn’t seem unreasonable to me given that’s all most kids had the money for.
“You can familiarize yourself with the menu.” He slid a laminated card to me. “It’s pretty self-explanatory. Cindy will be in soon, and she’ll show you the ropes. I gotta get out back and cook to be ready for the rush.” He rolled his eyes, and I got the feeling there wouldn’t be a line anytime soon.
“Wait,” I said, but he was already disappearing through the swinging door.
“Any problems, just holler,” he called back, and I sagged against the counter, wondering what the hell Dad had gotten me into.
It wasn’t that I was opposed to a job—I knew I needed to start a college fund—butthiswas not what I imagined. I figured I’d get a little job at one of the nicer boutique shops in town or maybe serving coffee at Java’s, the only coffee shop I’d spotted since arriving in Credence. Somewhere I was unlikely to run into anyone from school. Somewhere I could at least pretend life wasn’t as sucky as it really was.
* * *
“So you ringin the price, and it should total it, see?” Cindy moved to the side for me to get a better look. “Well, it should. Been asking Mitch to replace this heap of junk for years now.” She raised her voice enough that it carried over the service hatch. Mitch grumbled something inaudible, and Cindy chuckled.
“Grumpy old man, but he’s harmless. Do you think you can take the next one on your own?”
I nodded. Cindy had spent the last hour walking me through everything from taking orders to processing them and ringing up the check. I liked her a lot. Her warm smile made me feel at ease—something I hadn’t felt a lot of since moving here.
“Okay, here you go.” She nudged me and motioned to the door. It swung open, and a group of kids walked in.
My heart sank.
Kendall’s eyes widened in surprise and a slow smirk spread across her face. She elbowed her friend who looked up and barked out a laugh.
“Do you know them, sugar?” Cindy asked.
“Just some kids from school.”
Her eyes questioned me, but I wasn’t about to reveal just how I knew them. “Let them get settled and head over and get their drink order, okay?”
Cindy left me to it while I waited. I recognized Kendall’s two friends, the ones from The Vault, and the guy I’d seen her with around school. But I’d heard that they weren’t actually together, whatever that meant. There was another girl I didn’t recognize, and a couple of guys who I had classes with.
After a couple of minutes, I picked up the notepad and made my way over to them, my mouth dry and my heart pounding so hard I felt sure they would be able to hear it.
“Hello. Welcome to Shake ‘n’ Pass.” Snickers erupted around the booth, but I ignored them, rolling off my rehearsed lines. “May I take your order?”
