Cash (Hawthorne Brothers Romance) Read Free

just to hopefully skip past it. I was convinced the city planners made the roads as some kind of sadistic joke years ago. Traffic had never been good here, at least that was what old-time residents had told me, and I definitely believed them. It was like the planners sat there and wondered how they could make things incredibly miserable for people, and the roads were the answer. I was sure that other cities, other big cities, didn’t have it this bad. You almost needed to nab a priest for the trip just to say a prayer and spritz you with holy water in case you died en route.
    I listened to the radio on my way there, a classical station, which wasn’t what most people would expect of me. I loved rock music and even some rap and hip-hop, but I didn’t need to get amped up before going into work. Besides, I had a habit of whispering lyrics to myself, and the songs that were popular today didn’t exactly have great lyrics for trying to earn a fat tip. Maybe in some biker dive bar, but not where I worked. 
    My usual spot next to the dumpster was available so I parked in back, squeezing my small Honda in and doing a kind of twist to get out without hitting my door against the chipped green hunk of metal next to me.
    “You’re early,” Kieran, a coworker, said, as he sat out back smoking a cigarette.
    “Had to beat traffic,” I said.
    “Yeah, it’s pretty bad today. I’m leaving soon and was just checking the report,” he said.
    “Are there a lot of reservations tonight?” I asked.
    “Oh yeah,” he said.
    “Shit,” I replied.
    “More tips, though,” he said.
    “Also more work,” I replied before going inside to drop off my things.
    We had lockers in the back, albeit small ones, that we decorated and made our own. Mine had some stickers from a dollar-store coloring book I bought for fun. A few of them were bubbling and peeling off from the heat of the kitchen. 
    I pulled an apron off the shelf, tying it around my waist and putting my order book and pens in the front pocket before looking in the mirror and making sure I looked presentable. We always had to be checked by management before stepping foot onto the floor for the night. Something about having the same, great experience for guests every single time or something like that. 
    “Hey Matt, I’m ready to go out for my shift,” I said, peeking into the office.
    “Okay, let me do the check,” he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin and standing up.
    I stood still as he made sure my shirt was pressed, tucked in, and my hair was back and in place. I showed him my nails, always having to be clean, though mine were painted, a nude color of course. I was pretty sure I’d be fired if I came in with any kind of exaggeration on them. 
    “You look good. I’ll put it in the book,” he said, going back inside.
    I walked out onto the floor and checked with the front to see what section I was in and how many tables I was taking over tonight. I had five, which was about the most I ever wanted to do at one time. I’d probably only have to do ten tables tonight, maybe eleven, but each would leave a tip of thirty to fifty dollars, unless I got really lucky and got some kind of big spender. Celebrities, athletes, and media executives had been known to come in and drop a big amount for a fun night. My highest tip yet was two hundred. 
    I hadn’t yet been seated, which was okay, as the restaurant wasn’t too busy, but the rush was close to starting. 
    I just hoped I had a good night tonight.

Chapter Three
     
    Cash
     
    “Hey guys, what’s going on?” I asked, as a few of us from the set went up to waiting fans outside.
    “I’m such a huge fan!” a young woman, maybe twenty, said. She was wearing a promotional shirt from the first movie.
    “Thank you so much for supporting us. What’s your favorite part of the movie?” I asked as I took out a pen to sign autographs.
    They all started chiming in as I nodded, smiled, and continued to sign. I wasn’t