Her Silver Fox Mountain Men (Lucky Lady Reverse Harems)

Chapter 16

16

Elise

I ’m getting tired of having to look over my shoulder all the damn time.

Coming here was supposed to bring me peace and comfort yet that went out the window the minute those flowers arrived. My flight-or-fight instincts flare at the slightest disturbance. It keeps me on a razor-sharp edge, and it’s starting to affect my work performance.

“Elise, where’s your head at?” Maury pokes his head through the kitchen door. “I’ve called out for you three times now.”

“I’m sorry, Maury. I’m a little tired today,” I reply and pull away from the register.

“How’s the new girl doing?” he asks, glancing around the diner.

Cherry, the new hire, buzzes around the tables like a dutiful little bee. I can’t help but smile. “She’s alright. You picked a good time to break her in. We’re going to get some heavy foot traffic at lunch today.”

“It’ll be packed, I know,” Maury agrees, his bushy brow furrowed.

“Don’t look so worried; you’re going to scare the poor girl,” I giggle.

“I’m more worried about you, Elise. Your head hasn’t been in the game lately.”

Now I’m the one with the furrowed brow. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t usually mess up on end-of-shift reports, first of all.”

“Oh, God, Maury, it’s only happened twice. I’m sorry.”

“I know, honey, and I’m not saying it to reprimand you in any way. It’s alright. I’m worried about you, that’s all. I can tell you’re dealing with something, and I wish you’d talk to me about it. Maybe I could help.”

Behind him, I hear pots and pans clanking. He leaves his sous chef to man the ship on his own to come out of the kitchen to talk to me. For Maury to feel the need to do that means it’s serious and that, in turn, reflects on my latest performance. I can’t afford to lose this job. Just the idea of dealing with Igor again is already threatening to turn my life upside down.

“I promise you, Maury, I’m okay. I’ll handle it. It will no longer affect my work here. That’s the Elise guarantee,” I add with a bright smile.

Moments later, I grab some cutlery to transfer it to our service station and my fingers slip. I drop everything on the floor, the clanking of metal on ceramic tile makes everyone in the diner turn to look.

“Yeah, the Elise guarantee,” Maury grumbles. “Remember, I’m here if you ever wanna talk.”

I’m mortified.

“Roger that,” I quietly respond.

Cherry rushes over with a worried look on her face. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just butter fingers,” I sigh. “How about you?”

“Order up!” Maury shouts from the kitchen, placing two plates on the window.

Cherry smiles and promptly grabs both. “This is for table four,” she says. “I’ll take them.”

“Thanks, Cherry. I’ll get this cleaned up,” I nod at the cutlery on the floor.

Maury gives me a weak smile before retreating to the kitchen.

I collect the mess on the floor and put it into a separate box for the dishwasher before gathering more clean cutlery, careful to transfer them into the waiter station successfully this time around. Once I’m done, I go back to printing checks for the departing tables while Cherry clears the empty plates and glasses.

After the lunch rush, we both look as though we were hit by an express train.

My hair’s a frizzy mess, caught in a loose bun at the back of my head. Cherry’s is held more tightly together with a few butterfly clips. Our uniforms carry the marks of battle—spots of ketchup, mayo, and various meat sauces creating colorful patterns across our aprons.

I can hear Maury barking orders at his sous chef and the dishwasher while Cherry and I wipe down the tables, preparing for the chill afternoon ahead. The coffee machine gurgles as it fills a fresh pot with Columbian roast.

“How did I do?” Cherry asks me.

“You did great. You were way calmer than I was on my first day. Have you worked as a server before?”

“Just at my dad’s restaurant in Cabo,” she replies, “during the summers.”

“How’d you end up way up here?”

“Same as most out-of-towners, I guess,” Cherry shrugs. “Looking for a fresh start.”

“I can understand that” I mumble.

The front door opens and as I look up, I feel a sense of warm relief wash over me. James, Oliver, and Roman walk in, all three breaking into huge smiles upon seeing me.

“Hey, guys,” I say, making an attempt at my best professional expression, lips curled up in a welcoming smile. “What brings you out here at this hour?”

“We’re going to pick the girls up in a little bit and take them to the park,” James says. “There’s a fall-themed fair going on over there.”

“But we realized we’re hungry,” Oliver chimes in. “We’ve been knee-deep in business calls and skipped lunch.”

“Pick a table, then, and I’ll bring menus over,” I reply.

