Five Weeks (Seven Series #3)(6)

“How are you holding out, hon?” Rosie blotted her face with a paper napkin. She had the most perfectly lined lips I’d ever seen. Black hair fell in large curls, all loose and pretty around her face.
“Peachy,” I lied, wanting to throw my shoes into the eternal fire of damnation. “Where are all the women? I thought there’d be more.”
“Oh, they like to make a late appearance,” she said, rolling her eyes. “They want to have the men good and riled up before they make their entrance at the door.”
“Oh, brother.”
“You got that right. If you think that’s bad, you should see the turnout on ladies’ night. They show up as early as possible to start getting free drinks, and by midnight, it’s the hottest mess you’ve ever seen. Don’t get me wrong, some of the girls are classy and looking for an honest Shifter, but we have a few doozies.”
“Don’t you mean floozies?”
“That too,” she said with a flurry of laughter. “It keeps things interesting. Never a dull moment. You’re doing an outstanding job, Izzy. I’m impressed. I’ve seen a few girls make rookie mistakes or run out screaming on their first day. If Jake asks, I’m going to recommend you for a few peak hours. But take the early evening, hon. You don’t want the after-midnight crowd. It takes thick skin, and I’d rather see you ease into the place before we scare you off.”
“Trust me, I’ve seen it all,” I assured her.
That was no lie. I used to work in a bar that serviced bikers. Those guys loved to shift in the parking lot and have an all-out fight, taking bets on which animal would win. I once called animal control and a couple of them were picked up. My boss fired me after that, but I had a good laugh knowing they had spent the night in the kennel until one of their buddies released them by filling out adoption papers.
“Why don’t you take off and soak your feet in hot water,” Rosie suggested, picking at her fingernail. “I’ve been watching you hobble around in those heels all night and it was funny at first, but now it’s not so much. I see you wincing every time you reach the bar. Jake doesn’t care if you wear sneakers in here, just so long as you look polished and are wearing the uniform.”
“I’m not really a sneaker girl at work, but thanks for the tip. Let whoever takes over my tables know that the alpha over there—”
“The one staring at your ass as if he were decoding hieroglyphics?”
“Yeah, that’s probably the one. I ordered a pizza for him.”
She knitted her brows. “What’s wrong with our food?”
“Well, he challenged the cook’s skills.”
Rosie looked at her gold watch and frowned. “I knew he was killing our business. I’m going to bring that up with Jake again.”
“Anyhow, I want his pizza on one of our serving dishes, and fix him up real nice. I won’t get the tip, but I don’t leave my guys hanging.”
She nudged me with her shoulder. “Neither do I, hon. I leave ’em stiff so they’re left wanting more.”
I laughed and a few heads turned. “Thanks, Rosie. I’ll look forward to hearing from either you or Jake. He has my number; just let me know what time my shift begins.”
“Nighty-night,” she sang, sipping her cola.
After changing into my jean shorts and turquoise blouse, I kicked off my shoes and held them between my fingers, walking out barefoot.
I turned the corner to the right and strolled out the front door, taking in a breath of fresh air.
“And what of my pizza?” a deep voice inquired. I glanced down at Prince, who was sitting on a bench to my right with his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankle.
“Sorry, I had to end my shift. Your new server is going to take good care of you. I told her to set you up.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Maybe she’s not the one I wanted to tip.”
I rocked on my heels, looking into the parking lot for Hawk’s car. “Well, you obviously want to tip the person who takes care of you, and I didn’t do a good job of that tonight.”
After a slight pause, he stood up and approached me, reaching for the door. Then he suddenly leaned close and drew in a deep breath. “Five weeks, Freckles.”
“What do you mean?” I was a little insulted if he was insinuating that’s how long I’d last working there.
A carnivorous grin spread across his face, and he gave me a lascivious wink. “Five weeks until you go into heat.”#p#分页标题#e#
My eyes widened as he turned and went back inside.
A pair of headlights from a red sports car temporarily blinded me until I covered my face. I grumbled when Hawk beeped his horn. He knew how much I hated being honked at.