“The place might be a little dilapidated, but it seems clean to me.”
She was in the process of noting needed improvements when Cliff snatched her clipboard from her hands and signed off on the report. “There. Passed.”
“But I have a few—”
“All good here,” he declared over her would-be protest, loud enough to pull Bruno into the kitchen.
Bruno’s thin lips curved into a slow smirk. “Well, that’s good news. Too bad not all the restaurants in this town can pass muster.” He flicked his gaze Hailey’s way. “I’m glad your employee was able to see past our rustic decor and produce an accurate report this time.”
“I apologize for my subordinate, Bruno. Sometimes I think that bun of hers gets wound a little too tight.”
Hello, standing right here!
Both men glanced at her … and laughed. Her brain froze. What the hell was she supposed to say in response to this outrageous behavior?
Before her logical self could answer the question, Cliff reached out and shook Bruno’s hand. “Don’t you worry, Bruno. I’ll make sure she falls in line.”
She’d fall in line all right—close enough to kick Cliff’s ass. Hell,boththeir asses!
As soon as they stepped outside onto the boardwalk, she wheeled on him. “Cliff, we need to talk—”
“It’ll keep till dinner, Hailey.” He flashed his most brilliant smile. “Oh, and change of plans. We’re eating at the Miners Tavern instead.”
“Excuse me?” What the hell was this jerkwad up to now?
“I’ve heard chatter about its history, and I want to check it out. Unless you’re worried you’ll get sick again by eating their food.”
“Ididn’tget sick from their food, Cliff! I had too much acid in my stomach from all the coffee I drank before you got here.” Repeat a lie often enough and it became the truth. Soonshe’dbe believing the false excuse.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll have dinner at the hotel Thursday night instead.”
Her mouth swung open.Thursday night?“Why are we here Thursday night? Aren’t we due back in Montrose? In fact, let’s skip dinner tonight so we can go back to the office now and notsquanderthe taxpayers’ money.”
“No can do just yet, princess. San Juan County’s sending me a list of other places they’d like us to look at while we’re in the neighborhood.”
All her spidey-senses vibrated with warning.
“I can’t Thursday,” she blurted. “I have other plans.”
“Such as?” He dragged the question out.
“That’s personal,” she snipped. No idea what those plans were yet, but they involved a book and sugar.
“Well, you’re just going to have to change them. Look, I’ve got to run. Why don’t you relax and get prettied up? I’ll see you at dinner.” He pivoted and strode for his car, leaving her to gawk at his back.
What in the actual hell just happened?
Back at the Loose Moose, she made two calls. The first was to Charlie, who reassured her she could stay through the weekend, but God, she prayed she didn’t have to. The second was to her sister.
“Kayl, I’m not sure what to do here,” she lamented after describing what had happened at Dell’s. “I get so mad I want to hand in my resignation, but I need this job. Then I ask myself if the security and the benefits are truly worth the price.” Maybe her priorities were shifting—orCliffwas shifting them for her—because the perks looked less appealing every day.
“First of all,” her practical sister said, “he fancies himself a mover and a shaker, so he’s not going to stick around. He’ll be on to the next better thing as soon as possible, but in the meantime, he needs you because you’re doing all the work he’s taking credit for. He can’t afford to get rid of you, which puts you in the catbird seat. Hang in there and outlast him.
“Second of all, he’s a jerk who’s way out of line, but it’s his word against yours. You need to start gathering proof that he’s harassing you. Third, I smell a rat. Something’s going on there that probably has nothing to do with you, but you could become a casualty.”
Hailey heaved out a sigh. “I agree, but I can’t tell what that something is.”
“Check your temper—and your pride—at the door and make nice. He’s a narcissist, so he won’t suspect you’re playing a game to find out what he’s up to. And Hail? Try not to retch in the meantime.”
