Read Online The Windfall by Ellie Danes, Lily Knight - Free Book Online
Authors: Ellie Danes, Lily Knight
Ads: Link
menus, my eyes glancing up at the clock. Ten minutes. That’s all I had. “Sure.”
She disappeared through the kitchen doors, and I walked over to the table. Nine minutes. By the time I got their drink orders and delivered them, there were only about five minutes left to take their orders and get them in the system. I did it all in three minutes, taking my last few minutes to put my apron up and grab my bag. I had plans.
“Hey, I’m gone!” I yelled into the kitchen, getting a wave from the cook, Chris, as well as Mary and my replacement for the rest of the evening, Betty. I clocked out. Going into the bathroom, I hurriedly slipped on my bathing suit and threw my shorts on, excitement starting to build in my veins. Surfing was something I’d picked up in my early teens and had never really been able to shake. Now, after each shift, I tried to squeeze in an hour or two on the water. It was the one place I could let go of all the stress of my life. All the worry practically melted away as I slid over the waves. I couldn’t wait.
Throwing my stuff back into the bag, I walked out of the bathroom and ran smack into Betty. “I am so sorry,” I said automatically, catching her before she fell.
“It’s alright,” Betty replied, smoothing her apron nervously. I knew immediately something was up. Betty didn’t hide her emotions too well. “Hey, Emma? Is there any way you can work the lunch shift for me tomorrow? I have a family emergency I can’t really get out of.”
I looked at her, seeing the hesitant smile on her face and knew that she was lying to me . . . again. While Betty was a nice girl, she had a penchant for lying about her reasons she needed to be off work. I’d covered for her numerous times and, while I enjoyed the extra money, the last thing I wanted to see on social media was that she’d lied to me. I’m the kind of person who’d rather she just be up front with me in the first place.
So I called her on it. “Come on, Betty, what’s the real reason?”
Betty bit her lip and leaned toward me, her eyes sparkling. “I have a hot date tomorrow,” she whispered. “To the matinee movie. We’ve been trying to get together for like forever, and this is our only chance this week. I’m sorry I lied about it, but I didn’t think it was a reason you’d want to hear.”
I sighed, knowing Betty’s boyfriend was a brush firefighter who had very limited free time. She was forever talking about his schedule and their lack of time together and my heart softened a little. There was no way I could turn her down. “Fine, yes. I can cover for you.”
“Oh, thank you!” she squealed, throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me. “I swear, any time you need me to cover, you just let me know.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Have a good evening,” I said as she released me. I couldn’t say no. Besides, I could always use the extra money. It was a win for both of us. She walked away to start her shift and I headed outside.
The California sun greeted me as I walked through the parking lot, the sound of the ocean roaring, beckoning me to it. I loved that the bar and grille was across the street from the beach — my absolute favorite place on earth. It was only natural for me to want to work there the first moment I saw the ocean, especially since it made it exceptionally easy for me to surf every day as well.
I walked to my car, a beat up sedan that had seen better days, and reached for my surfboard on the roof, untying the intricate knots before pulling it down. The fiberglass was warm beneath my fingers as I threw my stuff in the passenger seat and shimmied out of my shorts, grabbing my wetsuit and pulling it on over my swimsuit quickly. The light wasn’t going to be around for long, and I wanted to fit in at least an hour before I had to head home.
As luck would have it, my phone started to ring and I was forced to lean my board against the car as I dug into my purse, frowning when I saw the
She disappeared through the kitchen doors, and I walked over to the table. Nine minutes. By the time I got their drink orders and delivered them, there were only about five minutes left to take their orders and get them in the system. I did it all in three minutes, taking my last few minutes to put my apron up and grab my bag. I had plans.
“Hey, I’m gone!” I yelled into the kitchen, getting a wave from the cook, Chris, as well as Mary and my replacement for the rest of the evening, Betty. I clocked out. Going into the bathroom, I hurriedly slipped on my bathing suit and threw my shorts on, excitement starting to build in my veins. Surfing was something I’d picked up in my early teens and had never really been able to shake. Now, after each shift, I tried to squeeze in an hour or two on the water. It was the one place I could let go of all the stress of my life. All the worry practically melted away as I slid over the waves. I couldn’t wait.
Throwing my stuff back into the bag, I walked out of the bathroom and ran smack into Betty. “I am so sorry,” I said automatically, catching her before she fell.
“It’s alright,” Betty replied, smoothing her apron nervously. I knew immediately something was up. Betty didn’t hide her emotions too well. “Hey, Emma? Is there any way you can work the lunch shift for me tomorrow? I have a family emergency I can’t really get out of.”
I looked at her, seeing the hesitant smile on her face and knew that she was lying to me . . . again. While Betty was a nice girl, she had a penchant for lying about her reasons she needed to be off work. I’d covered for her numerous times and, while I enjoyed the extra money, the last thing I wanted to see on social media was that she’d lied to me. I’m the kind of person who’d rather she just be up front with me in the first place.
So I called her on it. “Come on, Betty, what’s the real reason?”
Betty bit her lip and leaned toward me, her eyes sparkling. “I have a hot date tomorrow,” she whispered. “To the matinee movie. We’ve been trying to get together for like forever, and this is our only chance this week. I’m sorry I lied about it, but I didn’t think it was a reason you’d want to hear.”
I sighed, knowing Betty’s boyfriend was a brush firefighter who had very limited free time. She was forever talking about his schedule and their lack of time together and my heart softened a little. There was no way I could turn her down. “Fine, yes. I can cover for you.”
“Oh, thank you!” she squealed, throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me. “I swear, any time you need me to cover, you just let me know.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Have a good evening,” I said as she released me. I couldn’t say no. Besides, I could always use the extra money. It was a win for both of us. She walked away to start her shift and I headed outside.
The California sun greeted me as I walked through the parking lot, the sound of the ocean roaring, beckoning me to it. I loved that the bar and grille was across the street from the beach — my absolute favorite place on earth. It was only natural for me to want to work there the first moment I saw the ocean, especially since it made it exceptionally easy for me to surf every day as well.
I walked to my car, a beat up sedan that had seen better days, and reached for my surfboard on the roof, untying the intricate knots before pulling it down. The fiberglass was warm beneath my fingers as I threw my stuff in the passenger seat and shimmied out of my shorts, grabbing my wetsuit and pulling it on over my swimsuit quickly. The light wasn’t going to be around for long, and I wanted to fit in at least an hour before I had to head home.
As luck would have it, my phone started to ring and I was forced to lean my board against the car as I dug into my purse, frowning when I saw the
Similar Books
