33. The Rumor Mill

Chapter 33

The Rumor Mill

MEGAN

M y heart is racing at the words Mr. Middleton whispered in my ear. It's been quite a few days since my life-changing trip to Paris and the heated moment between us in my apartment, but ever since then, I can't seem to distinguish between Mr. Middleton, my boss, and Hunter, the man.

Hunter was a considerate man who patiently amused me as we explored Paris. He was also a passionate lover who drove me wild and made sure I was the center of attention in bed. Mr. Middleton is my boss, a dangerous man who leads a complex life and doesn't blink an eye when it comes to taking someone's life.

I'm not sure which man just left me standing here with a dumb look on my face, nipples at attention, and damp panties. Trembling, I sink against the closed door, rattled. The man can turn me on with a single word, no matter how much I try to fight it.

I should be angry with him. I should be horrified. He's going to make me beg? The nerve. But under the shock of his words is a thrum of anticipation and need.

That one night between us is imprinted in my brain. I thought I'd had sex before, but after being fucked by Hunter Middleton, I realize I hadn't even come close, and I desperately want more of it. Try as much as I can, I haven't been able to replicate that sensation. My fingers aren't good enough, and neither is my silver bullet vibrator.

I let out a shaky breath before getting to my feet. The way he kissed me a few days ago, touching me in all the right spots, driving me insane, making me toss and turn every night. It was pure evil of him to leave me hanging on purpose. I'm headed down a slippery slope with this man with no end in sight.

I pick up my ruined sandwich and cold coffee and walk inside, only to see Diana standing there. She blinks when she sees me, and I wonder if she is eavesdropping on me.

"Were you outside with Mr. Middleton just now?" she asks me.

"What?" I question her. "Why are you back here? This area is restricted to management personnel only."

"I got lost." She shrugs. "So what were you talking about with the boss man? I didn't know you two were close."

For some reason, I'm not too fond of the look in Diana's eyes, and my tone with her is a little harsh. "I think it's best that you return to the bar. You're not supposed to be back here."

She gives me a quick grin, ignoring my order. "Are you and him together?"

I already take enough shit from kids at school, and I certainly don't need any conflict at work, but Diana's insinuating question makes me uneasy, so I take a step toward her. "Listen, you and I are not close enough to talk about our private lives. Go back to work and stop asking useless questions."

Her face flushes at my curt words, and I can tell that she wants to bite back, but she wisely holds her tongue.

I'm not usually very harsh with the staff because I've been in their position literally a few weeks ago, but I also cannot let them talk to me like this, especially Diana, who's just started. When I hired her, I never expected her to have such a nosy personality, but lately, I've seen her poking her nose into matters that are not her concern.

I head to the kitchen to check the schedule and run into Billy. The uneasiness of my encounter with Diana is still lingering in the back of my head, so I ask him, "What do you think of the new hire?"

"Gage?"

I shake my head, turning my attention toward the schedule board.

"Diana."

When Billy doesn't say anything, I look over my shoulder at him. He's wearing an annoyed expression on his face.

"I don't like her. I don't get a good vibe from her. She's far too friendly for my liking, like she's trying too hard."

I don't comment because I've been getting the same vibes.

"She asks a lot of questions as well," Billy continues. "She's very curious about you, your background, how you got promoted so quickly, and all of that."

My lips purse. "Has anybody on staff been talking to her?"

I don't quite like the look on Billy's face, so I press the issue. "What is it?"

"Well, Dan works with me on the stove, and he's cool with you. The male servers have no issue with you. I mean, you're an upgrade from Steve, and you know all of our situations, and you're cool about it. So if anyone's going to talk a little smack about you to Diana, it would have to be the girls. They've been a little uptight lately."

"Uptight?" I echo. "All of them?"

"Well, Allie and Mia have been the most vocal. Apparently, Sally was their friend, and when she was asked to leave, they blamed you."

I recall the incident with Sally and the men at Table 21, which sparked this whole situation that I'm in now.

"I saved her ass," I hiss. "And I warned her. What the hell are they blaming me for?"

Billy doesn't meet my eyes. "You know how women can be. Apparently, you're on good terms with the boss, and you also get along well with Gage. All the girls have a crush on the man. He's not as friendly with them as he is with you."

