I finally make it back to the restaurant, my boss Gale waiting for me in front with her arms crossed. "Do I want to know why you're dripping wet?" she asks.
"I don't think so," I admit, clenching my teeth in the form of a smile.
Despite how it looks, I tried my very best to dry up, but partially soaked hair and wrung up clothes was the best that I could do.
Gale huffs and places her hands on her hip. "Listen, Remi, if you're not going to take this job seriously, I can find someone who will."
"Gale, it won't happen again," I promise, and she looks me over.
"It better not," she says before walking away.
Veronica comes over to me, pointing her thumb backwards. "What was that about?"
"Three words: Brooks Motherfuckin' Caldwell."
She immediately scans the room. "Where is that piece of shit?"
"If he knows what's good for him, hopefully far, far away." I close my eyes and look up at the ceiling. "Ugh, I'm so ready for this day to be over with."
"Girl, me too. Which reminds me, did you hear about the bonfire thing tonight?"
"What bonfire thing?"
"Guess not," she says. "I don't know. I overheard some girls talking about a bonfire on the beach."
"Here?" I ask, pointing down to the floor.
"Yeah."
"Veronica," I sigh, "we're employees at Meadows, not members. We can't go to that." She looks at me with astonishment, so I ask, "what's with the face?"
"Since when are you Miss Follow The Rules?"
"Uh," I look at the pretend watch on my wrist, "since about 3 minutes ago when Gale was on the verge of firing me."
"Damn, was she really? What the eff did Brooks do to get you into that much trouble?
I gesture to my wet uniform. "That answer it for ya?"
"I mean, I have so many more questions now..."
"Don't bother," I state, swiping my hand in the air. "Long story short, I shoved him, he grabbed my hand, we fell into the pool."
"That sounds...romantic."
I squint my eyes and look at her in amazement. "You and I live in different worlds, babe. It was anything but. I won't let Brooks Caldwell be the reason why I lose my job."
"Rem, let's be real, you don't even really need this job."
"What do you mean?" I ask, her words catching me by surprise.
"I mean, it's not like your family's struggling to make ends meet."
I look at her in a somewhat offended manner, but then mask my expression and change the subject.
"We should probably finish up the rest of these orders," I say, holding up my notepad, but she looks at me with skepticism.
Little does she know, I'm not as fortunate as she thinks.
YOU ARE READING
Under the Stars (Sequel to Across the Pond)
Romance*The sequel to Across the Pond* Brooks Caldwell is the bane of my existence. Has been ever since I've known him. And, of course, luck would have it that I'm forced to spend my entire summer in his presence when I'm offered a job at the posh country...