Cherry gives me a curious look. “They’re your friends?”

“Yes.”

“I can serve them, if you want to sit and join them for a bit,” Cherry suggests. “I mean, the diner’s practically empty right now.”

“You would do that for me?”

“You had my back during the lunch rush. Of course I will. Go on, rest. I got you.”

“You’re a sweetheart.”

I grab menus and bring them over to the guys’ table, then swiftly slide into the booth, right next to James. His body heat immediately invades me, the scent of his cologne making me the best kind of dizzy.

“I kind of skipped lunch, too,” I quip.

“The more, the merrier,” Roman replies with a grin.

“You look tired,” Oliver remarks, giving me a worried look.

“Way to compliment a lady,” I laugh.

James’s hand travels under the table and gives my thigh a good squeeze. It sends my blood rushing and simmering as I keep a straight face. This is still my workplace, and this is as naughty as we can ever get here.

“We’re worried about you,” James says, leaning in close.

“Have I mentioned how dashing you look in this shade of green?” I reply, nodding at his flannel shirt. “It matches your eyes to perfection.”

“Flattery won’t get you out of this jam,” he chuckles, then quickly plants a kiss on my cheek before Cherry comes back to take their order.

“What can I get you gentlemen?” she asks, pad and pen ready.

Oliver goes through the menu. “Can we still order lunch?”

“Try the pastrami on rye. Maury has some pickles from last year’s batch, and they are fabulous on the sandwich. Add a little bit of honey mustard on top and you can’t miss.”

“That actually sounds fantastic,” Oliver replies. “I’ll have that.”

“I think we’ll all have that,” James says. “Set a plate for Elise as well. If we’re not keeping you from work, of course,” he tells me.

Cherry nods and smiles gently. “Don’t worry. I’ll bring a plate over, and if she needs to jump back into the action, I’ll let you guys know.”

“Thank you,” James replies.

Once Cherry is off to send our order into the kitchen, I find myself caught in the affectionate yet scrutinizing gazes of my men. While James is rocking the green plaid and faded jeans, Oliver looks sporty in a grey hoodie pullover and black lounge pants. Roman is dressed in a black long-sleeved Henley tucked into dark blue jeans.

I can’t wait to get home later and take all of it off.

Losing myself in their arms, letting them claim me and share me has been therapeutic.

There are times I prefer we don’t talk. Not because I don’t enjoy our conversations, but because lately they’ve been mainly focused on what’s bothering me.

“How can we help you?” Roman asks.

“Help with what? You’re already doing so much,” I respond.

“Elise, it’s time for you to open up to us a little bit more. Just enough so we don’t feel like you’re keeping us in the dark,” James says quietly. “I think we’ve proven that you can trust us in every possible way.”

I lower my gaze, shame burning hot in my cheeks. “I trust you.”

“Then what is it? You haven’t been yourself lately,” Oliver says.

“Can’t I just be off my game for no particular reason?”

“Of course you can. We’re simply worried about you, Elise,” James remarks. “If we can make it better in any way, just tell us and—”

“You can’t,” I cut him off. “You can’t make it better.”

Roman frowns. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. These are my demons, my issues. I’d like to keep them to myself if you don’t mind.”

I hate having to say such things but it’s the truth. I’m not ready to share. It terrifies me to even think about how they’d react if I told them what’s bothering me, what’s got me on edge lately. I haven’t felt this way since I first arrived in Rustic.

“My life before coming here wasn’t the easiest, okay?” I relent, ever so slightly. They’re good men. They deserve more from me, regardless of how far and how deep we’re going to take this dynamic between us. “I went through some rough patches, made some difficult choices. It’s been a year since I put it all behind me, and, well, sometimes I feel like I’m sliding back into it, even though I’m here now.”

“Your past troubles you,” James concludes.

“It does. There are moments when I look back and know I could’ve made better choices. It irks me and throws me off my game. But then I sit with it, I get over it, and I move on. You just need to give me room to do that.”

“To move on,” Oliver says.

“Yes.”

The three of them sit back as Cherry delivers our plates. One look at the spread before me and it’s like I haven’t eaten in days.

“Would you like to join us and the girls later?” James asks in between bites.

“At the Fall Festival?”

“Yes. You get off at five, right?”

I give him a slight nod. “I can find you guys at the fair as soon as I finish up here. It would be my pleasure.”

“Good. The twins will love it.”