I gape at him, and Billy continues in a rushed manner. "Rumor around the Whiskey is that you slept with the boss to get your position and get Steve fired. Now they're worried you're going to sleep with Gage, too."

"What?" I croak. The shock of the rumors hit me like a ton of bricks. "They think I did what?"

"Of course, I know that it's just bullshit," Billy hurriedly tries to reassure me. "You're not the type of girl to do something so stupid."

Well, he's half right, I think to myself miserably.

The kitchen door opens, and a brunette in a waitress's uniform enters. I meet Mia's eyes, and she sneers in my direction before heading off to the back of the kitchen to take her break.

"How long has this been going on, Billy?" I ask, keeping my voice low.

"Ever since you became manager," he replies. "But listen, kid, you can't worry about shit like that. People will always talk about the people in charge. The talk will die down soon. Besides, the ladies will soon realize that Mr. Middleton isn't the kind of dude to sleep with people like us."

"Us?"

"Employees, I mean. Have you seen the kind of socialites he likes to be seen with? Google him. He's been with some stunners."

I unlock my phone and type in Hunter Middleton in the search bar. I haven't done an enormous amount of Google research on him because I assumed I wouldn't find much based on his underworld ties. I've never been more wrong. There are literally dozens of pages of online images of him and a variety of beauties in formal attire posing on the red carpet.

One picture stands out.

He's wearing a very expensive-looking tux with a random brunette on his arm. She reminds me of a younger Nicole Kidman with dark brown hair. She's statuesque, with ivory-white skin and a sexy red dress on, and they're both attending an event held last year in Paris.

Paris, of all places.

I glance at my tired reflection on the shiny metal counter and wince. Billy's not wrong, but I feel a slight throb in my chest at the reality he's just shoved in my face.

"You're right," I murmur. "But if you get the opportunity, can you track down where the rumor started? This is a workplace, and like it or not, I am the manager. If stories like these start affecting the waitresses' job performance, it will be an issue for me. I need to nip it in the bud."

Where I would have once ignored something like this, I'm no longer on an equal footing with the staff. I have to make sure that they at least respect me; otherwise, getting them to follow my orders will be a pain in the ass.

Billy nods in agreement, but before I can leave, he says, "I actually have to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

He looks a little sheepish. "My brother-in-law invested in a steakhouse down in Ohio. He wants me to go fifty-fifty. It's a great opportunity, and with the baby on the way, it'll help a lot, especially since we'll be staying with my mother-in-law there. Brianna doesn't want to raise children in LA. Says it's not safe enough."

I blink.

"Did you just say, mother-in-law?"

Billy grins, holding up his hand and showing me a gold band around his finger.

"Yeah, we eloped last week. I'm not going to find anybody better than her."

I smile and step forward to hug him.

"Oh, Billy, that's fantastic. Congratulations!"

He's beaming when I step back.

"Thanks."

"So, when do you plan on taking that offer?"

"Next month," he says hesitantly. "I didn't want to do you wrong and leave you hanging, so I thought I'd tell you now. That'll give you time to hire somebody, and I can train them."

Billy was the club's main cook long before I was hired, and he's one of my closest work friends. Seeing him leave will make me a little sad.

"I'll talk to Mr. Middleton," I promise. "Write down your duties for me, and I'll create a job description."

The look on Billy's face has me pausing. "What is it now?"

"I may already have somebody in mind," he says. "She's quite young, but she comes by the soup kitchen that Brianna works out of. She helps out sometimes, and I met her a couple of times. She's a good cook."

When I don't respond immediately, Billy adds quickly, "Look, when this place started up, Mr. Middleton gave me an opportunity. I was pretty much broke. I applied on a whim. I never expected to get the job. He may be a stone-cold bastard, but he looks after his people, and he isn't afraid to give people an opportunity. I would never recommend somebody who wouldn't be a good fit. This job got me on my feet, and the kid I'm thinking about bringing on needs the same chance."

I trust Billy, but I must talk to Hunter before doing anything.

"Give me a day," I tell him. "Meanwhile, get me that girl's resume, and I'll talk to Mr. Middleton."

I check my watch. I still have a few hours of work before I can go home. It's not like I don't have the time to talk to Hunter today, but I don't want to approach him right now. My head is still a tangle of emotions.

I'll wait until Billy gives me her resume.