He crossed his arms. "Do I need to spell it out for you?"
I crossed my arms too. "Apparently."
He glanced at my arms. "Are you mocking me?"
"Look," I said, "whatever you've got to say, just say it, alright?"
"Oh, I'll say it, alright," he said. "And you'd better listen good, because this is a professional establishment. We can't have —" he gave a little wave of his hands as if searching for the words "—domestic disturbances here on the premises."
"Domestic disturbances?" I said. "Seriously?"
His expression hardened. "In case you forgot, this is your place of employment, not a pickup joint."
I couldn't help it. I laughed in his face. "Says the guy who screws customers in the parking lot."
Keith looked around and lowered his voice. "She's not a customer." He lifted his chin. "She's my girlfriend."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh yeah? Since when?"
"That's none of your concern."
"I heard she's gonna be working here," I said. "Is it true?"
"So what if she is?" he said. "She applied, and we're short-staffed. She's not getting any preferential treatment, if that's what you're implying."
I squinted at him. "Doesn't the employee manual expressly forbid dating between managers and their employees?"
He gave me a nasty smile. "Not when no one knows about it."
I gave him a nasty smile right back. "Well, that's the thing, Keith. I do know about it. And I can prove it too."
His smile widened. "Really? How?"
I felt my own smile falter. He knew exactly how. Unless – did he know something I didn't?
My phone was still inside the restaurant. But it wasn't like I should need to worry about it. It was locked in one of the back lockers, along with my purse and a few other personal items.
"I'm glad we had this little chat," Keith continued. "Now get back to work before I have to write you up."
"For the last time," I said, "you sent me home."
"And for the last time," he said in a mocking tone, "I sent you on break."
"Oh c'mon, you clocked me out yourself. Remember?"
"What I remember," he said, "is that according to the manual, no one except the employee can clock his or herself in or out. So, to answer your question, no, I don't remember because that would be a clear violation of company policy."
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."
"I'll ignore your attitude, and tell you what I do know," he said. "Your break ended thirty minutes ago, and rather than return to your station, you're out here, living it up with your boyfriend."
My jaw dropped. Living it up?
"If you still want a job," he said, "I suggest you get back to work." He gave me a thin smile. "Before I send you home, permanently."
I stared at him, thinking of all the times he'd threatened my job within the last few weeks. The first time, it had rubbed me raw. Now, I felt like one giant callous. Or maybe that was only the fatigue talking.
But all that aside, if I had the chance to work a few more hours, I'd be stupid to not take it. It was nearly three in the morning, prime time for the after-bar rush. The tips alone would go a long way toward Grandma's rent money.
