Read Online His to Protect: A Fireside Novel by Stacey Lynn - Free Book Online Page B

stand by his side.
    I’d never doubted that saying until now. Trina seemed like a hell of a woman, and proved it all day as I showed her my accounting software and the piles of shit on my desk. Within hours, she’d whipped my office into shape. I planned on paying her for her time, even if I couldn’t afford it.
    “Saturday nights are busy nights,” I said as a knock came on the office door. Moving to open it, I looked back at her. “You’ll hear a lot fucking worse before the night is over.”
    Her lips twitched, like she wanted to add up my tally, but stayed silent.
    Emily stood on the other side of the door, cheeks flushed and eyes wide. She was early for her shift, which wasn’t a surprise, but her pale skin concerned me.
    “What is it?” I asked, opening the door further and letting her in. When she caught sight of Trina sitting at the desk, her eyes widened further.
    “Trina, Emily. You two saw each other yesterday,” I said by way of introduction. As soon as both women said hello, Emily turned to me.
    “I’m so sorry to do this to you,” she said, her hands twisting together. “But I just found out my older sister is in labor. Her baby’s coming three weeks early and her husband is still deployed. My mom is stuck at work, so my sister is headed to the hospital on her own.”
    “Go,” I told her, not needing hear any more. “We’ll figure it out.”
    “Are you sure?”
    I nodded and waved her toward the door. “Do what you have to do. Don’t worry about it.”
    She nodded quickly and exhaled.“Okay. Thank you, Declan. You’re the best.”
    “Just go help your sister.”
    She turned around and hurried out of the kitchen, hitching her purse over her shoulder as she walked away.
    “Shit.” It was thirty minutes before her shift started and it was going to be hell finding a server to replace her on such short notice. Our afternoon server, Maggie, had to head home soon to be with her kids before her husband left for his night shift at one of the auto plants, so she couldn’t stay.
    A snicker behind me caught my attention.
    “So, now that we know you’re good on computers,” I asked, grinning, “any chance in hell you know how to take orders or seat people?”
    Trina rolled her eyes and pushed her chair back from the desk. “When I suggested hanging out here today, I didn’t realize I’d be put to work.”
    It was the first time she’d outright teased me.
    “I’ll pay you. Plus you’ll get to keep whatever tips you make.”
    “It’s not a hardship, Declan. I did do some waitressing in high school, so I’m sure I can figure it out.”
    Pressure eased from my chest at her words. I turned to call out to Maggie.
    “Mags!”
    She slid an order of food onto her large tray and smiled at me. “What’s up, Dec?”
    Trina followed me to the counter. “Trina’s going to help on the floor tonight. Any chance you can show her the computer system and a menu before you go, to give her some time to get comfortable?”
    She smiled easily. “Of course. That’s not a problem at all.”
    While Fireside Grill hadn’t been turning a profit over the summer, I was fucking lucky as hell that I had great employees. All of my people were hard workers and genuinely friendly.
    “Sound okay to you?” I asked, turning to Trina.
    “Yeah.” Her eyes drifted down the length of Maggie’s petite but curvy frame before she looked at me. “I’m not sure I’m dressed right, though.”
    She had a point. Her green tank top and black yoga pants weren’t exactly Fireside Grill material.
    “I’ve got more shirts in the break room. I’m sure one them will look fine with your black pants.”
    “Okay, then.” She turned to Maggie and smiled. “Show me what to do.”
    —
    “Is working in a restaurant always this exhausting and painful?” Trina asked as she stretched her back, hands low on her hips.
    She let out a groan that made me think of a handful of things I could do to get her to make that sound