Growing pains ( Sequel to Life changes )

☆37☆

Jade's point of view

Tonight is a very busy night. Ever since Chloe had taken over this restaurant three years ago and re-decorated the place, a lot of people have made reservations. There are even some regulars from the diner who come here now. Chloe is an amazing boss and always takes care of us. Sometimes helping us with difficult customers and sometimes with our personal lives.

Today it's Monday so I'm the host today. McKenzie and Emilia are pretty close friends and enjoy their working time together. There's always something to laugh about with those two. Lela is our chef tonight and I have to be honest that I think she's a little bit better than our other chef Tony, but I didn't say that obviously. I don't want them to start a fight. John, our bus boy for today, is also very busy because there are not only a lot of people in here tonight but take out is also on a very high track at the moment.

John has to drive all over Staten Island to deliver. Chloe chose not to deliver in Manhattan or up high in New York since it's an hour's drive and the food is cold by the time it gets to the customer.

A group of people comes in, with in front a guy, who's obviously the leader. He struts over to me, followed by his entourage and looks me up and down making me slightly uncomfortable.

,,Good evening, sir." I say politely. ,,Did you have a reservation?" He starts laughing.

,,No and I don't need one. I'm just here to see my sister-in-law." I look at him.

,,I'm sorry but without a reservation I can't help you." He comes closer now.

,,Look girl, this is how it's going to be. You will let me eat here with my friends or I'll make sure to ruin this huge income for my sister-in-law. She won't be happy if there isn't enough money in the cash register, right? And what do you think would happen if she finds the money in your jacket? You don't want to be fired after working here for three years, huh?" I swallow. He's intimidating. I walk over to a menu and hand it over to the guy.

,,Excuse me, sir. Enjoy your dinner." I tell him, he smirks and then walks inside. Immediately McKenzie leads him to one of our booths, but I can't help to let out a shaky breath. What an awful guy and why does he want to see Chloe?

,,Jade, are you alright?" Emilia comes up to me and I shake my head a little. ,,I just came here to tell you not to let anyone in anymore, because every booth is full. But what's wrong?"

,,That guy who just walked in practically threatened me."

,,What?!" She yells and I shush her. ,,Why would he do that?" She whispers now as we both look at the guy with his friends.

,,He didn't have a reservation tonight, so I told him he couldn't dine her. He wanted to see Chloe."

,,Should we go to Chloe?" Emilia asks me, but I immediately shake my head.

,,No, I don't want to distract her. She's probably too busy."

,,Okay, if you're sure. But if I see that guy do something that is inappropriate, I'll go to Chloe myself." She grabs my hands. ,,Don't let anybody in for like an hour, okay?" I nod and watch her go back to McKenzie. She tells McKenzie what happened too by the sight of it and I know it's going to be a long night.

Chloe's point of view

It's been so amazing to be the boss here. Sure, the first year, when we just opened, we didn't have regular customers or busy nights but we have them now. There's even a family that came in the diner every day when I worked there, who are coming in here from now on. Their children are adorable and I've been thinking about adding a playground next to the parking lot, to welcome more children in here and maybe I can take Ryan, Justin, Nola and Hailey here sometime.

Speaking of the new regular customers, I wonder if they're in today and if everything is going great. I get up from my seat and make my way out of my office and into the restaurant. I smile when I see it's a full house tonight and walk over to the kitchen.

,,Got a lot of orders tonight, Lela?" I ask her and she smiles at me.

,,Hell yeah, business is going great tonight. I even heard there's a line at the front, waiting to be seated."

,,Great to hear." I leave the kitchen and continue into the restaurant and make my way around, asking customers if they're okay. I get nothing but praise and I make my way over to Jade, who's trying to entertain the customers who haven't been seated yet. ,,Hey Jade, everything okay up here?" She looks up and holds up her thumbs but something is off with her, so I excuse myself for a moment and take Jade with me to somewhere a little more private. ,,Okay, you're obviously not okay. What's wrong?" I ask her.

,,Your a great boss but I don't want to disturb you with this."

,,Jade, I might be your boss but if someone or something is off, then I want to know so I can help you fix it. Don't be afraid to tell me, okay?" She sighs and then looks down.

,,There was a guy here with a group, asking about you. He wanted to see you, but he didn't have a reservation, so I denied him a place."

,,Who asked for me?"

,,I don't know, he never said his name. He only told me you were his sister-in-law." My eyes widen, knowing exactly who she means.

,,What else did he say?"

,,He threatened me. He told me that if I didn't give him a place tonight, he would steal money and blame me. I'm sorry Chloe, but I had to let him in. I don't want to be fired, I love working here and -" I put my hand up to stop her.

,,Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to fire you, okay?" I give her a quick hug. ,,Now, where did you place him? I would like to speak with him." Jade walks back to the front of the restaurant and points out the booth where he's in. ,,Thank you, you can let people in after I'm done with him." I tell her and then walk over to the booth. ,,Sir, I have been getting complaints about you and I want to ask if you would leave the restaurant." I tell him. He just smirks and looks at his friends.

,,Well, well. Look who's here, guys. Chloe Beale or should I say, Mitchell by now? Love what you did to this dumphole by the way. How's my sister?" Not wanting to answer those questions, I'm continuing my conversation.

,,Sir, you threatened my staff. So, would you be so kind and please leave?"

,,Ignoring me, huh? Well, that won't work. I'm not leaving. I came here for you." I snicker.

,,Oh, really?" He nods. ,,Then tell me, why are you here, Wyatt?" I ask him.

,,I came here to have dinner and see what my sister-in-law had done with the place."

,,I'm not your sister-in-law."

,,Technically you are, but me coming here only for dinner won't suit you."

,,You only come somewhere for your own gain. So," I lower my voice now, not wanting every customer to hear me. ,,stop the bullshit and tell me what you're really doing here?"

,,Right to the point, I like that. I came here to warn you."

,,Warn me? About what?" I think about what he has done to me before. ,,You're not going to set this place on fire, are you?"

,,Lighting this place up? No, that won't do. You ruined my life and the last fire taught me that you would build up a new restaurant. I need to do more and if that means hurting my own sister, so be it."

,,What are you up to?"

,,That's something for me to know and for you to guess." He grabs his bag and orders his entourage to follow him.

,,Wyatt," I say and follow him to the front, wanting this conversation to be private. ,,if you ever threaten my staff members again, I'll make sure to ban you from here. Got it?"

,,Oh, feisty. I like this side of you." He comes in my face now, almost close enough to kiss me. ,,Don't worry about me too much, love." He tells me. ,,I only came here to warn you about Chicago, nothing more."

,,What do you mean?" He doesn't answer me as he raises his hand.

,,Good luck with your restaurant. See you later, hot stuff." He tells me and then he leaves the restaurant. What did he mean by hurting Beca? I'm confused, so I decided to talk to Jade later and to go back to my office.