Page 56 of There's No Us Without You
“I can’t keep running this place, Eden. This was your father’s dream, not mine.” Tony’s eyes soften, and I get a glimpse of what I imagine is the man he was before he lost his best friend—the man who paid for my dad’s debts and tried to keep him alive even if it was for just one more day.
“Right.” I chew on the inside of my cheek—physical pain is better than the alternative emotional pain I know I’m going to suffer through at some stage in the near future.
“You can always ask your mother.” He leans further back into his chair until he’s almost horizontal.
“What? How do you know about that?”
I hope he topples over and injures his brain. Amnesia would be great right about now.
“Your mother and I had a long discussion and we both agree that taking on this restaurant all on your own is a big task. Are you prepared for everything that comes with it?”
Oh my fucking god, this can’t get any worse. Now my mother is consorting with Tony on what’s best for me. She just can’t stay out of my business, it seems.
“I’m prepared,” I say, my fists clenched at my sides. “And I don’t need my mother. I’ll get you the money.”
Tony clenches his jaw, narrowing his eyes on me as he pushes back and forth in the chair. After a few seconds, he blows out a breath and leans forward, the chair creaking when he stands. “Fine. Six weeks, Eden.”
“Fine,” I say, repeating the word. “But if I’m potentially going to lose this place, I want to be in the kitchen, not out front.”
Tony raises his eyebrows, tilting his head as he comes towards me. “Is that so? And who’s going to cover your shifts?”
“I’ll do it for free,” I say, the words tumbling out of my mouth. “That way, you can pay someone else to cover the front with Stella.”
For a long moment, he stands there staring at my chest, his lips pinched between his fingers.
Gross.
“Okay,” Tony eventually says, his eyes coming back to my face. “One night a week, no pay. Although, it’s a shame for such a pretty thing like you not to be shown off.” With his index finger, he brushes a stray hair from my forehead. “Your dad would be very proud of you.”
There’s sincerity in his voice when he says the last statement. It doesn’t make up for the first one he made, but at least he’s shown a little of his human side. It’s hard to imagine my dad and him as friends. More often than not, I question my dad’s sanity when it comes to Tony—and my mother for that matter. Maybe there is something redeemable about him—I’m just yet to see it.
I’m no good at poker, but I plaster on the biggest, fakest smile I can and pray it’s enough. “Thank you so much, Tony. I won’t let you down.”
“No, you won’t,” he says with a wink. “Or I’d have to punish you.”
This time, I let the shiver I’ve been holding back race through my body. What sort of punishment is he referring to? Does he want me to call him Daddy and let him spank me?
No fucking thank you.
“I better get to work.” I give him a tight smile and turn towards the door.
“Close the door on your way out,” he says, giving my arse a small tap.
With my fists clenched at my sides, I try to erase the fact my boss just touched my bum and head out front to get started on setting up for the day.
Maybe I should have taken Smith up on his offer to take the paring knife.
FIFTEEN
Emerson
I gripa coffee mug in one hand and press my lower back against the kitchen bench as I rub my eyes. It’s almost three in the afternoon, and I have about an hour and a half before Carter picks me up to head to the airport.
Our away game this weekend is in Melbourne, and now that we’re almost at finals, my team is sitting pretty in second place. If we keep that rank, we skip the elimination finals and head straight into the semi-finals, where we play the highest-ranked team from the elimination rounds.
I just hope I’m up for it. With each day that passes, my knee gets weaker and more painful.
How long can I keep playing before doing irreparable damage?
