Brazen Bossman: A Hero Club Novel

find that very intriguing, Ms. Kingston.” He flashes me a grin then slips by me and out the door.”
What the actual fuck was that about?
I take a sip of my coffee, and of course, it’s perfect. Just the way I like it.
That both pleases and annoys the shit out me.
***
By the time I walk into Kingston’s nearly eleven hours later, I’m dead on my feet and grumpy as hell.
After our very interesting conversation in the kitchen this morning, I didn’t see much of Nathanial. Just a passing here and there when he needed something done.
He was a shell of the man who was speaking to me over coffee. I am trying not to overthink it, but I am a female, with female brain, and hormones. I’m genetically predisposed to overthinking every chance I get.
There are more people in the main seating area than normal. Our staff and Ma seem to be managing pretty well, but I still jump in and help as best I can.
Spaghetti carbonara, eggplant Parmesan, Alfredo, oh my.
Plate after plate served out to our guests. Wine flowing. Tips lining my pockets, which will eventually go straight into the register because we need all the help we can get, and when the last guest leaves at eleven, I collapse into a booth in the corner.
“I’ll just stay here and sleep. Goodnight,” I say to our hostess, Casey, with an exhausted grin.
She’s the sweetest person I’ve ever met in my life. Eighteen years old, going to college part time, while working full time with us to help take care of her siblings since her mother is a true piece of work and in prison. But I’ve never heard a single complaint out of her mouth. She’s the definition of a badass bitch.
“As long as I can do the same, you’ve got yourself a deal.” She plops down on the other side of the booth and rests her head on her hands.
It’s hard for me to look at nights like tonight, when the restaurant does so well, and not harbor some form of anger and resentment toward my father.
Had he not done the things he did before he died, nights like this would be added bonuses for the business, but now, this will only go to pay more toward the loans my mom can hardly afford as it is.
It nearly cancels all success out.
And that kills me for my mother, because it’s almost as if she is trying to ignore it, but I know the time is coming where we won’t be able to do that anymore. It’ll be time to pay up, or get your ass out.
The latter scares the hell out of me.
“I could stay just like this all night,” Casey says, “But I need to get home so I can study.”
“Go on. I can handle the cleanup tonight. You’ve got more important things to take care of.”
“I can’t let you do that, Piper.” She shakes her head, trying her best to dig her feet into the ground and be stubborn.
“I’m demanding you go. Seriously. It’s fine. You need to go home. It’s late and you have things to do. I’ve got this.”
I can see relief spread over her body in the form of relaxed shoulders and a released breath. “Thank you so much.” She stands. “I owe you.”
“Nah.” I wave her off. “You’re good people. I like to help the good ones.”
“Hey, never forget that you’re good people too.”
“I try.”
***
“Piper, I spoke with Greta Russo this morning…”
“Oh God, Ma, not this again.” I toss the cleaning rag into the bucket of soapy water that we use to clean each table and booth.
“What? Ryan is a nice boy and he just wants to get to know you. She showed him your picture and he happens to think you’re a hot tamale. I think it would be good for you to get out there. I’m not getting any younger.”
My mother’s ultimate goal is to have grandchildren. She doesn’t seem to push my brothers though, only me, and I don’t know why.
“Why are you trying to push this guy on me? You’ve been trying to set me up with him for years.”
“We must be talking about Ryan Russo,” Benjamin calls out from the kitchen. He’s clearly been eavesdropping through the small window where we pass food from the kitchen to the front.
“See. Case in point. Everyone knows who he is because you’re relentless. And you said he’s a real estate broker? That’s so… boring.”
“And what’s the matter with boring, Piper? Not everyone has to be as wild as Jason. He broke your heart, so you need a little calm in your life,” my mother scolds.
“I try really hard not to think about that, actually.”
Jason Sanders destroyed me in my most vulnerable time. We met right after my father died, and I dove headfirst into that relationship without a net.
We were together on and off for six years before finally settling into a real relationship for two years… until I found him on Long Island, fucking his coworker in the back of a car that I cosigned for.
I may or may not have almost been arrested for kicking the shit out of him in the middle of the street, but that’s neither here nor there.
I’m not one to really put my heart out there, but I did for him, and he stomped all over it. So, my new motto is strictly casual.
Orgasms and nice conversation. Nothing more.
“None of us like to think about that, Piper, but you’re closer to thirty than twenty. I don’t want you to waste your prime years.”
“My prime years? It’s not like I’m pushing fifty, and even if I was, I don’t need a man to define my prime years.” I use air quotes to emphasize the final two words.
She sighs. “You’re so stubborn. Just like your father.” She crosses her arms. “Can’t you just agree to let me give your number to Ryan? What could it hurt, Piper?”
“If I say yes, will you stop pushing me