Chapter 3
The number I’d asked Dylan for wasn’t just
I wanted to buy this shop.]
for wasn’t just some random figure I pulled out of my ass.
As for whether I’d lose money… honestly, I hadn’t really thought that far ahead.
I just figured that in a world this big, if some people can drop two hundred on dinner, there have to be others who can only afford a four bucks lemonade.]
My boss was totally down for it.
The day this place officially became mine, Dylan made a special trip just to shit all over my parade.[]
Are you completely brain–dead? Your utilities, supplies, and labor costs are gonna be more than you make! This place will be bankrupt in three monthst
I kept wiping down tables, not even bothering to look up:[]
“Yeah, whatever. I’ll figure it out.”
Dylan looked like I’d just slapped him. He was about to launch into another lecture when his phone started ringing
I recognized the voice on the other end–Cherry.
He shot me this disgusted look, answered the call, and stormed out.]
It did sting a little, though.]
Dylan seemed to have forgotten what he’d said before–bark when I’d come home so exhausted I could barely move, complaining about my restaurant manager being a total dick
Our conversations were always the same pattern: me rambling on about stuff, him tearing me down.[]
But that one time, he stared at my swollen ankles and said:[]
“Maybe I should help you become the boss someday. Then you could tell other people what to do instead of getting worked to death.”
That was the first time it ever occurred to me that I could be something other than just another minimum wage worker.]
But Dylan’s little reality check just now reminded me–I needed to hire someone.[
What kind of boss doesn’t have employees?
I grabbed a piece of cardboard and scribbled “HELP WANTED PART TIME” in big black letters.]
I was biting off p
pieces
s of tape to stick it on the front window when someone’s hands–long fingers, nice hands–took it from me.[]
I turned around to see this lanky guy standing there.
The boy pointed at the sign and asked:]
“You hiring? I go to school here.“]
He was wearing a face mask with really short hair, dressed in this faded gray t–shirt that looked like it had been through the wash a million times. Simple but clean.
I figured he looked pretty skinny, but I could see some muscle definition under that shirt–he could probably handle the work
And that’s how I hired Lucas Torres for ten bucks an hour and officially became a real boss.[]
Three days after taking over the shop, business was still absolute trash.
Lucas had nothing to do, so he just sat at the register reading books with titles I couldn’t even pronounce.
After my fifth dramatic sigh in ten minutes, he finally couldn’t take it anymore. He closed his book and said:
“Let’s hit up the basketball courts. Use ice packs to keep them cold–way more refreshing than water.”
My eyes lit up:[]
“Make twenty cups–let’s go!“]
The school was apparently hosting some big basketball tournament, and the bleachers were packed.[]
The two of us hauled these foam coolers across campus, huffing and puffing the whole way.[]
I honestly didn’t get what was so exciting about watching a bunch of sweaty guys chase a ball around in this heat.
But when I spotted Dylan tearing it up on the court, everything clicked.
When he dodged around a defender and nailed a three–pointer, every girl inthe stands went absolutely nuts cheering.
Makes sense–once you’ve got money again, the whole world suddenly wants to kiss your ass.
He wasn’t that broken guy who only had me anymore.]
Lucas pushed through the crowd ahead of me, getting us right up to the front, and whispered:[]
“Halftime’s almost over. Go hit up the players first–they’re the hottest and thirstiest right now. Once they start buying, the crowd will follow.“]
I nodded, then suddenly had a thought:
“Wait, who’s the boss here, me or you? No way, you do it.“]
“Eine, you take the guys, I’ll take the girls. Deal?
“…Deal.”
When halftime hit, I walked over to the rest area and locked eyes with Dylan
We both looked away at the exact same time.]
He didn’t want everyone to know about his trashy ex.
And I didn’t really want his business anyway.
But Cherry wasn’t about to let me off that easy.
She deliberately shoulder–checked me hard.]
I didn’t have time to react–the cooler went flying and lemonade splashed everywhere.[]
