Grabbing Hold (The Motorcycle Kid #1)

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Ryder officially finished his training late Friday night when Matt had him on coffee and drinks for approximately four hours. He was exhausted, but so were all the customers he'd managed to serve since the evening rush.

Charlotte had worked out his schedule in a such a way that he ended up working the morning shift with Emma and Denise on Mondays and Thursdays, afternoon shifts from twelve thirty till five thirty with Dana and Shirley on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and night shifts with Matt, Naiomi and Lynn from five thirty till ten thirty on Wednesdays and Fridays. Night shifts were the busiest, and even though the hours were the same, rush hour meant more tips. Because Ryder was a trainee, though, he wouldn't get a paycheck till next week.

Once he joined the temporary staff, he'd get two days off each week, as long as he let Charlotte know a week in advance. He planned to take full advantage of the time off, plus the complimentary daily beverage package.

Ryder wiped the sweat from his forehead as he mopped the day's dirt from the cobblestones.

"So, training week's over. Ready to make some actual cash?" Matt asked, wiping down the tables.

"I've been ready since day one," Ryder muttered, checking his watch. 22:11.

"It'll get easier, man."

"Yeah."

"How'd you get stuck in this place?"

"Huh?" The question caught Ryder off guard. He gripped the mop handle tighter.

"What are you doing in Misty Vale?"

Ryder swallowed, biting back a potentially nasty response.

"I'm on vacation."

"Here?" Matt gawked in disbelief. "Most people don't even know there's a town called Misty Vale."

Well, most people don't discover estranged relatives out of the blue either. All in a day's work, eh?

"I have family here."

"Oh yeah," said Lynn from behind the counter, where she methodically stacked cutlery. "You're a Joseph, right? Family to Miss Tulesa?"

"In theory."

"And your mom's the one that ran off pregnant all those years ago? I think so, you know. My Nan talks about it a lot-"

"Hasn't anyone ever taught you people to mind your own business?" Ryder bit out.

"It's just a question-"

"It's one question too freaking many."

"Why are you so uptight?!" Lynn demanded. "It's just a question!"

"Why does everyone in this town make it their business to try to figure me out?!"

Ryder breathed heavily before meeting their eyes. Their faces were white with shock.

"Look, I'm not from around here, okay? In not used to people trying to get all up in my grill. So tell you what, you stop asking so many damn questions, and I won't act like an asshole. Deal?"

Matt scoffed. "I get the feeling you're an ass either way."

"You don't know me."

"That's probably for the best," he muttered. "Get out of here. We've got it handled."

"Fine."

Tucking the broom back into the closet, Ryder headed into the locker room, where he pulled off his half-sweaty Beans n' Stuff T-shirt. His locker was empty except for a fresh T-shirt and a travel mug, the latter compliments his new emloyers. Still angry, he threw his name tag inside the locker and slammed it shut, taking the key.