Standing By: A Knight's Tale #2 Read Online Free PDF

I give him a cordial hug. “How’s life in Seattle?”
    “Better than the urban Amazon,” he looks towards the street where the traffic goes from left to right; the drivers yell at each other and the pedestrians push their way through their own everyday traffic. “As a friend, I’ll advise you to branch out, but then you may not buy the place. Do you want to walk through before we sign the papers; the lawyers aren’t here yet.”
    We start from the main entrance, which is decorated with assorted natural color planters that hold different kinds of flowers and greenery, a rustic wooden bench for the waiting guests, the podium for the hostess and pictures of fields. The bar is beside the coat closet, then there’s restaurant area, the tables and chairs are plain white. To the left is the kitchen area, bathrooms to the right and the offices behind the kitchen. Everything looks as it did ten years ago, except for the décor, which went from trendy two thousands to simple and environmentally friendly.
    “Edna, one of my managers quit.”
    I’m not surprised and I expect several more to follow. It happens in almost every company; some don’t like change and prefer not to wait around to decide if it was for better or worse. Any industry is that way and the hospitality trade tends to have a higher rotation of personnel than others.
    “We need to talk about the muffins and the desserts. I outsource that part.”
    “Why?” I question. “You can make your own.”
    “I could, but choose not to.” He squints while scratching his head. “ Pieces of Heaven ?”
    He’s inquiring if I know the place. Of course, I know Pieces of Heaven . Emma complains that those things attack her hips without mercy. Mom goes twice a week and brings Muffin girl’s crap to the house. The one thing I can’t make better, is her baked goods. I know the woman, Miss Muffet, Strawberry Shortcake, Pocket Baker, Park’s little sis or whatever name comes to mind. She doesn’t like me. I boycotted her products and haven’t eaten any of them since she went full blown bitch on me.
    “Hayley is the one who supplies those to the restaurant.” Parker explains not meeting my gaze. “Only her organic line. She has other stuff that’s to die for but doesn’t go with the image of this restaurant. Like her frozen margarita cupcakes—which she doesn’t sell anywhere.”
    “I can use margarita cupcakes at my Mexican place.” A few ideas start to jostle inside my head. However, I don’t tell him much because we’re talking about Muffet. For all, I know she’s going to cut ties with Willows as soon as Parker sells. “Why doesn’t she sell those margarita things at her store, I would like to try them.”
    Not sure where that came from because I honestly wouldn’t; I refuse buy her delicious crap.
    “Liquor license?” He shrugs. “It’s Hayley, I’m sure if we go through her notebooks we’ll find out why. She documents everything.”
    “The drill-sergeant still has notebooks?”
    “She’s flexible.”
    I cross my arms and arch an eyebrow. He couldn’t pay me enough to deal with her and find out how flexible she is. I kind of liked her when she was younger but now I only think of her as someone I might help if she was drowning.
    “Believe me she is, she has changed enough to be able to deal with my people. However… you two have never been too cooperative. If you decide not to go with her, give me a heads up.”
    “So you can convince me to give her a chance?” Now he’s fucking kidding me. “This is business, Welsh, you helped me, but—”
    “Of course Hayl is hard to deal at times,” At times? Try, always. “But she’s good at her work, and if you don’t need her, I would appreciate you letting me know. I just want to help her land on her feet if you decide not to go with her. I think it’s hard for her to be the youngest Welsh and attempt to make a mark.”
    It wasn’t easy to be a Welsh with the mess the parents had made.