Sneak Peek - Aldo
Men of the Falls
I returned to my other office and perused the résumé of the people I would be interviewing today.
I vetted every person we hired. I handled the final interviews.
Always. Once I approved them, I washed my hands of them and turned them over to their respective managers.
But I always had the last say before that.
I had a knack for knowing if the person was the right fit.
I had never been wrong.
I flipped through the pages, stopping on one résumé.
Each one had a photo. It was part of our process.
We never discriminated on someone’s looks or ethnicity, but I ran the photos of the candidates through special software we had.
Given Roman’s ties to the criminal world, we could never be too careful.
Something about the woman in the photo gave me pause.
She was lovely. Her dark brown hair was short, hanging around her ears and showing off a long, elegant neck.
She had a wide smile, and her hazel eyes were mischievous.
There was something appealing about her.
I shook my head and dismissed that thought.
I must need to get laid. It had been a while.
One thing Luca, Roman, and I all agreed on was our views on relationships.
None of us was interested in one—much to Nonna V’s disappointment.
Luca was a serial dater, Roman never dated, only having the occasional one-night stand, and I did even less.
Most women I met were for the evening sort of relationship.
A hotel room might be involved or, occasionally, not.
Given the world we knew and dwelled in, it was better for all of us to remain unencumbered.
My phone rang, and I shut the file, putting it into order and forgetting the woman. I answered the phone and told my assistant to send in the first applicant.
The next few hours went past quickly. Most of those I interviewed were fine. Two were definite strikes. Their answers were so textbook, I knew they would be lousy employees once they came on board.
And then she arrived.
The hazel-eyed, lovely woman from the file. Violet Nelson.
She walked in, and it felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. Something flexed in my chest as she came closer, and I stood to greet her.
She was tall. Curvy. Heavy breasts, legs that went on for miles. And her smile?
Killer.
I was on autopilot as I shook her hand, introduced myself, and indicated for her to take a seat.
She did so, crossing her sexy legs and showing me a glimpse of smooth skin before she gathered the folds of her skirt underneath her.
She grinned, looking sheepish, but I had a feeling she didn’t feel that way.
I chose to ignore it and the way my cock kicked up in my pants at the sight of that creamy-looking calf.
Obviously, it had been way too long for me if the flash of some skin did that.
But I would think about that later.
“So, Violet, I see you just moved here from Toronto. Why the change, if I may ask?”
“My boyfriend made the decision for me.”
My eyebrows lifted of their own accord. She didn’t look like the type who would let her boyfriend decide on something that big.
“He took a job here?”
“He took off with the contents of my apartment and bank account, along with my so-called best friend, Marie. I heard a couple women talking about the hotel and the jobs here. I had nothing left in Toronto, so I took a chance and came here.”
I had no idea how to respond. What I did say shocked me. “You want me to find him and kill him?”
She threw back her head in laughter. “Oh, you’re funny, big man. Thanks, but I’m good.”
I nodded, offering a tight smile. I hadn’t been joking.
“You checked off the casual dining restaurant. Why?”
“I think it’s better suited to me. I’m not formal, and I wouldn’t do well at the buffet.
I think the people at the deli-style restaurant would be good to handle.
They aren’t looking to stay a long time, they’ll want their food, be in and out, so the turnover would be good.
And the more I serve, the better the tips. ”
I liked her honesty.
“I see you’ve had experience.”
“Put myself through high school and bought my first car with waitressing. I was working as a receptionist, but that job vanished after Covid. I’ve been with a temp agency. I can provide references.”
I had already checked them out, and she had glowing reports. Punctual, honest, hardworking, were some of the words to describe her.
“And nights and evenings are okay for you?”
“Yes.”
I scanned her file, not recognizing the street address. “Where are you living now?”
“Kelly’s Kourt until I find something permanent.”
I winced. That was a rougher part of the city and a run-down motel where you could rent by the hour, day, or week. I met her eyes, but hers held no apology or pity for herself.
“It’s only temporary,” she insisted. “Once I work a bit, I can have first and last.”
She was proud. I detected a stubborn streak.
And I had the feeling she suffered no fools, so she wouldn’t take any shit from the customers.
I thought she would do well in our formal dining room.
It was hard to get into, and the waiting list was long.
I could see her in the uniform. All the staff wore the same thing.
A black tux. On the men, it looked classy, and on the women, sexy.
On her, I imagined it would be art. Dead sexy art.
But she wanted casual. Perhaps she would change her mind.
I signed the last form in her file and handed it to her.
“HR is on the right at the end of the hall. They’ll take all your information.
You’ll report to Wanda, who will give you your uniform and schedule.
You can start right away.” I paused and wrote some information on another piece of paper.
“Mayburn Apartments on Third. Clean, reasonable. Tell the manager I sent you. He’ll waive first and last until you can afford it. ”
She blinked. Then blinked again. “Thank you, Mr. Ricci. I appreciate it.”
I waved her off. “We take care of our employees here.”
She stood and offered her hand. I shook it, wondering why her skin felt so right sliding along mine. Why her grip felt perfect within mine. I looked down, noticing how creamy and soft her skin looked compared to my darker, sun-kissed hue. It was night and day. Like we were.
Like we would remain. Two different orbits.
I didn’t fuck employees, and she wasn’t looking for what I could offer her.
She left and I sat down, shaking my head, then picking up the phone and calling the manager of Mayburn Apartments.
Brian Ferris and his wife liked to gamble.
They came every few weeks and enjoyed a day here, eating in the restaurant, never going over their allotted budget.
I had gotten to know them, and he owed me a favor for something I had done for him.
He was happy to accept my word on first and last and told me he had a studio open at the moment.
“Make sure she gets it,” I said and hung up.
I had no idea why I had made the offer or the call.
I was simply being nice to someone who was down on their luck.
It had nothing to do with that killer smile.
Or those fucking dead sexy legs.
Nothing.
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