Page 108 of The Nanny and the Hothead
“This woman,” Mitch began, borrowing Sutton Bryan’s words. “Doesn’t owe you or anyone anything,” he finished, coming to her side.
This humiliation trio just became a two against two quartet.
She glanced at Mitch. He raised an eyebrow mischievously, then scrutinized the water bottle clutched in her hand. He looked from the bottle to the men as if he were assessing the amount of damage it could do to the pricks standing at the order window. Then, casually, as if he hadn’t walked in on her about to assault a customer, he gently removed the bottle from her grip. His fingertips brushed against hers, and her pulse hammered as he allowed his thumb to linger, caressing her wrist. In those fleeting seconds, the electricity hummed between them before he gingerly set the bottle onto the counter.
“I’ve got this,” he said, tossing her a sneaky little wink.
“And who are you?” Sutton Bryan barked. “I’d like to speak with the manager. Are you the manager?”
She pressed her lips together in a tight line. Whatever was about to happen, Sutton Moron Bryan had truly asked for it!
Mitch leaned in toward her jackass of an ex-boss. “I’m the guy who decides if you get one of my sandwiches.”
“You’re the owner?” Sutton Bryan croaked.
Mitch stared the guy down. “Yep.”
“Charlotte works for you?”
“She works with me,” he growled.
Wow!
This whole white knight plus equality thing was really working for her.
Sutton Bryan scoffed. “Good luck with that, man! Charlotte used to work for me, and I’ll have you know that she’s a terrible employee and a thief. She took off with a piece of my property—a very important costume my mother made. I fired her ass not even a week ago,” the bullfrog snapped like a keyed-up Pomeranian.
Mitch crossed his arms, filling the order window. “Is that so?”
“Yeah, she’s the worst! You should fire her before she screws up,” he quipped, then wiped a line of sweat from his upper lip.
Mitch nodded. “I’ll take your opinion into consideration.” He scratched his chin theatrically, then reached for his wallet and pulled a couple of one-hundred-dollar bills out, then slid them across the ledge. “This is for your mom. For the mermaid tail.”
“Um, okay!” the bulgy-eyed man stuttered, confusion marring his stupid froggy face as he accepted the cash.
“And I’ve considered your assessment of Charlotte, and I’ve got a proposition for you,” Mitch continued.
A proposition?
“What’s that?” Sutton Bryan croaked.
“I reject your assessment of Charlotte Ames,” the man growled. “And if you don’t get the hell away from my truck, I will run you over with the damned thing so many times you won’t remember that you have two stupid first names. Got that,Sutton?”
Her jaw dropped.
That escalated quickly! And while she usually wasn’t one for violence. Today, she was totally for Team Escalation!
“You can’t say that! I’m the customer, and the customer is always right,” Sutton Bryan blathered, taking a step back.
“Do you want to test that theory?” Mitch replied, his voice low and menacing. And OMG! Hearing him talk like that did things to her—tingly, lip-biting, breast-heaving things to her.
The blood drained from Sutton Bryan’s face. For a beat, he stood there, frozen like he wasn’t sure if Mitch actually threatened him until her hothead chef lunged forward in a quick burst of movement. Sutton Bryan hopped like a—yep, a bullfrog—before screaming his head off and tearing off down the street.
She watched the guy as he turned the corner and disappeared. “That was—”
“About us hanging out later,” Cliff said, cutting her off. And holy ex-capades! She’d forgotten the guy was there!
“That won’t be happening,” Mitch answered for her.
