Ruben yelled out from the front room. “What’s for dinner?”
Her mother peered at her. “C’mon, Ms. Chef. Show us what you got.”
Grace closed her notebook and stood up. Just before opening the door her mother stopped and turned to her. “Just so you know. I quit my job today. I couldn’t stand that damn manager. Things are gonna get really tight around here, so I’d stop being so picky about where you apply if I were you.”
~*~
Friday nights were especially busy lately. The TGIF specials that Moreno’s offered for happy hour brought in enough business to carry over into the late hours. The newly remodeled sports bar area with the state-of-the-art flat screens that also helped. Sal had hoped to get another bartender hired by this weekend. Unfortunately, the only person he’d interviewed that was even remotely qualified was the Zendejas girl.
Of course, Alex thought Sal was overreacting about her lying on her application. He actually laughed when Sal told him about the other two strikes against her. No matter how trivial Alex thought it was, Sal wasn’t having it. If she was bold enough to lie about her age, no telling what else she’d be willing to lie about. The last thing he needed was to bring someone into the family business with integrity issues.
Truth was, he’d wasted way too much time already thinking about Ms. Zendejas. He’d actually gone back to read her résumé several more times. He’d even considered calling her and asking straight out why she lied. But something told him not to. It was probably better that he just let it go. At twenty-one, she couldn’t have much experience anyway so what difference would it make?
Sal sat back and chewed the end of his pen. With that cute little accent and those hypnotic eyes, she’d be more of a distraction than any help. Nope. He threw her résumé back in the desk file. He was done thinking about her.
“I hope you have some more interviews lined up for today, Sal.” Alex stalked into the back office. “I’m staying tonight to help out at the bar. Luis called in sick again and we were already short.”
Sal winced. The one day he had to leave early, their best bartender calls in sick. “I got a few interviews lined up today.” He turned to Alex, who was busy tying an apron around his waist. “Two of them are for the cook positions. One actually has some experience.”
Alex looked up at him with a frown. “What about the other one?”
Sal shook his head. “Not much, but we’ll see.”
Oscar, one of their newer waiters, flew in the back and stopped when he saw Sal. “Suit and tie again, Sal?” he smirked. “What are you all dolled up for this time?”
Sal had gone against his own rules and hired a friend. Oscar had attended college with Sal for a while, until he got a girl pregnant and had to drop out to work full-time. Sal always knew women would be Oscar’s failing. He went through them like the restaurant went through beans and rice.
There was no way Oscar and this girl would last, even with a baby. Oscar always thought with the wrong head. So, of course, things ended badly between him and the girl. Oscar’s parents said they’d help him out financially, if he went back to school. Having a baby wasn’t cheap, though. He still needed to bring in some more money. That’s when Sal stepped up and offered to let him work at the restaurant part-time.
“I got a meeting with some investors today.”
Oscar continued to gawk, amused. “Ah, so that’s what’s up with the power suits these days.”
“Nah,” Alex added with a smirk. “I think he just likes intimidating potential new hires.”
Oscar started putting on his apron. “Yep, I was totally intimidated when he interviewed me.”
Alex chuckled. Sal rolled his eyes. “Shouldn’t you two comedians be out there already? I thought we were busy.”
Oscar pretended to crack a whip. “See what I mean?” He grinned at Sal. “I’m getting all intimidated again.”
Oscar and Alex walked out of the back office but not before adding a few more wisecracks at Sal’s expense.
By that afternoon, Sal had finally hired a new cook but he wasn’t entirely sure about it. There was one potential bartender but the idiot had forgotten to bring in his certification; otherwise Sal might have had another one ready to hire. He knew Alex was getting desperate for help. The guy’s résumé looked great, but then so had Graciela’s. Sal frowned before dropping the files on the desk in the back.
He grabbed his cell off the desk and rushed out.
“Did you hire anyone?” Alex asked, as he rushed by him.
“We got a cook.” Sal winked, walking backwards. “And maybe a bartender, but he needs to bring in his credentials. I’ll get back as soon as this meeting is over to help out.”
Alex didn’t exactly look thrilled but the relentless scowl softened. Any business owner would feel giddy about the amount of cars Sal saw waiting to make a left turn into their parking lot. But Sal was beginning to worry about being able to handle the kind of business they were generating.
The investors he was meeting with today had mentioned the possibility of opening several more restaurants. He was having a hard enough time getting qualified employees for one restaurant; how in the world would he staff several more?
~*~
Three days had gone by since her interview at Moreno’s and still no call. Grace could kick herself for not jumping at the offer of the bartending position. She was too wound up to appreciate the opportunity Sal had offered. This was the closest she’d been to possibly getting her feet into a kitchen at a restaurant of that caliber.