God In The Kitchen by Brooke Williams Read Free Book Online Page A

diner owner and slapped my hand against his.
                “Couldn’t be better, now that you’re here,” he said. “I’ve called in some extra help for today. You make sure I need it, you hear?”
                “You got it,” I promised. It was likely going to be one of Cal’s busiest days that year.
                Cal hunched down and placed his elbows on his side of the counter. “You guys can set the equipment up right there,” he said, pointing to a location near the front window. “Let’s go over the plan,” Cal said anxiously.
                I was more than happy to give Cal a play by play of what I had planned. But as he and I hashed the morning’s events out, I could hear Jim grumbling behind me as he took one trip after another to the ambulance.
                By the time Cal was done with me, Jim had all of the equipment in and half set up. “What can I do to help?” I asked as I approached.
                “Humph,” Jim stated as he muttered something I couldn’t hear under his breath. “Just do your table.”
                I smiled. “Happy to!” I knew my comment would only make Jim more cranky, but I couldn’t help myself.
                I dragged the promotions box over to the front corner of the diner.
                I got the tablecloth out and smoothed it over the long table Cal had set up for us before our arrival. I then took my time arranging the window stickers in an appealing pattern across half of the table.
                “All set?” Cal called from behind the counter.
                I gave him a thumbs up sign after completing a test on the equipment Jim had efficiently set up.
                Cal swiftly moved around the counter and turned on the “open” sign. He moved fast for a man his size and he surprised me by suddenly appearing at my side.
                “You need anything today, you just tell Chloe,” he said, throwing his beefy thumb to his right where I spotted Chloe in the distance, filling saltshakers. “She’s new, but she’s the best.”
                Cal scurried back around the counter to the kitchen to prepare the kitchen staff for the first customers, who were bound to be there as soon as the diner opened.
                I saw my chance and approached Chloe. Her concentration was so fierce and intent that she jumped when I said her name.
                “Chloe,” I said quietly.
                Chloe spilled a little salt on the table and then picked up a few grains and threw it over her shoulder. “For good luck,” she said.
                “You spill salt a lot just so you can do that?” I asked.
                “Sometimes,” she admitted with a smile.
                “I bet the guy that cleans the floors loves that.”
                “I clean the floors.”
                “Oh, well then, I guess you have every right.”
                “Can I get you anything?” Chloe asked, screwing the top back on the saltshaker.
                “I’d love some coffee. Maybe a cinnamon roll. Jim will eat and drink anything you put in front of him,” I said.
                “Humph,” Jim said as he tore at an electrical wire. Things were working perfectly and he still wasn’t satisfied.
                I raised my eyebrows as I turned back to Chloe and we both laughed.
                “Coming right up,” she said, moving towards the counter.
                “One more thing,” I said and she stopped in her tracks, waiting to hear what more I wanted. “Do you have some time? To talk? You know…later?”
               

CHAPTER TEN
     
     
    I could be wrong, but I thought I saw a sense of relief on Chloe’s face as she nodded. “Yeah, I can try to get a break when you’re