"Good morning?" A large man questions, catching your attention from where you're sitting on the ground.
You've been through pretty much every single business in town and no one is willing to hire you. Finally, you came to your last ditch effort. The owner wasn't advertising a job but you figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.
"Good morning!" You cry, using your crutches to get back to your feet. "I'm Y/N L/N. I was wondering if you're hiring?"
The man is surprised, accepting your outstretched hand when you offer it, surprised you keep your crutch standing as you shake his hand.
"I'm not sure a restaurant is the right place for you," He admits, pausing when he sees your face completely fall. "However, I need a secretary."
"Really?" You ask hopefully.
"Sure, I hate messin' with the money aspect of things and need a hand at the register. Ya don't gotta walk far, just give me the orders," He explains, releasing your hand and moving to unlock the door. "I already have a waitress so she'll take care of deliverin' the food."
"You have no idea how much this means to me," You breathe, following him inside.
"Sure. I'm Bob. I own the place," He tells you.
"I'm Y/N!" You smile, following him behind the counter.
"Kitchen is through that door and the service window is right behind the register. Will you be able transfer the plates to the counter?" He asks you.
"Absolutely," You assure him. "When can I start?"
"Today if ya'd be so inclined?" He offers you with a smile.
You freeze when he smiles at you so sweetly, your cheeks heating up as you register just how handsome he is. He's got short messy black hair, piercing blue eyes full of kindness. He's tall, quite a bit taller than you, and he's large. He's an absolute mass of a man and your mind imagines being wrapped in those arms. He'd protect you, you could feel it.
"Miss Y/N?" He calls, snapping you out of your daydream.
"Oh! Yes! Sorry, yes I can start today," You tell him.
"Excellent! The office branches off from the kitchen. I'll work on openin' if ya want to look through the office," He explains.
His accent is a thick southern one that sends chills up and down your body, your mind craving to hear him talk more. You could get lost in conversation with that voice all day. You follow him to the office and your eyes widen at the stacks upon stacks of boxes. Thank god you trained in administrative work. You learned as much as possible as you could while serving and this was one of the skills you picked up. Bob leaves you be and you begin looking through the boxes. Fortunately, all of them are labeled with dates so you'll be able to enter them into the system no problem.
You fire up the laptop and find it unlocked already, downloading excel and a few other apps onto the computer, starting with the earliest box and beginning to record sales and expenses for each month labeled on the boxes. Bob seems to be at least one year behind on having this information recorded and realize he must be new to electronic recording. Everything is being put online these days and this small restaurant has to follow suit. Bob retrieves you once the restaurant opens, amazed to see you so far into the boxes.
"I can't thank you enough," He admits. "I'm no good at this technology stuff."
"I can't thank you enough for hiring me. No one really wants a one legged worker," You tell him, grunting when he suddenly stops and you run into him. "You okay?"
"You're way more than your physical appearance. I'd like to talk with you after hours tonight. We can get to know each other," He offers, turning around and looking down at you.
Your eyes widen in surprise, your mind falling into the gutter of hope. A handsome man wanted to have dinner with you?! Despite seeing the fact you're missing your leg! Wait....no. Y/N, get your head out of the gutter you scold yourself. It's strictly business.
"I would appreciate that. I want to make sure you're aware of any issues we may have," You tell him. You have limitations and you need to make sure he understands that if he's going to hire you.
"I have no doubt we can work around them," He assures you.
You smile softly and make your way to the front counter and out of the kitchen while Bob fires up the grill and gets it ready for business. You find it easy to take orders and then put them in the service window, the waitress looking annoyed when you don't take any plates to the customers.
"I've been on my feet all day. I need a break," She snaps in annoyance. "It's time you waited tables."
"Oh, I wasn't hired for that," You tell her. "I have restrictions."
"Restrictions? Like what?" She demands, catching the attention of a few customers.
Your eyes widen when she demands an explanation, swallowing as your mouth and throat suddenly go dry. Everyone knew at this point since you'd been through the whole town but having to actually admit it out loud? It feels like the final nail in the coffin. The moment you have no choice but to finally accept your fate.
"I'm missing a leg," You tell her, thankful your voice isn't as shaky as you feel right now.
The waitress snaps her mouth shut as her eyes widen before her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
"Oh my god. You're that veteran from the news. I'm so sorry! That was so rude of me!" She cries out.
"N-No! It's okay," You rush to say with a gentle smile. "You didn't know. Sorry I can't do more but Bob is letting me at least do this much."
"He's so kind isn't he?" She smiles, her look almost dreamy. "Welcome to Boys and Grills!"
