Page 3 of Wild Hope
“Do you all know each other around here?”
“You’re lucky Danni picked you up, but I don’t want you hitching again.” Quentin uses his stern big brother voice, but Kendra shakes her head at him.
“I don’t think you can stop me, big brother.”
Quentin turns a shade of purple, and I must look the same. There’s no way I’m letting Kendra hitch a lift ever again. But before he can say anything else, Kendra puts her hand on his shoulder.
“Relax. I’m not going anywhere for a while anyway.”
My heart skips a beat at her words. “You sticking around?”
“Didn’t my brother tell you?” I look to Quentin, but he’s got his eyes on his sister. He didn’t tell me she was coming, and it makes me wonder if he knows how I feel about her. “He said you needed help, and here I am.”
The thought of Kendra working here, working alongside me where I can see her every day, makes my stomach flip.
At that moment one of the prospects walks past, and Quentin picks up Kendra’s bag and hands it to him.
“Show Kendra to her room. She’s taking the blue room upstairs until I can find her a place to stay. First shift’s tonight. If you’re up for it.”
“Sure thing, big bro. Anything to help.” She follows the prospect out the room and I stare after her, trying to process what’s going on.
Kendra is here, she’s staying upstairs, and she’ll be working in my restaurant for the foreseeable future. I’ll get to spend every day with her, to watch her move, to talk and laugh with her.
“Can I count on you?”
I don’t realize Quentin’s been talking to me until he snaps his fingers. “Hey, Hops, where did you go?”
To an alternate universe where I wake up every morning next to your sister. But I don’t say that.
“Sorry bro, just a lot on my plate.”
“I’m on this work trip later in the week.”
Quentin and the Prez are going on a road trip to visit some of our distributors and try to drum up more business. I’m staying behind this time to keep things running.
“I want you to keep an eye on Kendra for me. Help her settle in and make sure none of the guys get any ideas. I love my brothers, but if anyone lays a finger on my sister, they’re out of the club.”
He cracks his knuckles, and his face tells me he’s serious.
“She’s been through enough shit, and the last thing she needs is any grease monkey trying anything with her. I’ll break the nose of any man who so much as asks her the time.”
He slaps me on the back. “Can I count on you to keep an eye on her while I’m gone?”
I swallow hard, swallowing down the brief fantasy of anything I might have imagined for me and Kendra. Quentin’s made it clear; she’s off limits.
“Sure,” I say, trying to smile. “You can count on me.”
2
KENDRA
“Drinks for table nine.”
The bartender moves two wine glasses out of the way to fit the last beer on the tray. I have to use two hands to pick it up and carry it over to the rowdy table in the corner. I take at least a minute to weave between the busy tables, stopping as a woman pushes her seat back right in front of me, nearly spilling the entire tray of drinks.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you.”
“No problem.” I’m the queen of patience, having waitressed across the country for the last six years. It’s all about smiling and waiting and keeping it together no matter what happens.
