My phone starts ringing the second I walk out the door, but when I pull it from my purse, it’s a number I don’t recognize.I let it go to voicemail because for the first time ever, I’ll be on time to my Sunday breakfast with Dylan.Now, I’m not tooting my own horn too loudly since I spent the night at Dylan’s last night and he woke me up and has barked orders at me to get my ass moving ever since.He’d love to flaunt the fact that it’s him who has made me on time for once.
“Move your ass, Hannah!”Dylan yells, his head hanging out the car window, a smug grin on his face.
“Shut up, you douche!”I shout back, as Tessa covers her face with her hands, shaking her head at our antics.
Tessa doesn’t always join us on Sundays, but today she is and it’s nice to have her here too.It’s actually been fun staying with them and not having to make the commute from San Francisco, but eventually, I’ll have to go back home and decide what to do.I can’t drive from the city all the way out to Napa every day, especially with the kind of hours I’ll be working.Although, it might work in my favor, and I could avoid some of the traffic.But either way, that hour plus commute is not ideal and I know I can’t fully move in with Tessa and Dylan with their baby coming.
My lease is up in two months and if I have to, I could make it work to rent something in Napa and pay my ridiculous rent in San Francisco at the same time.It’s a good thing I got that pay hike, because I’m going to need it.
“You staying again tonight?”Tessa asks when I get in the car.
“I don’t think so.I don’t work again until Wednesday, so I’ll head home after this and drive in for the dinner rush on Wednesday.”
“Good,” Dylan quips.“Now Tess and I can get back to—”
“Nope.Don’t even say it, Dylan,” Tessa shames, shaking a finger at him and hitting him with a nasty glare.“Stop trying to make your sister uncomfortable.She’s dealt with enough shit from her crappy boss.She doesn’t need you grossing her out.”
“Fine, fine.You know you can stay as long as you need,” Dylan now says, instantly conceding to Tessa’s demands.It’s so damn cute how quickly Dylan and Tessa fell in love and how quickly he realized that having a girl in his life would make it all the better.
“Thanks, I appreciate that, but I also want to make sure I’m long gone before the baby comes.You don’t need me there and a new baby.I’m sure Mom and Dad will be up your ass too.”
“I’m already dreading it,” Dylan laments, rolling his eyes.
“You two are terrible.Your parents are wonderful.I’m sure they’ll be a huge help when the baby comes,” Tessa says, shaming both of us now.
My phone rings again, the same number popping up on my screen as I silence the call.I’m starting to wonder if maybe my epic quitting is coming back to haunt me.It could totally be someone from my old job reaching out to bitch at me for leaving them high and dry.I’m rarely selfish, but in this instance, I was and I really don’t care.
I shove my phone back in my purse and as soon as I do, it chimes out with a notice of a voicemail.Whoever this is clearly wants to get in touch with me.It’s probably a telemarketer calling about my car’s warranty or something stupid.
“Popular today, huh, Han?”Dylan says, glancing over his shoulder as he drives to our usual breakfast spot.
“Guess so,” I reply and again my phone chimes out, a text coming through this time.I pull my phone from my purse, deciding I should probably check in on who this is and what they want.
Leo: Hey Hannah, it’s Leo from Apple Jacks and Somerville’s.I left you a voicemail with this same message.Sorry that seems sorta stalker-like, but I’m desperate.LOL.We got in a huge catering order and I’m wondering if you could come in and help out?Thanks!
I stare down at my phone, excited about the prospect of helping with a catering order, but also wondering if this is one of those times where I need to set some boundaries up front.I’m not supposed to start till Wednesday and if I say yes to this will I have set the expectation that I will always come in on my days off?I can’t help but think back to the job I left just a few days ago.I left because of the work-life balance and the demands.Will this be another one of those demands?
“Who is it?”Dylan asks, and Tessa swats at him.
“Why are you so nosy?Leave your sister alone.”
“It’s Leo from Somerville’s.He wants me to come in and help with a catering order today,” I tell both of them.
“That’s awesome,” Dylan cheers out, holding his hand behind him for me to high-five.He’s stupidly cheesy right now and I blame Tessa.
“Is it though?”I ask, letting my thoughts run wild with what this could mean.Maybe he really does need help.He did say they were short staffed, hence the quick hiring he did with me.Or this could just be a test to see if I’m willing to give up any semblance of a life I have and come into work.Or and this is a big or, because looking like he does, I don’t think he has to resort to tactics to pick up a girl, but maybe he’s interested in me.Like not me as a chef but me as a girl.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
“He’s your boss, Hannah,” I mutter under my breath as Tessa looks back at me as if she heard what I said and is questioning my sanity.
“Why wouldn’t it be?It shows how much you kick ass,” Dylan replies.
“Yeah, but I left my other job so I wasn’t working day and night and on my days off.”
“Leo’s not like that.He wouldn’t call you unless he was desperate.He’s been handling almost everything there on his own for the past few months.I’m sure he’s just happy to have someone who might be able to help him out,” Dylan adds, and I begin to think I’m overreacting.
“You’re probably right.”
