Page 25 of Firecracker

“You sucked at it.”

“I did not!”

“Didn’t you set the kitchen on fire?”

“That was an accident! I slipped on some grease and knocked over a pan.”

“What about the eggs you dumped into Mrs. Biletsky’s cleavage?”

Hehadto remember that. “It was my first day on the job. I leaned over too much with the tray. I learned from that.”

Tyler shook his head, still frowning. “How much are they paying you?”

“I, uh, don’t know.”

“What?”

She made a face. “I forgot to ask that. But they have to pay me minimum wage, right? Plus I’ll make tips.” Andanymoney coming in was better thannomoney.

“Jesus, Arden. And what kind of shifts will you be working? That place is open until midnight during the week, one o’clock Fridays and Saturdays.”

“Well, tomorrow, I work four to midnight.”

“Fuck that.”

“What?” She frowned at him and crossed her arms. “That’s a normal eight-hour shift.”

“You’re going to be walking home all alone at midnight?”

“I told you I’m a grown woman! I can handle this.”

Once again she remembered his past, but that was nothing like this. She wasn’t a twelve-year-old girl, she was an adult who’d been on her own for a long time.

And why did he have to look that good while pissing her off? It was hard to be angry when he was standing in front of her shirtless and all she could think about was licking the ridges of his abs. “Thank you for your concern. But I’ll be fine.”

He sighed. “Well, at least we know the place, and we know Liam’s a decent boss, even if he is a little scattered. He won’t sexually harass you or steal your tips.”

“Good to know.” She lifted her chin. “Iama pretty good judge of character.”

Her failed marriage immediately taunted her about that comment. The man she’d married hadn’t turned out to be whom she’d thought he was. But she didn’t have to share that with Tyler.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “You got lucky.” Then he laughed. “Or maybe not. I guess we’ll see how long you last serving beers and burgers.”

“It can’t be that bad.” She rubbed her upper arms. “I don’t have a problem with working hard.”

“When’s the last time you actually worked?”

She gazed back at him, her throat tightening. “Ouch.”

He winced. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Okay, it’s been a while. That doesn’t mean I’m lazy. I’ve held jobs. I worked hard in school and at college.”

He didn’t appear convinced.

She swallowed a sigh. The truth was, most things in her life had come easy to her. She’d studied as much as she had to, but got decent grades even when she didn’t. Her waitressing jobs had been short-lived when she got bored with them. Her cheerleading had been fun, so she’d willingly practiced. College had been a little more work, but she’d enjoyed a busy social life for the most part. Shehadcommitted to the volunteer work she’d done in Phoenix, though. She wasn’t a total slacker.

But life hadn’t been easy the last few years. Tyler didn’t know everything she’d been through. He didn’t know how desperate and lost she was. He didn’t know she wasn’t too proud to work as a waitress, and she’d do her very best at it. He didn’t know that she was stronger now because of everything she’d gone through.

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