The Kept Secret (Slowly Editing)

Chapter 15: Always there to help

I pressed down on his number only to have him answer on the first ring. "Where are you? You're late getting home, is everything okay?" he started firing off, showing me how worried he had become since I wasn't home at my normal time.

I took a deep breath thinking how he was going to take this news, even though he hadn't become that close to the River family. "I'm not coming home till later. Julia lost the baby, so Carlos and Greg are with her. I have to stay later and close, will you make sure Ayanna is taken care of."

"Your joking are?" he asked, letting out a deep breath. "Did you just ask me if I could take care of my own child? Will in case you need to be reinsured, yes, I can take care of Ayanna, so don't worry about that."

"Thank Chance, I'll see you later on tonight. Don't let her stay up to late please." I said, getting ready to walk out of the office and to get back to work,

"Wait, how are you holding up? I know she's your friend and that you're really close." He asked with censure in his voice.

"Chance right now isn't the time to talk about this. It's going to make a working miracle to get through this dinner rush without crying. I have to stay calm, so the kitchen doesn't fall apart. Plus Marcus is coming in to help with closing paperwork, so I have to keep my wits about me." I told him trying to hold the tears back. "I'll see you when I get home, bye."

"Marcus," he repeated, his name like it was poison, "I don't trust that guy around you. Maybe there someone else that could come in and help you or maybe you can just leave the paperwork for Greg for later on."

A small giggle slip from between my lips at his childish believe, "Chance comes from the businessman you are that the craziest' thing I've ever heard you say. You turn my guest room into your own personal office and you have a video conference in there almost every day. But really Chance I have to go, bye."

I heard him let out a deep sigh from the other end, "If he causes any problems let me know."

"Chance," I said hearing a dish hit the floor notifying me I need to get back to work.

"I know, I'll see you when you get home. Bye Milly" he said, hanging up the phone about the time I could hear Ayanna in the background screaming something at him that I didn't quite make out.

Putting my phone back into my pocket I walked out of the back office to the kitchen see Marcus was already here yelling at one of my sauce cooks about it being cold. Letting out a deep breath I walked over to him knowing this night wouldn't run smoothly if he was going to come in here and cause problems that he had no control over.

"Marcus, leave my cooks alone. I'm in charge of the kitchen. You're not need until after close to handle paperwork." I yelled at him, letting the kitchen staff know I was back. "Now if you will so kindly leave before I have to call Greg and tell him how you're treating his staff like work slaves."

"Work slaves, they work for me." He said walking back over to me. "You and I both know when Greg not, here I'm the one in charge, minding you also work for me."

I took a step back not liking how he was pursuing me, "That's where you're wrong, I'm in charge of this kitchen and hired everyone who is working here, not you. You're only here to help Greg keep his books straight and help with any miscellaneous paperwork. Now please get out of my kitchen, since I didn't hire you to work in here with me."

"Whatever Angel, we'll have to have a talk later about your behavior towards me." He said with a creepy smile plastered across his face. "Till then I'll leave you to it and make sure those dishes get out in recorded time." Before I could say anything back, he turned and walked out of the kitchen as the tension left the room as well.