Chapter 62
FLETCHER
We hired Sky on as a dishwasher.
His first day, I showed him around the restaurant and introduced him to his new coworkers, then went over the general basics of his job.
“It’s simple,” I said, taking him back behind the kitchen.
“First sink is the wash sink. The green button is your detergent. Middle sink is where you’ll rinse everything, then the third sink is sanitation—pink button, right there.
The water gets super hot, so you’ll need to run it ahead of time and let it cool enough that you can handle it. ”
Sky looked uncertain. “Um. Okay.”
“Dishes come back here on a rolling cart, and you and someone else—probably Josie, she’s a sweetheart—will be working together to get everything washed, sanitized, dried and back to the kitchen for the next group of customers.
Then, at the end of the day, after Bixby’s closes, everything gets washed and wiped down, the sinks cleaned out. That sort of thing.”
“Everyone has a checklist to complete, but if you see someone needs help, help them out if you can,” I said, then gestured him over to the small tablet secured to the wall.
“You’ll clock in and out each day over here, so we can make sure you’re getting paid.
I’ll give you a clock-in number before you leave today.
Blah-blah, I know. Are you overwhelmed yet? I know it’s a lot to take in.”
Sky blushed, the tips of his ears turning pink. “Yeah. A little. It’s more complicated than I thought. Plus I’ve never actually had a job before.”
“You’ll do fine,” I assured him. “If you need help, just come find me and I’ll be right there. Consider me your guide dog.” I winked. “Or cat. Whatever.”
Sky laughed, but glanced towards the doorway and quickly sobered. His eyes dropped to the floor at our feet. I followed where his gaze had gone, but there was no one standing there.
Weird…
I frowned. “What?”
“Um, nothing.”
“No, really. What?”
“The tall Alpha…” He worried his bottom lip between his teeth, but wouldn’t look me in the eye. “Your partner? Has been staring daggers at me since I got here. Are you sure it’s okay that I work at Bixby’s? I don’t want to cause trouble…”
I sighed. Damn it, Adam. “He’s wary of strangers,” I told Sky. “I’ll talk to him, okay? Don’t worry, he won’t bite. He’s more bark than anything. We’ve been through some trauma together, and now he doesn’t trust people very easily.”
Sky lowered his gaze. “And I’m…me. I get it.”
“Sky, I didn’t mean it like that,” I began, but he shrugged me off.
“It’s okay. I get it, really. I’ve gotten nothing but stares and glares since coming here, so… It’s a small price for freedom, I guess.” His laugh was bitter, though. “Better than being dead.”
My heart ached for him. I reached out and squeezed his arm gently. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. I think you’re going to fit in just fine. I have a good feeling about it. Give Adam time. He’ll come around.”
After Josie came in, I left Sky in her care, then went hunting for my mate. When I found him, I pulled him off to the side.
“Adam. Can we try not glaring at the new hire? You’re making him feel uncomfortable,” I said.
Adam replied with a growl. I wrinkled my nose at him.
“Adam. Please. I know you’re nervous, but you need to trust me a little.
” I softened my tone. “We both fucked up with Tank, okay? This is an entirely different situation. Sky is so young and he’s lost in the world.
I just… I want to give him a place where he feels welcome. Can you let me do that, please?”
Adam sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “He makes my wolf edgy,” he grumbled.
“Then let me handle his training,” I said. “I’m not afraid of him.”
“I know. That’s what worries me.”
“Adam,” I groaned.
“Fletcher,” he growled back.
“Give him a chance? Please?”
He sighed. “I’m trying, kitten. I’m trying.”
August bled into September, and September was over in a blink. Soon, it was nearing Halloween and Sky had been a part of our team for two months.
He’d made a few friends, mostly with human co-workers, and he was beginning to settle into routine at Bixby’s. For someone like Sky? I was pretty proud of him.
Today, he was helping me and a few other co-workers decorate for the season, outside of business hours. Together, we hung up spooky spider webs and rubber bats and window clings that spelled out fun sayings.
I watched with a smile as Sky and Josie laughed as they tried to get the bloody gel window clings to actually stick to the window, but they only stuck to each other.
“Want some help?” I offered.
“Please!” Josie said.
“There’s a trick I learned.” I licked my finger and smeared it across the back of the large red “H”, then slapped said “H” onto the window.
It stuck. “You gotta get them wet.”
Josie giggled. “Ew. Gross. I’m not licking those things. Who knows where they’ve been.” She hopped down off the booth. “I’ll trade you, boss. I don’t mind ladders.”
I shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
She took over hanging the glittery spiderwebs, and Sky and I carefully stuck the clings to different windows all over the restaurant, spelling out things like “Happy Howl-o-ween” and “Beware the Meatloaf.”
Sky beamed when we finished and looked over our handiwork.
“It looks really good. It’s a shame Halloween is only one day a year,” he said.
“It was always my favorite holiday. Me and my brother always dressed up in matching costumes, like Batman and Robin. One year we did Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. I was forced to be Scooby, of course.”
He rolled his eyes, but his smile fell. I could tell those memories were painful, and I wanted to give him a hug.
I didn’t, though.
Instead, I said, “Well, we always dress up for Halloween night, even though we don’t get a whole lot of traffic. You’re welcome to wear whatever costume you like, so long as it’s work appropriate. Don’t come to work wearing only a loincloth, claiming you’re Tarzan.”
I laughed out loud.
Sky flushed. “Of course not! Thanks, though.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time, then smiled. “I’d better get going. Jem likes to watch movies together on Sunday nights.”
“You enjoy. You’re off Monday, right? See you Tuesday, Sky.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Fletcher.” He turned and strolled out through the front doors of Bixby’s Diner, and I watched him go, feeling this strange tugging at the core of myself.
Weird…