Family Ever After. Margaret Daley

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ Cara rubbed her thumb into her palm. From all accounts Noah Maxwell was a very wealthy man who still kept a personal interest in his business even though he didn’t need to. He hired competent managers and most of his staff had been with him a long time.

      “Are you attending the barbecue at Stone’s Refuge on Sunday?” Noah asked.

      “Yes, I’m helping Laura and Hannah set it up.”

      “Why don’t you go on home?” He checked his watch.

      “We’ll be closing up in a few minutes.”

      “I’m supposed to learn how to close up with Kalvin tonight.”

      He waved his hand. “Don’t worry. You can another night. I’ll help Kalvin this evening.”

      “But—”

      “Listen, Cara—” he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees “—I know how upsetting a scene like that can be. Go home.” He sat back. “Besides, I’m the boss. What I say goes.”

      “How can I argue with that?”

      “You can’t.”

      The smile on his face totally altered the tough-guy facade he’d presented earlier to the three men. His hazel eyes sparkled, and his dimples drew attention to the curve of his mouth. He rose slowly, pulling her gaze down his length. Dressed in a gray, long-sleeved shirt and black slacks, he commanded the space around him, as though there wasn’t any situation he couldn’t handle.

      “Are you working tomorrow?” he asked as he opened the door for her.

      “Yes, I come in at ten.”

      “Then you’d better go. Get some rest and put this evening behind you.”

      After gathering her purse, she gave him a smile over her shoulder and walked toward the exit. “Thanks. I’m still adjusting to the job. My feet are killing me.”

      “Try soaking them in warm saltwater.”

      She placed her hand on the knob and looked back at Noah. Adam, one of the high school workers, said something, and Noah turned toward him.

      Weariness blanketed her. Even though the idea of warm saltwater appealed to her, she was too tired even to take the time to do that. All she wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep for hours.

      She opened the back door, noticing a few other staff members gathering their belongings to leave. As she stepped outside, she relished the night air cooling her cheeks. A pool of brightness shone down from the security light. She saw Maddy, another waitress, climb into her vehicle and back out. She waved to Cara as she drove past. Cara walked toward her car, thoughts of the comfortable bed waiting for her at Laura’s running through her mind.

      “Boss, a toilet in the men’s bathroom overflowed,” one of Noah’s employees said, coming from the restroom.

      “Will you clean it up before you leave?”

      “Sure,” Kalvin muttered, quickly trying to cover his frown.

      Pounding at the back door drew Noah’s attention. He peered through the peephole and saw Adam and Cara. Quickly he opened the door.

      The ashen look on Cara’s face sent alarm bells ringing in Noah’s mind. “I thought both of you left. What’s wrong?”

      Adam gestured toward the parking lot. “Those three guys that caused problems earlier in the restaurant were waiting for Cara. They tried to drag her to their car.”

      Hands shaking, Cara crossed her arms over her chest. “They ran when Adam shouted at them. Or rather they staggered away. They had a liquor bottle and were passing it around. I—I didn’t know—”

      “I’m calling the police. Adam, did you see what they were driving? We need to report this before they kill someone.”

      “I want to file charges against them.” Cara lifted her chin a notch. “If they had gotten me into the car…” She shuddered, closing her eyes for a few seconds.

      “I’ll take care of everything, Cara.”

      As the teen gave Noah the description of the white car, Adam shot a concerned look at Cara. “Are you all right?”

      “Yes, thanks to you.”

      Noah was glad Adam had been at the right place at the right time, but he felt as though he had let down one of his workers. No one hurts his employees, not if he could do anything about it. He would push for those three to face the stiffest charges.

      “You two can sit in my office while we wait.” Noah walked to the wall phone and punched in the police department. After making his report, he said to Kalvin, “Let the officer in when he comes.”

      “Can we do anything to help?”

      “Yeah, please finish closing up for me. I need to drive Cara home after she reports the incident.”

      “Okay, boss.” Kalvin began to turn away, stopped and peered back at Noah. “I know Jake, Jeremy and Brent from school. They go to the University of Cimarron. They’re the star players on the baseball team. Without them I doubt we’ll win the conference.” Kalvin headed to the kitchen.

      Great! Another added bonus. Noah thought of the publicity this would trigger when the press discovered the charges the three star players would face. He didn’t see any way this could be kept quiet.

      He walked through the kitchen and found Cara and Adam seated in his office. While Adam peered at his hands in his lap, she stared off into space. An urge to eliminate that lost look in her eyes overwhelmed Noah. He settled in the last chair in front of his desk and faced Cara.

      “The police should be here shortly. Can I get you anything until then?”

      “No—yes, some water.”

      Adam bolted to his feet. “I’ll get it.”

      When the teen left, Noah took Cara’s trembling hands.

      “I’m sorry this happened. This is usually a safe place to work. I—”

      “You didn’t do anything. You can’t control what drunks will do.”

      Her words plunged him back into the past. A picture of his father striding toward him with his fist raised struck him. Those were memories he made a point of never reliving. Shoving them away, he said, “That doesn’t mean I can’t try.”

      Adam reentered the room with a law officer trailing. The teen gave Cara a glass of water and sat again in the chair next to her.

      Noah stood. “Have y’all found them?”

      “Right before I came in here, I got a report the three young men were pulled over not far from here. They’re being taken down to headquarters to be charged with public intoxication. They’ll be spending the night in jail.”

      Noah sighed. “Good.”

      “I СКАЧАТЬ