Take My Hand (Interracial Erotic Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page A

But it’s not easy to accept. That’s my little sister out there, killing herself while surrounded by vultures.”
    “I know baby, I know.”
    Gracie wiped her eyes and glanced at her watch. “Well, I gotta get going Lamar. Thanks for the pep talk.”
    “Alright Cuz. You’re going to work, I hope?”
    Gracie pushed herself off the wall. “I guess so. Call me if you hear anything about her, ok?”
    “You got it cuz. I love you, Gracie.”
    “I love you too, Lamar.” Gracie put her cell phone back in her purse and began the short walk towards the restaurant. She accepted the fact she couldn’t do much to help her sister and instead decided to focus on having a good shift.
     
     
     
     
     
    *
     
    The Steak Exchange had the same floor design as Parker’s, which made Gracie’s first night on the floor a lot easier to deal with. The Micros machine was also the same as Parker’s, so the only thing she had to learn was the menu, which was easy enough due to the fact that the majority of the dishes were built around slabs of expensive beef.
    Gracie met her new boss—a white woman in her late forties named Patty—and instantly warmed to her. She was the hard-female type, the sort who got ahead in a man’s world by simply outworking everyone and Gracie admired the way Patty carried herself with a masculine-like confidence. While closing in on fifty, the woman kept herself in shape and obviously ate a clean diet. She wasn’t what most men would consider “pretty” but was still a very sexy woman. While Gracie was impressed with her new boss, her chief concern about Patty was that she would be receptive to the idea of a flexible work schedule.
    “Patty, can I ask you a question?” Gracie and Patty were at a beverage station discussing Gracie’s future at the restaurant.
    Patty nodded and began stocking a sugar caddy. “Sure, go ahead.”
    Gracie fiddled with her thumbs. “Would it be possible to work out some sort of flex in my schedule? I am trying to work on my career and handle a full time job, so scheduling conflicts may occur. Sometimes I may ask for a few hours at the start of a shift. It won’t happen often, I promise. Is that going to be a problem?
    Patty packed in as many Splenda packets as the caddy could handle and then looked up at Gracie. “What sort of career are you talking about? Are you in school?”
    Gracie shook her head. “No, I’m not a student. I am a poet and recitals frequently occur at night. If I’m fortunate to get a slot at a good show, it’s hard for me to say no.”
    Patty looked at Gracie and said nothing. After a few seconds of silence she asked, “If I tell you that no, you can’t have extra time off because of the demands of the business, what would you do?”
    Fear penetrated Gracie’s mind and her pulse quickened. She wasn’t sure what sort of answer Patty was looking for so she went with the truth. “I wouldn’t want to but eventually I would have to quit.”
    Patty kept her eyes locked on Gracie and gave a curt nod. “Okay, as long as you give me ample notice we can work something out. You will have to find somebody on the afternoon shift to cover for you, of course, but that shouldn’t be a problem” Patty placed a comforting hand on Gracie’s shoulder. “I respect anyone who chases their dreams as hard as they possibly can. Just be honest with me and I will do the best I can to help you. Now, if you don’t mind I need to start the paperwork for the night.”
    “Thank you Patty, it means a lot.”
    “You’re welcome Gracie, and it’s great to have you as part of the team.” Patty shook Gracie’s hand and walked off towards her office.
    Gracie couldn’t believe how fortunate she was. Patty seemed like the boss from heaven and Steak Exchange was busier than Parker’s, at least it appeared that way. At the end of the day she had traded a sleazy, minty-fresh sleaze ball for a nicer version of Miranda Priestly and she was going to make more money in