Hunted

Chapter 4

Audra's P.O.V. 

"Damn early shifts," I mumbled while slamming my hand down on my nightstand and somehow managing to miss my alarm clock. I groaned while rubbing my sore wrist while my alarm was still going off. 

I unplugged the damn alarm before flipping my head so I faced the other side and was immediately hit by the light coming from the sun. 

"Ugh," I groaned out while hiding my face underneath my two pillows. I understood why Mr. Palmer wanted me to work the earlier shifts at the cafe, but I still didn't like getting up early. 

I listened to everything else in the house, knowing that I would not be able to sleep since I was fully awake after my alarm woke me up. I didn't hear anything throughout the house, meaning that Grayson must already be at work since today was Friday, and that only meant that it was going to get real busy this week. The weekends were always the worse and so packed too. 

I slowly got up before getting ready for work and noticed that my alarm said seven thirty in the morning. I really wanted to groan and complain how I only got roughly three hours of sleep. I would just steal some coffee from the cafe when I got there. Employees can get free coffee or really any drink at any time as long as we're not busy or waiting on a customer. 

I really didn't want to work this early, but I know that Mr. Palmer is expecting me to work earlier shifts since he doesn't want me to close the store anymore or stay out late. 

I yawned while grabbing my big, green, heavy jacket and throwing that on before pulling the hood up and wrapping a black scarf around my neck and cheeks. I locked the door and started walking towards the cafe, praying that it wouldn't be busy, but also knowing that my prays would be on deaf ears. 

As soon as I reached the cafe, I noticed that it was very packed and we were short one staff. I rolled my eyes and started to grumble under my breath about how great it was that these young kids kept calling out and not wanting to work. 

The other workers are scared of me and Grayson since out father is their boss, so they really don't talk to us at all, but if they're not really workers than they try to get on our good side to soften things up with the boss, but that ends up not working either since Grayson and I don't want to work with laziness. 

I walked towards the back while sending some friendly and familiar faces a smile and hung my jacket and scarf up while throwing my hair into a high pony tail and getting my apron on over my white top and black jeans. 

"We've got a full house Audra," Mr. Palmer said while coming up to me. He was dressed in a more business professional look, but he had to be since he was the owner and manager of the place. 

"Did only one call out?" I questioned, curious to know if that's why it was so busy or if we were just short staffed. 

"One person did, and I called in a favor so they should be here to help in the next half hour," Mr. Palmer said while looking at his watch and walking away. I threw him a curious look, not sure who he would have called in for a favor. 

I walked out from behind the doors and started getting customers orders while carrying food and drinks and everything else out. I grabbed crayons and mazes for little kids while their parents talked and ran around the cafe as if I was chasing a chicken through the place. 

I quickly walked to the back while balancing dirty dishes on three different trays. I had a tray in each hand and then somehow managed to get a tray balanced on my head. It also looks a lot harder than it sounds and I don't think none of the other waiters or waitresses can do that. 

I head just taken the one on top of my head off and placed it in the big sink filled with soapy water, before my eyes were suddenly covered. I was pulled into someone and could immediately tell that it was a male, but I knew for a fact that it wasn't Grayson.