Page 94 of The Broposal

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

KENNY

Itook a double shift on my day off to please Daniel, hoping for some good news. But when I got to work, there was still no Han. It looked like I would have to wait until my break to bring it up with him again.

Every time I walked into the kitchen, I felt so off knowing Han wasn’t back yet. The day dragged on and on, but once my break finally came around, I rapped my knuckles on Daniel’s office door and waited until I heard an exasperated, “Come in, Kenny.”

I opened the door wide enough to stick my head inside. “How’d your call with Han go?”

“I’m still not convinced it wasn’t him who was stealing. I don’t want to hire back a thief.”

I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying something I might regret. “It wasn’t him. First you thought it was Juan, but money still kept going missing. Now it’s Han? Where’s your evidence?”

“How do you know money kept going missing?” Daniel asked, eyes narrowing in on me.

“I’ve been counting it.” Jesus, he was really about to accuse every damn body. “You told me to keep an eye out for suspicious activity. I’ve been trying to figure out who it was.”

Daniel clenched his fists. “I told you to watch out for suspiciouspeople, not to go behind my back double-checking my math.”

Was Daniel really mad about me counting the money? “I’m sorry. I thought that’s what you wanted me to do. Misunderstanding, I guess.”

“I’ve got it handled.”

“All right,” I said, holding my hands up in surrender. “So… I hate to bring this up again, but—”

Daniel shushed me with a flick of his hand. “I said I wouldthinkabout calling Han. I’m still thinking.”

Oh. I had gone into my shift hoping he had already hired Han back. I wasn’t used to not having Daniel’s favor. I guess this was what it might have been like for Han working here. But no, there was no way Han would ever have enough say-so with Daniel to evenaskfor a favor. I tried to push down the swirling wave of anger. I knew Daniel was using Han as leverage to get me to pick up extra shifts. I just hoped he didn’t hire another server before hiring Han back. That would mean I’d have nothing to offer in exchange for Han’s job anymore.

“Well, how long do you need to think?” I asked. I wasn’t exactly happy to work overtime indefinitely if Daniel wasn’t going to make good on his side of the deal.

“I don’t know. The more you ask me, the longer I’ll need.” Daniel rolled his eyes, and I let out an exasperated sigh before pretending to zip my lips shut. I would play his game as long as I needed to if it meant getting Han his job back.

“Oh, and, Kenny?” Daniel said right when I turned around to leave.

“Yeah, boss?”

“I meant what I said about going behind my back counting money. I already counted it today, and I don’t need you undermining me.”

“Yes, sir,” I said. It was odd for Daniel to have counted the money before the day was over. Maybe he meant that he’d count it later and he misspoke. I rolled my eyes as I walked out of the kitchen. Daniel was so incompetent it hurt. So when the end of my shift came, I made it a point to sneakily count the money anyway.

And we were short.

Which made no sense. If Daniel had already counted the money and found we were short, why would he still say he suspected Han, who hadn’t been in since he was fired? Did he really suspect me? Fuck, if he thought it was me, how could I possibly make things up to Han? But none of it added up—literally.

Then it hit me.

If I was right about this, it wasn’t weird at all. It actually madeperfectsense.

I drove home on autopilot, stressing the whole way over what I was going to do about Daniel. Was he really stealing the money this whole time? Maybe I could use this as leverage to try to get Han his job back? But then again, I didn’t have any proof, so what if I was wrong? That woulddefinitelylose me my job, not to mention Han’s. No, I would have to catch him in the act if I was going to make this work.

When I got to the apartment, I lazily trudged up the stairs, fumbling with my keys between my fingers. But instead ofgetting to finally relax for the night, when I got to the top of the steps, standing there was the last person I wanted to see, ever.

“Didn’t I ask you to give me space?” I said through a sigh.

“Can we talk? Can I come in?” Jackie ignored my question.

I was too exhausted to stand outside and argue, so I reluctantly unlocked my door and led Jackie over to the couch. I wished I could just let sleep consume me right then and there, but I forced my eyes to stay open to keep from pissing Jackie off. The thought of living the entire rest of my life this way was already excruciating.

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