Page 36 of Body Shot

I grin. I actually had fun picking all those out at the exclusive little boutique I went to. Women’s lingerie stores don’t intimidate me like they do some guys. I love women and all their sweet-smelling, soft girly stuff. I took my time exploring the antique tables covered with scraps of lace and silk, choosing different colors and styles, tiny thongs and cheekie panties edged with lace, imagining Hayden wearing nothing but them . . .

I shake my head and use a fingertip to tap in a message.It was my pleasure.

Her pleasure is my pleasure, apparently.

I look at my phone for a moment, then remember the wine and beer I’m supposed to be getting, not to mention the inventory I came to finish, and shove my phone back in my pocket.

After serving the beer and wine to Dussen and his new friend, I retrieve my inventory list from the office and start taking stock. At the opposite end of the bar from Dussen are Joe and Helena, a married couple who are regulars at the bar. I pick up part of their heated conversation.

“Can’t believe . . . forgot to buy toilet paper!”

“I didn’t know we were out!”

“I told you this morning . . .”

“No, you didn’t!”

I meet Marco’s eyes and we both lift their eyebrows. “Why do they come here to fight?” Marco murmurs.

“Beats the hell outta me.”

Pretty much every time Joe and Helena are here, they’re arguing about something.

“Hopefully they go home and have hot makeup sex,” I add.

Marco grins.

“Some people like drama.” I shrug. “Whatever bakes your cake.”

I finish off the inventory and go into the office to do a few more things while I’m here. There I find Cade sitting at the computer with a spreadsheet open on the monitor.

“Jesus, man, it’s Sunday night. Give it a rest.”

Cade eyes me. “Isn’t that a pot and kettle kind of thing? Why are you here so late?”

“I didn’t finish the inventory I started earlier. Had an errand to run.”

Cade returns his focus to the computer then sighs. “We need to do something about the restaurant.”

“Shit. Still not good?”

“Nope. Not sure what the problem is. People love coming here to drink, but sales of food menu items have been steadily dropping since the first few months after we opened.”

I sit back in my chair. “Why is that? Does our food suck?”

“Maybe. We should probably sit down with Danny and talk about it and see if we can come up with ideas to turn things around.”

“Hire a new chef?”

Sid in the kitchen is competent, but the title “chef” is probably a misnomer. We purchase most of our menu items through restaurant supply companies, things like pre-made chicken fingers, burger patties, jugs of salsa, huge bags of chips and pre-made guacamole.

“Sid tries.”

“I know.” Firing people is never fun, but sometimes it has to be done.

“Maybe we need some customer feedback.”

“Huh. Yeah.”

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