“What is it?” Jan asked with curiosity.
“A company credit card,” Natalie announced. “I ordered it a while ago and it finally came in the mail today. I thought it would make shopping easier for you.”
“Oh wow! Yeah, it will,” Jan agreed, taking the envelope and opening it to retrieve the credit card inside. She peered at it for a minute, a smile tugging at her lips, and then raised her head and arched an eyebrow. “So, my plan worked. I’ve fooled you into trusting me.”
Natalie just laughed and shook her head at the teasing.
“Jan got a company credit card?”
Natalie glanced around with surprise at that question to see Timothy, another employee, now standing behind the counter by the exit, waiting by the cash register. He must have returned in the few minutes that she was gone, but she hadn’t heard the bell ring indicating that the door had opened. It wasn’t the first time that had happened and she looked toward the door with a frown, thinking she needed to test it and see if it was the bell not working or just her being distracted enough not to notice it. If it was the bell, she’d have to fix it, she thought, and then turned raised eyebrows to Timothy.
“The nightcrawler is on the sixteenth hole, so I headed back to sign the guy out on the computer. Then I’ll go out and wait to take the keys and put the golf cart away,” the young man explained, answering her silent question. His word choice brought an immediate scowl to her face.
“Tim, I’ve told you. No nicknames for our clients. If he heard you and was offended, we could lose him as a customer.”
Timothy grimaced and shrugged with unconcern. “Not a biggie. Then we wouldn’t be stuck waiting on him to finish every night, and my Friday nights would stop being ruined. Besides, losing one customer wouldn’t hurt.”
“Oh no?” She arched an eyebrow. “So, if he stops coming, I can just take the money we would have made from him out of your paycheck, then?”
“What? No way! He comes nearly every damned night, and rents a cart every single time. I wouldn’t have any money left in my paycheck if you—” His words died as she nodded solemnly. Looking irritated now, he muttered, “Fine. I won’t call him nightcrawler again.”
“Thank you,” she said quietly.
Timothy nodded resentfully, and then glanced to Jan as she slid the shiny new credit card into her wallet. “So, do I get a credit card too?”
Natalie shook her head. “You don’t need a credit card, Jan does. She shops for the kitchen daily on her way in.”
“I shop for you,” he countered at once. “Just last week you sent me to Home Hardware for that piece for the pump when the water feature broke down.”
Natalie managed not to snap at him for his description of the issue. The water feature hadn’t “broken down,” at least not on its own; he’d helped, but she didn’t bring that up and simply said, “That was the only time you’ve had to go buy something since I hired you two months ago, Tim. And that was only because it was an emergency. One trip to Home Hardware does not mean you need a company credit card.”
“Or maybe you just don’t trust me,” he countered sulkily.
Natalie sighed inwardly at the accusation and the guilt it stirred in her. However, it was only a small bit of guilt, not enough to make her give him a company credit card to prove she did trust him, so she ignored his words and said, “If MacKenzie’s on the sixteenth hole it should be fine to start mowing. Do holes five through ten. Those are farthest away from the last three holes where he is, so the noise shouldn’t bother him. I’ll wait for him to bring the golf cart back, then do the rest.”
Tim was heading out before she’d finished speaking, but hesitated at the door. “I’ll be done before you. Do you want me to help with your holes after I finish mine?”
Natalie shook her head. “I’ll manage on my own. Just clock out when you’re done. It’s Friday night. I’m sure you have better things to do than mow the course.”
“Oh yeah!” he said with a grin. “The Hoffman brothers are having a party, and now I might actually get there in time to have some fun.”
“Good. Go,” she said, and then moved around to stand behind the counter, her gaze sliding over the glass-fronted refrigerators that held the alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks they sold to golfers. She’d have to restock it, as well as the snack stand, which held small bags of chips and such. Then she’d have to close out the cash register before she started to mow.
“You’re too soft.”
Natalie turned to find Jan now leaning against the opposite side of the counter, eyeing her with disapproval.
“Why?” she asked with mild amusement. “Because I’m letting him start mowing before MacKenzie’s completely done the course?”
“That and because you’re only making Tim mow six holes,” Jan said solemnly. “That means you’ll have to mow twelve yourself. It’ll be after midnight before you’re done.”
Natalie managed not to grimace at those words, but knew they were true.
“It’s fine,” she said mildly. “It’s Friday night, let him have fun. Besides, it’s nearly nine thirty. Mia’s gone to bed, Emily’s here to keep an eye on things, so I’m free to mow.”
“Yeah, but after mowing you have to put the equipment away and lock up. It’ll be at least one before you get to bed and I know you get up at six in the morning. You need your sleep, Natalie.”
“I can sleep when I’m dead,” she said lightly, pulling a notepad out from under the counter and starting to write down what was missing from the drink refrigerators and the snack shelves so she’d know what to drag up from the basement where the items were stored.
“Dead might not be that far off if you don’t start taking care of yourself,” Jan snapped with clear frustration. “I know you’re trying to save money for the addition you want to build, but your health is important. I wish you’d hire a couple more guys to handle the mowing.”
Natalie sighed at the oft-repeated argument Jan gave her, and then rubbed the back of her neck to ease the tension tightening her muscles. “It’s the last week of September, Jan. There’s only another month or so left of the season. It’s hardly worth hiring extra help for that short a time.” Turning away from her, she started counting stock and making notes on her pad as she added, “After that, I won’t have to mow anymore and will get loads of sleep.”
Jan snorted. “Bull. Jimmy leaves for basic training at the end of October and I know darn well you plan to make the restaurant’s take-out deliveries yourself rather than hire a replacement for him. You’ll still be up late, just driving a car rather than the light reel mower.”
“Don’t you have a movie to go to?” Natalie asked, hoping to end the lecture.
Jan clucked her tongue with irritation, but did turn toward the door. “Fine. I’ll go, but only because I’m late meeting Rick. I’ll be discussing this with you again tomorrow, though, so don’t think—”
Natalie looked around when Jan’s words died on a sharp gasp. Seeing her staring out the screen door with wide eyes, she frowned slightly. “Jan? What is it?”