An Endless Serenade

Chapter Six

"And when can you start working?"

Excitement bubbled up inside me as the hiring manager, Sally, smiled down at me. She was a cute old lady who reminded me of my grandma— grey, curly hair, beady black eyes and all. "Anytime you need me," I told her confidently.

"Well, congratulations Miss Heywood, you're hired."

"Awesome!"

Laughing at my enthusiasm, she picked up a pen on her desk and scribbled something down on a sticky note. "So I'm thinking we can start your training right now, if that's okay?"

"Right now?" I echoed, surprised. "I don't even have work clothes—"

"What you're wearing right now is fine," she promised me. "You won't be serving anyone today, anyway."

Glancing down at my attire, I pulled at my ironed white dress shirt. The outfit for the restaurant, Miss Flo's, consisted of a pair of black dress pants, or black skirt, a red dress shirt, and a pair of black dress shoes. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. We're really shorthanded at the moment, so the sooner you're trained, the better. I mean, as long as you don't have plans...?"

I shook my head. "Nope! I'll start training today."

"It's paid training too, so you'll have to create your account to punch in and out," Sally continued, glancing at her watch. "My number one waiter should be coming in any minute... he'll be able to help you out."

"Okay," I replied eagerly. "What's his name?"

Just as she opened his mouth, the door to her office opened. "Old lady, I did not volunteer to help out a new trainee," an irritated, familiar voice stated. "Find someone else."

My eyes flew wide in surprise and I twisted around in my seat, my jaw nearly hitting the ground. "Elliot!"

The brunet's eyes switched from Sally, to me, narrowing in disbelief. "No way..."

"You two know each other?" Sally asked, sounding pleasantly surprised. "Good! You'll get along then!"

"Ugh," Elliot groaned.

I crossed my arms. "What do you mean, ugh?"

Sally chuckled. "Geez Elliot, you're not even nice to pretty young girls like Allie?"

"Shut up, old lady."

My jaw nearly dropped again. Didn't Elliot care about his job? How could he talk like that to our manager?

"Is that anyway to talk to your grandma?"

Grandma? This woman was Elliot's grandma? He talked to his grandma liked that? If I talked to my grandma like that, she'd probably hang me upside down by my toes.

"Step-grandma," Elliot corrected her. "Actually, not even that. What would you be called? My step-brother's step mom's sister?"

I grimaced. That was... complicated.

"Grandma is just fine," Sally informed him, smiling. "Now, why don't you show Allie around? Start off with a basic rundown of the diner."

"You're hiring her?" Elliot demanded.

"Yes, I am," Sally stated defiantly. "Since Jackie quit, I need another waitress. Now stop dilly-dallying or I'll dock your pay."

Now in full force scowling mode, Elliot turned his hard glare to me. I blinked back at him innocently. "Why would a rich girl like you even want a job?"