Page 23 of Everything I Crave
“You alright?” Mack’s gruff voice comes from behind me. She sounds like she smoked packs of cigarettes a day when she was younger, but I can’t beat her cooking.
“Yea, I just -”
“Need to get your mind off a particular redhead you’re now regretting hiring?”
“No, I just - you heard her! She fights me on everything.” I argue like a petulant toddler.
“Yea, and you want to tap that little firecracker.” She continues when I don’t answer. “She’s got some demons in that pretty head G. Don’t get involved if you don’t plan on sticking around to find out what they are,” She warns.
She walks out of the freezer, leaving me in blissful silence.
The door opens once more, “Oh, and no sleeping with the employees.” She is laughing all the way back to the kitchen. If I was smart, she’d be laughing all the way to the unemployment office.
I never had to enforce the no sleeping with employees rule before. The college kids I hire for summer don’t usually have issues, or at least none that spilled into my bar. But it would look damn bad if I couldn’t stick to my own rule.
I grab a few plates for the table on my way out and head out behind Willow to serve these assholes. Hopefully the faster they eat, the faster they leave. I will not be showing them any hospitality I was taught growing up.
Willow and I pass each other taking turns running dishes from the kitchen, and each time she scowls at me. I make a mental note to apologize tonight when it’s just us left.
As I exit the kitchen one last time, I see the ringleader of the group reach out and grope Willow’s ass.
Full on ass cheek grab.
I see red immediately. Beyond the fact that this is Willow, she’s my employee. And I pride myself on having a safe work environment for all of my employees.
With the fury still drumming through my veins I stomp over to the guy and rip his arm off Willow.
She’s smiling politely but still shifting uncomfortably trying to get away from him.
“What the fuck, man?” This idiot has the audacity to act like I’m the one in the wrong here.
“Get out now,” I demand.
I push Willow behind me, standing in protection between her and this asshole. For once she’s doing what I want her to do and staying put.
“I’m not leaving. You can’t make me either.” He laughs and turns back to his friends, pointing over his shoulder at me.
“Actually I can. My bar. My rules. Get out. Or I call the cops.” I grasp Willow's wrist and pull her toward the kitchen.
“Mack, get ‘em out. I’m taking Willow upstairs,” I demand once again. I really owe my staff for tonight.
I continue to push Willow to the door next to my office that leads upstairs to the condo. I can feel the blood rushing in my ears, anger still swirling in my veins.
Willow stops dead in her tracks, slowing me down a bit. “What the actual fuck are you doing, Gunnar?”
“You’re going home. I’m cutting you. Then I’m getting these assholes out of my damn bar.”
She crosses her arms over her chest staring at me.
“Darling, he put his hands on your -”
“First of all, don’tdarlingme when you’re trying to charm me into doing what you want. Second of all, I’m used to these types of guys. I can handle myself.”
“Trust me, I fucking know,” I mutter under my breath.
“What was that now?” she asks sarcastically.
“Listen, please just go upstairs. I don’t tolerate that behavior from anyone against any of my employees. It’s not because it’s you. So just go. Please.”