An Unexpected Hunger Read Online Free PDF Page B

requirements and introduced to me to the kitchen crew. Joe was the head cook, followed by Cesar the short order cook. They nodded and smiled, each one wearing black Mug tee shirts and black and white checkered chef pants.
    “ Mike comes in sometimes to help out,” she said.
    B eing in the kitchen sent shivers down my spine. My eyes darted from the grill to the fryer then back towards the swinging double doors. Everything seemed to be moving all at once, and I tried to pay attention to what Casey was saying through all of the distractions. I felt my heartbeat thump in that familiar way while I did my best to take nice even breaths. Knowing that I only had to be back here in short bursts of time kept me from having to fight off a full blown anxiety attack. This wouldn’t be easy, but it was manageable.
    By the end of the night, I had made about a hundred dollars in tips as I secretly counted the cash in the bathroom. I stuffed it in a nice neat roll back into my apron and let my hair loose, feeling it fall free around my neck.
    I headed back to put the chairs on the tables so Jesus, the dishwasher, could mop the floors. Mia sat behind the bar closing down the register while Casey hopped on top of it and started to text on her phone.
    “Get your ass of f my bar!” I heard a voice boom from the front door.
    In walked Ricky, wearing sweatpants and a white tee shirt, looking every bit as good as he did the other night.
    “Oh , please,” Casey called back, hopping off. “Like you haven’t done worse on here.”
    I cringed at her response, trying not to imagine what she meant.
    Ricky ignored her comment and headed straight to the back office. After I had finished refilling the sugar packets and salt and pepper shakers, I walked over to Mia to make sure it was okay to leave.
    “Sure,” she said with a smile. “Do you need a ride home?”
    Yelling emanated from Ricky’s office, and my eyes glimmered in that direction, distracting me from answering Mia’s question.
    “Don’t mind him,” she said. “He’s probably talking to my dad.”
    Ricky and Mia’s dad was well-known around town. He ran out on them while we were in high school when their mom had become sick with cancer for the second time.
    “I didn’t know you guys still talked to him.”
    “We don’t,” she said. “But he calls Ricky every once in a while to ask for money. It’s pretty lame.”
    I watched Ricky as he paced back and forth i n his office. He finally hung his cell phone up and tossed it on his desk. He eyes flickered over at me, and I quickly looked the other way, knowing he caught me staring.
    “Mia!” Ricky called from his office. He looked to Mia and then back at me, a confused expression spreading across his face.
    “What?” Mia called back annoyed. She had been in the middle of counting money and paused for a second, trying to remember where she left off.
    “Where’s Toni?” he asked, walking towards the bar.
    I suddenly felt self- conscious, wishing I could slip under the stool, unnoticed.
    “She quit ,” Mia replied.
    “What …when?” he asked, surprised.
    “Two days ago. I told you that. ”
    “Dammit,” he grumbled , heading back to his office.
    “Well , if you stop sleeping with them,” Mia muttered under her breath.
    Ricky glared at me. “Have you even waitressed before?”
    “Not exactly,” I said. “But it’s not exactly rocket science.”
    He rolled his eyes , and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Well…that’s wonderful.” He turned to Mia. “Stop hiring people behind my back.” She rolled her eyes back at him and shook her head as Ricky stomped back into the office.
    I took that as my cue and undid the knot of my apron. I grabbed the order book I was assigned, dreading having to go into the office to put it back in its place. I approached the room slowly, trying to subtly clear my throat to announce my arrival.
    Ricky sat behind his desk, his eyes peeled on the computer. I said nothing as I reached