“I was asking the dog.” Chaucer continued leaning into me, so I gave him a full-body rub. “No peeing in the office or barking at people.”
“Never!”
“Still not talking to you.” I scratched him behind his ears, and he leaned in more heavily. “Fine.” Katie squealed, but I raised a finger. “Only today. You need to leave him at home tomorrow.”
“But—”
“I’m calling Harv to go check out your house while you’re here and Chaucer’s with me.” I stood.
Her brow furrowed. “Who’s Harv, and why would he need to check out my house?”
“Exterminator, and because it’s infested.” She opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. “You can’t keep sleeping in your car.” Her face colored. “You need to sleep in a bed in your own damn house. You need to not be terrified to go into your own damn house. Enough, okay? I’ve recently come into some money.” I patted the pocket holding the ten-pound check. “I’ll pay for the extermination, and you’ll pay me back eventually. Okay?”
Her eyes shone watery as she nodded slowly. “Are you sure?” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. “It might be a long eventually.” She gestured around at the interior of the truck. “I’m only part-time. In a food truck.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said and pulled my phone out of my pocket to call Harv. Katie sat on the floor, Chaucer all but sitting in her lap as she whispered to him. I explained the situation to Harv, that I needed him to call me with his estimate first but then actually do the work today. I didn’t want her to spend one more night sleeping in her car.
Was I being an idiot again? Trusting an unreliable woman. I almost hung up on Harv and walked away, but I knew I’d never be able to live with myself. I’d help. I might get paid back. I might not. What I was not doing was getting involved with her. It was one kiss, one amazingly erotic... No. One kiss and it was done. Romantic relationships were out. Still, that kiss...
Crackling in my ear. Shit. “Sorry, Harv. What did you say?” She was already screwing with my head. “Okay. Stop by Chuck’s food truck. It’s parked next to Agamont Park. Katie, the house owner, works there. She can give you the key...Yeah. Listen, send me the bill, okay?...Great. Thanks.”
When I disconnected, Katie was watching me. “Okay.” I clapped my hands together once. “Let me show you how everything works, and then I’ll take Chaucer with me.”
Chapter Fifteen
Kate
That cupcake lady seemed like kind of a dick. She came out, yelled at me to move the truck, and stormed back into her shop. I wouldn’t hold her rude behavior against her innocent cupcakes, but jeez. Luckily, the road was more of a hill, sloping down to the water. Aiden said the truck had to be running for the grill to work, so I only needed to take off the emergency brake, let the truck roll for a bit and then put the brake back on. Easy peasy.
Don’t believe anyone who tells you I almost took out a tree. I barely skinned it. And as a bonus, the customer window was now nicely shaded. Yes, the sun would have helped keep me warm, but whatevs. And aside from a few—okay, a lot—shivery memories of cupcake kisses, I’d mopped the floors, for what appeared to be the first time ever, cleaned the grill and microwaves, inventoried the food, disposing of all the spoiled stuff, and was grilling a dog for my first customer by eleven twenty. I totally had this in the bag.
“What would you like on it?” I rolled the dog on the grill and placed the bun on the toasting plate.
“Mustard, sauerkraut, and relish.” A guy with a huge camera hanging around his neck waited on the curb for his dog.
Shit. I’d thrown out the sauerkraut can because the expiration date was three years ago. What to do, what to do? “Is this your first visit to Bar Harbor?”
The man was taking a picture of the park, the harbor in the background. He didn’t change his stance as he answered. “No. I come every year.”
Is there anything back here that’s sauerkraut-like? I foraged through the storage cabinet again. Pickled onions? Really? Who the hell asks for pickled onions? “I’m sorry, sir. I’m out of sauerkraut. Is there something else I could put on your dog for you? Pickled onions, perhaps?” I smiled big, really selling it.
He lowered the camera, confusion clear on his face. “How can you be out?” He checked his watch. “It’s 11:22 a.m. How could you have already sold out of sauerkraut?”
“Not sold out, just out. But I have chili, cheese, onions, jalapeños, pickles, and the ever-popular pickled onions.” Big smile.
He reddened, anger lining his face. “How the hell are you running a hot dog truck without sauerkraut?”
I retreated a step, picking up a fork. “Well, what happened was?—”
“Are you a moron? That’s like trying to sell a hot dog without the dog.” His bellowing made nearby birds take flight.
Stepping farther into the shadows of the truck, I glanced over at the truck cab. I’d never locked the doors. “I’m sorry, sir. It’s my first day. I’m just trying to?—”
“This is the problem in this country. Everyone has an excuse for incompetence. Let me guess. You’re charging full price, aren’t you?” He paced in front of the open window, hands flailing, spittle flying from his mouth. “You should give me that dog for free!”
The hand not holding the pointy fork fell to my side to tap my thigh. Damn. Why had Aiden taken Chaucer from me? “I’m sorry, sir. I don’t think I can help you today.” My head was pounding in time with my racing heart.
He strode off, muttering, “Stupid bitch.”
