I gripped his hand in mine just as he spoke. “I’m Mr. Clermont. It’s nice to meet you, Josie.”
Shit. This was Beck’s dad. “It’s nice to meet you too. I didn’t mean to interrupt you all.”
“You’re not interrupting.” He sounded so sincere. “I was actually looking forward to meeting you. Your father called me a few moments ago to let me know you’d be working with us.”
I bit down on the inside of my bottom lip to stop myself from screaming. Of course he had. “I’m sorry. He shouldn’t have bothered you.”
He cocked his head to the side slightly, studying me with a warm smile on his face. “It’s no bother. I’m glad I could be here to meet you when you arrived.”
I shifted on my feet, nervous because I had no idea what I was supposed to say. I doubted it was customary for the owner to come out to meet the new server. The kings rarely came out to greet the help. “I appreciate it.”
“Your father said he didn’t want you to get a job, but you’re stubborn.”
“He has no room to talk.” If my father screwed this up for me, I would be pissed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No.” He chuckled as he shook his head. “He certainly doesn’t. He also tried to talk me out of giving you this job.”
I went stock-still because I knew what would happen next. If I hadn’t already wanted to kill my father, I certainly did now.
“But I told him he could kick rocks.”
I couldn’t stop the small snort that left me. I doubt anyone typically talked to my father in that sort of way.
“So, I get to keep the job?” I asked hesitantly as I looked between them.
“Of course, you do. Your dad is an old friend, but he doesn’t get to tell me who I can and can’t hire.”
I could have sworn there was a small shift in his eyes when he called my father a friend, but the people here didn’t feel the same for my father as I did.
They worshipped him and used his friendship to their advantage.
“Thank you.” I was sincere. My father held the power over everything in my life, and I didn’t know what would happen if he was to use that power against me. My chest felt like it would collapse when I thought of him having my mother’s house, but I would survive. It was just a house. Just things.
None of it really mattered.
Not when she was already gone.
“If you need anything, let me know.” He patted my shoulder as he walked by me, and he smelled like old leather and warmth.
He smelled like a man who had worked very hard for the things he had.
“I will. Thank you.”
I looked back to Jack, and he looked annoyed. He probably thought I was some spoiled little princess who needed her daddy to get me a job, and I hated that my father had given him that impression of me.
“This way.” He nodded his head toward the kitchen, and I followed him silently. We made our way into the serving area where everyone seemed to be waiting on him.
Jack started going over the chef specials for the day, reading them from a fancy menu in his hand, and I tried to memorize everything he was saying.
He pointed to the girl about my age who stood across from me with her long blonde hair in a ponytail. “This is Allie. Allie, this is Josie.”
She smiled at me, and I smiled back even though I could feel everyone else’s eyes on me.
“You’ll be training with Allie this week. She’s one of the best servers we have.”
Allie smiled brighter, and if anyone else cared about what he said they didn’t show it. Instead, they all looked bored and ready to get this small meeting over with.
I tried to pay attention as Jack droned on and on about the happenings of that day, but it was difficult. I was too busy trying to take in every detail about the people around me. They weren’t exactly what I had expected.
They didn’t seem like the pretentious assholes I thought they’d be.
Like the people at that party.
Well, except for Jack.
He finished talking, and I shifted on my feet. Allie waved at me with a smile that was the most genuine thing I’d seen since I arrived in this town. She leaned against the drink station as soon as Jack walked away. “Jack is kind of a douchebag.”
I snorted out a laugh. “He always like that?” I looked over my shoulder to make sure he was long gone.
“Yeah. Or worse. Don’t worry, the rest of us are cool.”
She pulled two aprons off a shelf and handed me one. “Come on. Let me show you where to put your bag.”
I followed behind her and listened as everyone said their hellos. Allie was clearly liked, and I wondered how long she had worked here. She couldn’t be much older than me.
“How long have you worked here?” I finally asked her as I helped her prep for lunch.
She handed me a knife, and I set it at the place setting like she had shown me.
“Since I was fifteen.” She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “I work a lot more during the summer. Not so much once school starts. Clermont High isn’t too bad though. I still have time to study and work.” She laughed and I winced. “What?” She looked at me curiously.
“I’m going to Clermont Bay Prep.”
“By choice?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the look on her face. “No. My dad is making me.”
“I’m sorry.” She seemed sincere, and that only served to jack up my anxiety about the school year. “It’s not that bad.”
I made a face showing just how little I believed her, and she laughed.
“There are a few cool people, but most of them are…” She looked like she was searching for the right word, so I helped her.
“Rich assholes?”
“Exactly.” She snapped her fingers. “We already have to wait on them hand and foot here. I couldn’t imagine having to go to school with them too.”
“I’m not looking forward to it.” I followed her as we carried the silverware to the next table. At least I would have Lucas. Even if I knew no one else there, I would have him.
“There are some really hot guys though.” She fanned herself. “A lot of them are members here. You’ll see.”
All I could think about was Beck.
I followed her through the rest of the setup, and I couldn’t stop the anxiety from rising as I thought about school. It was only a few weeks away, and I was supposed to be having the most fun year of my life. Instead, I would be spending my senior year with people who meant nothing to me.
With people who hated me for nothing.
Not that the people back home had meant much to me either. I had shut them all out once Mom got sick, and I barely knew any of them anymore.
And they certainly didn’t know me.
Not the real me.
I barely knew who the real me was anymore.
I didn’t know who I was without my mom.
I followed Allie’s every move as patrons started rolling in. It was mostly men who were there to discuss business or who were there to talk shit while they golfed. They mostly talked business, sometimes about their wives, others about their mistresses. While I was shocked by it all, Allie seemed completely unfazed.
They talked as if we weren’t even there. As if our presence was completely inconsequential, and I guess it was.