She seems to have renewed vigor as she bustles about the restaurant, a soft sigh leaving your lips as you continue taking orders and payments from customers. The tip jar beside you is practically overflowing by the end of the night when it's time to close. The waitress you met counting her own tips as you work to pull out a report on the day's earnings and count the total income you had brought in minus the tips. You're surprised at how well you all did today but you're even more shocked to find his restaurant has been successful for many years.
You wonder what he does with the meat that makes it so popular. Bob gives the waitress her pay and sends her off with her tips as well, Bob locking the door behind her once she's gone.
"I gotta clean the place up then we'll eat dinner. That okay?" He asks you.
"I'll work on inventory and all that paperwork," You assure him.
He nods with an appreciative smile before you both part ways. The office is very quiet and it's the perfect way for you to focus. Nothing else bothering your mind except for getting the work done. The way you saw it today went pretty smoothly. You finally have something to do instead of sitting on a couch in front of a television all day. You had even chatted with a bunch of the customers as well which made the time go by pretty fast.
"Ya hungry?" Bob asks after knocking on the office door.
"Starving," You grin, getting up from the seat and following him out to a booth where dinner is ready. Your mouth waters at the smell and sight of the burger.
"Not sure if ya had one yet," He says. "Hope smelling it all day doesn't ruin your appetite."
"If anything it makes me even more hungry for them," You tell him. "It must be amazing to have been running such a successful restaurant for so long."
"Not to brag but it's the best you'll ever have," He chuckles, both of you sitting down at the booth. "So, how'd you lose the leg?"
"I was overseas with my squad and we got attacked by the enemy. Their numbers were too many and there wasn't enough of us so we all sustained injuries. I wasn't able to completely avoid a grenade blast saving one of my squad members," You explain, picking up the burger and biting into it.
Your eyes widen as the delicious flavor overwhelms your tongue, a soft moan of delight leaving your lips. Bob wasn't lying. It's definitely the best burger you've ever had. It doesn't take you long to finish it, Bob letting you savor the burger without any interruptions.
"What did I tell ya?" He chuckles as you clean yourself up with napkins.
"Sorry. That's the best burger I've ever had," You tell him. "Thank you."
"Not a problem darlin'," He chuckles, having finished off his own burger as well.
"It was nice havin' ya today. Julie seems to agree since she didn't get overwhelmed by orders today," Bob explains, munching on some fries. "Things get confusin' lunch rush and bunch of messed up orders. Glad ya helped."
"Have I really done that much or are you just being nice?" You ask, pointing an accusatory fry in his direction.
"Nah, I ain't one ta pull legs. You really were a big help today," Bob chuckles. "I appreciate it. Plus, you're doin' the paperwork that could shut me down if it doesn't get done. Yer savin' me a lotta trouble."
"I certainly appreciate it. I've had my fair share of paperwork," You laugh. "It's no sweat."
"Is ta me," He chuckles. "Listen, you need a ride home?"
"Actually? Yeah. I hadn't planned that far ahead," You admit with flushed cheeks. You had planned on calling Oscar, but that was two and a half hours ago!
"Fantastic," He chuckles. "Let's get headin that way."
Bob cleans up the mess you two had made and leads you out to his pickup. He offers you his help into the truck but you assure him you could do at least that much.
"I ain't askin'," He explains, opening the truck door before offering you his hand. "My mother would kill me fer not bein' a gentleman."
"Can't have that now can we?" You can't help but smile, flattered that he's being so insistent. "Alright. Up I go."
You balance on the door and set your crutches inside before lifting yourself up onto the seat. You smile triumphantly as you settle in the seat, Bob chuckling and closing your door for you. He moves around to the driver's side door and climbs inside. He still looks huge even in a big truck.
"Where we headin'?" He asks you.
"Oh! The apartments on Shawk Road," You tell him. "Sorry, it's on the other side of town."
"Not ta worry. So is my home," He tells you. "It's no stress at all."
"I appreciate it," You tell him.
He turns on the radio and the two of you sit in silence on the ride. You lean against the door and watch out the window as the scenery passes by. You hear him hum softly to the various songs that come on the radio during the drive.
"Don't move," He orders, catching you by surprise.
"Huh?" You pause, watching him scramble out of the truck and then hurry to your door.
"Aren't you sweet," You can't help but chuckle, this time accepting Bob's help to get out of the truck. "Thank you."
"Anytime. Listen, if I don't sound creepy which I hope I don't. Need a ride to work?" He asks you, your eyes widening in surprise. "It's on my way."
You pause at his question, your mind wandering back to Oscar. He will either be mad or happy at you getting a different ride to and from work but it makes more sense if Bob was going the same ways. Plus, you want more time alone with this man. He seems kind and genuine.
"If it's no trouble then I accept," You tell him with a smile. "See you tomorrow?"
"Sleep well pretty lady," He grins, his accent sending a shiver of delight down your spine.
You just can't get enough of his voice.