Hustle Me (Bank Shot Romance #1)(12)
Author: Jennifer Foor

A lanky guy that was in early stages of a blonde receding hairline leaned against the counter. "Hey, what can I get ya?"

"I um, saw that sign in the window and wanted to know what kind of help you’re looking for." He has a voice like a fifty year old chain smoker. As he leaned against the bar, I noticed that his arms were covered in tattoos. They used to scare me when I was little, but now that I was an adult, and had some of my own, I thought they were sexy. His however, were not the sexy kind. They were the kind that someone had done by a friend with an ink pen, or maybe while he was in jail.

"I need a short order cook, like yesterday. Do you have any experience?"

He smiled and I noticed one of his front teeth were chipped. "I worked at a burger joint. I think I can handle some bar food."

I gave a half smile. "Can you start today?"

"Hells yeah!" He rubbed his hands together. "Just show me what to do and I’ll be on this shit."

He was enthusiastic, that was for sure. I held my hand up to keep him from walking behind the bar. "Wait! I need you to fill out some forms first. Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" I had to ask. I didn’t want to die.

He put his head down and clenched his jaw. "It was a long time ago. Me and my buddies stole cars. I spent two years in the joint. Look lady, I got kids and a girlfriend at home. This job would really help me out. I will bust my ass for you if you just give me the chance."

I held out my hand. "My name’s Charlie. Just fill out the application and I will show you where to get started."

Yeah, it was probably a mistake, but I was such a sucker for someone with a child now. I hated foster care and if I could prevent a child from being separated from his family, I was going to do it.

"Shaun. Thank you so much for this."

After showing Shaun around the kitchen, I got busy in the front of the bar. Ryan finally came out of hiding and gave him a quick hello before playing at my feet, where patrons couldn’t see him. Our lunch rush wasn’t too bad, but those who did eat seemed to be happy with their food.

I was feeling good for a change, like maybe if Shaun would work out, it would give me more time to do other things.

I missed Zach and Elle so much. I never thought I’d say that about Elle, but it was the truth. She had offered to come by and start helping me out. I think she had this plan to get more people to come in on the weekends. I didn’t know how she was going to do it, but if anyone had the resources, it was her.

Shaun had to leave at six to get his kids from daycare, so I asked if he could stick around while I took an order for a vendor out back. Of course, I brought Ry with me, just in case he was some kind of ra**st criminal. I know, I should have done some kind of background check, but desperate times call for desperate measures and if the darn lawyers didn’t locate that guy John Thomas and find a buyer for this place, me and Ry would have to figure out another game plan. I couldn’t run this bar forever by myself. I didn’t have a clue how I was doing it.

Some days I wish I would have walked away from the tavern, but each time I looked at my brother, I knew I made the right choice. I looked down at the little guy. "So, what do you think of Shaun?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "His teeth are ugly."

"Is that it?"

"He whistles a lot." His legs were moving back and forth as he sat on the boxes.

I laughed. "Do you think he will do good cooking in the kitchen?"

He shrugged again. "My dad always said to be nice to people, even when they aren’t nice to me."

I hated hearing him praise the man that haunted my dreams, but I understood that he loved him. "So, we should give him a chance?"

"Yes, but only for three years."

I laughed again. "Do you even know how long three years is?"

He put up his hands. "No, is it a long time?"

"You’re four years old and three is one less than you."

"I meant five minutes then."

I laughed again and got him down from the box. "Got it boss man."

"My dad used to call me that." I saw his face get sad.

I held his hand as we walked back out to the front of the bar. "I know you miss him."

"Yeah, but I like having a sister."

I knelt down in front of him and touched his chest where his heart sat. "Dad is always in here, you know. He’s always in your heart. I’m sure he’s watching you right now and can’t get over how brave you are."

"He’s watching you too, Charlie. That’s what dads do."

It was easier to just agree with him. "Yeah, he’s watching us both."

I noticed new faces at the bar and also tripped over my own two feet as I went running toward Zach. I hadn’t seen him in weeks and missed him terribly. He had a job and attended school full time, so driving thirty minutes to hang out, just wasn’t realistic. His arms wrapped around me. "Wow, I think you missed me," he teased.

I pressed my lips against his. "I did."

He put me down and turned to kneel in front of Ryan. "Hey, kiddo. What’s new with you?"

"Charlie says I’m the boss now. Are you eating dinner with us?" Ryan loved seeing Zach. I think he loved it because he’d always been around guys. Zach represented someone I couldn’t be.

"Well, boss man, is it okay with you if I stay?"

He turned and whispered to me. "Can he?"

"I guess he can," I teased. "Why don’t you and Zach head upstairs? I need to see my new employee out and get some things cleaned up.

Zach leaned over toward my ear. "How about I feed this guy and get him in bed, then I will come help you close up the bar around eleven and we can have some catch up time?"

He reached his hand up and caressed my breast while Ryan wasn’t looking. I nodded right before I watched them disappear up the stairs.

I was so excited about Zach being upstairs that nothing else seemed to matter to me. I let Shaun go so he could get his kids, then I waited for the happy hour folks. Luckily, it was a Monday and it was dead. By nine p.m., I was locking the doors and turning off the lights. Maybe it was bad business to close early, but I was busting my ass. I dropped out of school, left my friends and had no social life at all. That didn’t even touch the surface to my failing sex life. With Zach upstairs waiting to satisfy my every need, I wasn’t wasting any more time. The only business I was willing to do was the kind that happened in the sheets.

So, things didn’t exactly go as planned when I got upstairs. Zach’s brown hair was disheveled and he was sprawled out on the couch, snoring. Ryan was sitting on the floor in pajamas playing with a truck. I ran my hands through my long hair and squatted down to face my brother. “What happened up here?”