On the Rocks (Mixology #2)(13)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

I waited by the front door for Maddy. A minute later she walked down the stairs two at a time. She was dressed in a black skirt and black Surfside Grille t-shirt. “Sorry.”

“That’s fine, I haven’t been waiting long.”

“I assume you want to drive over.” Maddy had finally gone home to get her car from her parents’ house, but she sometimes still rode her bicycle to work. She was like that; she wanted to do things her way.

I smoothed out my skirt. “I don’t think this outfit and a bike would work well together.”

She laughed. “I realize that not everyone prefers riding a bicycle to driving a car.”

She seemed to have mastered the art of biking in a skirt. I wasn’t there.

“I’d be up for it once in a while, but not for an interview, or whatever this is.”

“Relax.” She gave me an understanding look. “Max is a sweetie. He’s not going to grill you or anything.” Maddy always talked fondly about her boss, but I didn’t know him. I was usually good at staying calm, but I really wanted this job to work out.

In the end I drove, which was fine with me. Sometimes driving, even a short distance, helped me keep my mind off things. I needed the interview to go well. I was so close to buying myself an entire summer away from my family—away from Kim.

All too soon I pulled into the lot of the Grille. I drove around to one of the far spots where the employees usually parked. Maybe I was jumping the gun on that, but I wasn’t going in as a customer. Besides, I drove Maddy in, and she worked there.

The restaurant was mostly empty. The Grille had a lunch crowd, but by four o’clock in the afternoon those diners had left. All that remained were a sprinkling of customers mostly just enjoying drinks.

I followed Maddy down past the restrooms to an employee only area. She knocked on the doorframe of an office. “Hey, Max.”

A man probably in his fifties or so with slightly graying hair glanced up from his desk. “Hey, Maddy. Is this the friend you mentioned when you called earlier?” He smiled at me.

“Yeah, this is Carly.”

Max stood up. I didn’t know much about him other than he was supposed to be a really good boss. He held out his hand. “Max Bankwell, nice to meet you.”

“Carly Morris.” I accepted the handshake.

“I’m guessing she’s related to your boyfriend then?” Max looked to Maddy.

She smiled. “She’s his little sister.”

He turned back to me. “How little? Are you twenty-one?”

“I’m twenty-two.” For some reason twenty-two sounded so much older than twenty-one.

“Do you have any work experience?”

“Lots of babysitting and I worked at a store once.”

He chuckled. “You want to hostess?”

“That’s probably what I’d prefer.” Really I would have taken anything, but greeting people and making sure I seated them right sounded like a good job for me.

“Great. When can you start?”

I blinked a few times. Was I imagining things or did the guy just offer me the job. “Excuse me?”

“When can you start?”

“Anytime…” I looked at Maddy. She just smiled.

“Are you free tonight?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m free.”

“Ok. I’ll get the paperwork together and then we’ll get you started.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes. I was going to have to put one of my waitresses on it tonight. Looks like I won’t have to.” He smiled. “Nice to have you on board, Carly.” He looked at Maddy. “Want to find Carly some shirts before you get to work?”

“Sure,” Maddy quickly agreed. “Mary used to be a hostess here, right? Maybe she can show Carly the ropes?”

“Great idea. Here.” He shoved some papers in front of me. “You don’t happen to have your social security card on you, do you?”

“Uh, I do.” I’d brought it down with me just in case. I pulled it out and handed it to Max. He put it in one of those combination printer/copier things and handed it back to me. I looked down at the papers and quickly filled in my information. Everything was happening so fast. I handed over the forms.

“Welcome to the Surfside Grille family.” He shook my hand again.

Maddy took my arm gently and led me to another room. “Here’s the break room.” She went into a closet. “Are you a small or medium?”

“It depends.” I didn’t want to be difficult, but it was all about how tight across the chest a shirt was.

“I don’t see any mediums, so try the small.” She tossed a black t-shirt at me.

I glanced around, and satisfied we were alone I pulled off my top and put on the t-shirt over my black bra. It fit snuggly, but I had a feeling it looked good.

“Colin’s going to pass out if he sees you in that one. Want to try a large? It’s going to be big though.”

“No, I’d rather not look silly.” I’d swim in a large.

She shrugged. “Well, you’re not working for tips, but the male customers will be friendly with you.”

“Oh, yeah. No tips.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not like you have to stay as a hostess the whole summer.”

“Okay. I’m just glad to have a job.”

“Let’s find Mary and get you started then.”

“Thanks.”

***

Mary was in her mid-twenties, and she had this giant smile that immediately put me at ease. So far everyone I’d met at work had been insanely nice to me, and I was just waiting for the other shoe to fall. There are always a few bad apples in the mix.

“I’ll leave you in good hands.” Maddy patted my shoulder before walking off. Mary showed me where everything was kept, and how to decide what sections to seat people in. The seating chart was pretty self-explanatory, and the entire training session took less than ten minutes. After showing me where they stored the crayons for the kids she took a seat on a stool.

“So you’re Colin’s little sister, huh?” Mary reached underneath the large table and pulled out some menus.

“That’s one of my titles.”

“He’s a nice guy.”

“I’m glad you think so. He’s a cool brother.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “So I’m dying to know, is he going to pop the question to Maddy soon?”

“Maybe.” I smiled to myself. I guess everyone knew how much Colin loved her.