#Chapter 20 – Accepting Help
Abby

“Stop joking around,” I say, placing my empty glass on the ground. “This is serious.”

“I’m not joking.”

We stare across the room at each other. I kind of want to laugh, but something tells me he wouldn’t

appreciate that. Still, there’s no way he’s going to come into my restaurant and work in the back. He

might think he wants to help, but I’m not sure he knows what that job actually entails. Plus, it’s not like

he has tons of free time on his hands. He’s an Alpha. Even if the pack is in a better position, there’s still

a million things he has to do on a daily basis.

“Okay, whatever you say,” I answer, opting for levity.

He frowns, a determined look on his face. “Why won’t you let me help you?”

“I just don’t think you understand what you’re saying.”

He rolls his eyes. “I understand perfectly fine, thank you.”

I can tell I’ve offended him a little, but I don’t feel all that bad about it. I need real help. Actual

employees. Not my ex-husband stacking dishes in the back. I doubt he’s cleaned a dish in his life.

“I just don’t think you have the time.”

“I know what I have time for and what I don’t,” he answers. “And I’m no stranger to hard work.”

“Well, Ethan and I are going over everything at the restaurant tomorrow. So, if you still want to help,

you can show up sometime in the morning.” I don’t expect him to show up at all. “Fine,” he says,

leaning back in his chair with a self-satisfied smile. “Then I’ll see you there.”

Ethan watches me finish my second coffee of the morning, a look of concern on his face. After last

night’s debacle, I’m both hungover and exhausted. By the time I went to bed, I had maybe four hours of

uninterrupted sleep before I had to wake up and drag myself over here.

If this headache isn’t a sign that I shouldn’t drink that much ever again, then I don’t know what is.

“We need to get up and running before those negative reviews have time to fester,” I say.

The most important thing is that I get ahead of the competition. I can’t disappear completely, and just

recede into the background. If I’m going to maintain my position as a must-go spot, then I need to

reopen immediately.

restaurant manager on the spot, a

of experience yet,

Especially after what

have total faith he’ll step up to the task. He’s already proven a delight to

employees

sometimes, but it hasn’t

and he seems to work around the pain. And now that he’ll be spending

shifts will be easier for

is.

is getting new people,” he says. “We

When we got here, we started by taking stock of the food and

a nervous sweat. If I don’t hire new people soon, I’m

to hire staff on an expedited basis,” I say,

some people don’t

to be

“I agree.”

the front desk taking reservations and greeting customers. I’ll work back

chef. If we can get a few good waiters and a decent

“Exactly.”

the front door,

it,” I say when I see him start to

nods and sinks back into his chair. I cross the restaurant floor and unlock the door.

sunglasses on. His business suit

two coffees on it.

and Ethan,” he says,

surprised he remembered Ethan’s name. He’s

Alpha. He remembers people even if

work for him,

aside, and he slips past me into the

say, turning to face him. I don’t bother to hide

his pocket, looking around at the desolate

reply, and he picks it up, giving

slightly away, and I give him his privacy. I can still hear

like

don’t have time to take on another job right now,” he says. There’s a muffled response on the

but I still don’t have the time. I’ll call you

“Last I checked, I’m your boss. If I want your advice, I’ll ask for

My eyebrows shoot up.

bye.” He hangs up, turning to face

I ask, even though I already know the answer. Her smug smile

did flashes across my mind. The memory of it

“Sounds like there’s something else

shakes his head.

Alpha, not a cook or a waiter or even

during a dinner rush? It’s not exactly fun

“I think you need to get your priorities straight,” I grumble, walking

his coffee. Three in the span of a few hours probably

I need the

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