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He glared at me. “I didn’t tell you you could leave.”
“I didn’t ask.” I smiled.
“I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” I said and walked away.
I heard him muttering something under his breath. It probably wasn’t a great idea to piss off the boss before I actually had the job, but I didn’t care. The guy was a dick. I couldn’t wait until I got to tell him I quit. I was going to do my best to work out the rest of my shifts because I knew it wasn’t him who would suffer if I didn’t. It was Colleen and the other servers who would have to work shorthanded. It seemed like the diner was always shorthanded.
“Can I get a glass of ice water?” I asked the young lady making coffee.
“Sure.” She smiled. “Are you off?”
“I am, but I have a couple of friends that are still eating lunch,” I said. “I’m going to sit down with them for a bit.”
She filled a glass and handed it to me. “You’re crazy. I would get out of here before he tells you to clock back in.”
“He can tell me to do whatever he wants.” I smiled. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to do it.”
I carried the cold water across the dining room. Ramsey looked up when he saw me, somewhat surprised. “May I join you guys?”
“Please,” he said and gestured to the chair beside him.
I sat down across from Lily, her eyes filled with genuine interest. “Hello again,” I said to Lily. “How is your lunch so far?”
The little girl looked a little shy. “Good.”
I noticed the little white dish with ketchup and tartar mixed together. It was barely touched. “Did you try my secret recipe?”
She scrunched up her cute little nose. “Yes.”
“You didn’t like it?”
“Well, I—”
“Hey, it’s okay.” I smiled. “Different strokes for different folks. Not everyone likes everything. For example, I don’t like barbecue sauce.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “Really? You don’t like barbecue chicken?”
I slowly shook my head. “I don’t.”
“My dad makes barbecue on the grill all the time,” Lily said.
I looked at Ramsey, who seemed to be studying me and Lily like we were subjects under a microscope. “I bet your dad makes good barbecue.”
“It’s a secret recipe,” Ramsey said. “My barbecue chicken is good.”
“Do you make your own sauce?”
He looked affronted. “Of course. I would never use that crap from a bottle.”
I laughed and looked at Lily again. “I think that’s the problem, I’ve only had the stuff from the bottle.”
Lily’s face lit up. “Maybe Dad can make some for you when it gets warm outside.”
“I would definitely like to try it.” I nodded. “I like trying new things. What about you?”
“Sometimes,” Lily answered. “Dad says I have to try new things because I won’t know if I like them if I don’t try.”
“That is very true,” I agreed. “When you’re young, there is so much to try. I’m older than you and I still have a lot of stuff to try for the first time.”
