Of Love and Corn Dogs Read Online Free PDF Page B

and moved toward him. “Mr. Kincade, I’m sorry about what happened. We’ll pay to have the suit cleaned, of course.”
    She reached out and put her hand on his arm, and Darwin glared at it. She thought the gesture gave her the upper hand. Not this time, though. Not by a long shot.
    Â 

Chapter Three
    Ricky pulled his clothes from the locker and began stripping off his uniform. With each piece he took off, he imagined a weight being lifted. While he’d enjoyed the money he’d made, he had to admit the job wasn’t really something he could see himself doing for a career. He had dreams, and he would bust his ass to see them realized.
    â€œI’m sorry about this, Rick,” Carter murmured.
    Ricky turned to his…former coworker and grinned. “It’s fine. She’s been aching to fire me since not long after I started.”
    â€œAt least you landed on your feet,” Carter replied, a wide grin showing off his perfectly white teeth.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Ricky asked, sliding into his jeans.
    â€œMr. Kincade. He seems to like you.”
    â€œHe’s a nice guy.”
    â€œHell yeah,” Carter said, waggling his brows. “He’s got a lot of nice things about him.”
    Before Ricky could ask what he meant, the door flew open and Sandra, the hostess, called out, “Carter, hurry. Mr. Kincade is in the office with Louisa, and we can hear them shouting from the dining room.”
    Ricky grabbed his uniform and his sneakers before he rushed from the locker room, Carter hot on his heels. He didn’t want Darwin to get himself in trouble. It wasn’t worth it. Not for him, and certainly not to go up against Louisa. He heard the patrons muttering about the shouting and quickened his pace. He’d almost reached the door when he heard Darwin’s voice, breaking with anger.
    â€œI don’t give a damn ,” he shouted.
    â€œBe reasonable,” Louisa pleaded. “He wasn’t working out.”
    He joined Carter and Sandra at the door, each of them straining not to miss a word Darwin and Louisa were saying. He leaned forward, then noticed he’d never finished dressing. He stepped behind his now former coworkers, and changed his shoes, while still listening to the conversation going on.
    â€œBecause you rode him. Nothing he did was good enough. You wanted to make him like Roy. Well, guess what? He’s not Roy. In fact, he’s a damn sight better than Roy ever was. He’s pleasant and charming. He’s got personality, which this place is sorely lacking.”
    It got quiet in the office for a few moments, and Ricky feared Darwin had pushed Louisa too far.
    â€œThis isn’t about Roy. It’s not even about Ricky. I run this restaurant. You better than anyone should know what that means,” she yelled. “I don’t own it. I’m responsible to the Berkhardts, so if you’ve got a better solution, please enlighten me. You can ask any of the staff. I expect perfection from each of them, because if they fail, I fail. And if that happens, I’m out the door, just as they would be.”
    â€œIt was an accident ,” Darwin stressed.
    â€œYou think I don’t know that?” Louisa shouted again. “He’s a good kid. I like him a lot. But this isn’t the place for someone like him. His third night on the job, he served Gregory Berkhardt and a friend of his from college. He always asks for the newest person, because he claims they’re his barometer for how we’re doing.”
    Ricky thought back and remembered the two men. They’d been drinking heavily and got upset when he suggested they might want to slow down and have an appetizer. The tall, dark man with the deep bloodshot eyes gave him a cold glare and asked if Ricky knew who he was. He hadn’t, which increased the man’s agitation even more.
    â€œHe told me to fire Ricky that night. He’d done nothing