Making You Mine

Chapter 1 - Part 2

Sal sat in the back room of the restaurant, skimming through the applications from the past week. All of the interviews had been such a waste of time. Alex walked in and dropped a file on the desk.

"Stop being such a hard ass and hire someone already. We need the help."

Sal picked up the file and pulled out the papers. "I'm not hiring just anyone, Alex. They don't have to be the best, but we do have standards."

Ever since they made extensive renovations to their family's Mexican restaurant, including adding a second floor and expanding the bar area, business had been booming. They could barely keep up. In the restaurant business, customer service was crucial. It could make or break you. Sal knew this, but everyone he'd interviewed that week was grossly unqualified.

Word was already getting out that the second generation was taking over the restaurant. They had a reputation to keep up.

"I thought you had school today?"

"I do." Alex rushed by him, digging through one of the drawers in the desk. "I left a book I need here last night."

Technically, his younger brother Alex had taken over the restaurant. But ever since Alex had gone back to school, Sal had offered to help out. Sal had plans to open up a few more restaurants. His youngest brother Angel and his wife ran the second restaurant over on the marina. Sal was more of an overseer of both. He'd finally gotten his master's in business management and had big plans for the family restaurant. For now, those plans were temporarily on hold. That was just until Alex could finish school. In the meantime, he was meeting with potential investors and looking into any and all possible options.

As big and threatening as Alex looked on the outside, he was soft when it came to his employees. Sal knew better. They had to hire quality. In a way, he was glad Alex was too busy to do the interviewing himself.

Alex grabbed the book and rushed out of the office. "I'm out, Sal. I'm late. Hire some cooks already. You're killing me."

Sal nodded, waving him away. His next interview was probably out front, waiting for him. He stood up and walked out the office. He read her application and frowned when he saw the age. Graciela Zendejas, twenty-three. Great. And she was applying for the head-chef position. Yeah, that was going to happen.

There were only customers out front. Sal glanced at his watch. It was ten after two. Her interview was set for two. Strike two. Punctuality was a must. If this girl couldn't even make the interview on time, how was he supposed to take her seriously? Everyone else he'd interviewed had either been on time or early.

Sal stopped at the refrigerator behind the bar and pulled out an energy drink. He'd just taken his first sip when he saw the young girl walk in the front door. He could only assume this was his next interviewee. Her application said twenty-three, but she hardly looked it. Maybe this was someone else.

She had to be here for an interview because she held some kind of paperwork in her arm and seemed a bit lost. She wasn't as professionally dressed as some of the other interviewees, but at least she'd worn a dress. A loose, unflattering one but it would do. Her hair was in a tight bun, and she wore glasses, the dark-rimmed kind, that only teachers and older women wore. He jotted three words down: trying too hard.

Even though she was late, she didn't seem to be in much of a hurry. She strutted in as if she owned the place. The hostess at the front turned to Sal after the girl stopped to ask her something. Sal nodded and waved her over to a corner booth. He walked over, already expecting another frustrating interview. Alex wouldn't be happy.