Chapter 35: Chapter 35

Walking into Yukhaejang, the restaurant where Dario brought me on our first date, I feel nervous for a different reason.

I glance at the tables and customers, thinking this place is the complete opposite of the diner.

Walking to a stand where a woman is reading something, I wait for her to look at me before I say, “I’m here to see Skylar.”

A frown forms on her forehead. “The chef?”

“Yes.” Worried I’m going to be kicked out, I add, “She’s expecting me.”

“Oh.”

As the woman glances over her shoulder, I see Skylar coming from the kitchen.

Thank God.

A smile spreads over her face when she notices me. “You’re here. Come to the back.”

I dart around the stand, and when I reach Skylar, she gives me a quick hug.

“Thanks for agreeing to see me,” I say while we walk to an office.

When she shuts the door behind us, she smiles at me again. “Let’s get the business out of the way so we can relax.”

“Yeah…okay.”

She gestures at a chair, and even though I feel too nervous, I sit down.

“Dario says you have experience in waitressing?”

“Yes. I worked at Ben’s Burgers since I was sixteen.”

“He mentioned the diner. Did you do anything else, or just waitressing?”

“I’ve cashed up at closing time, helped with schedules, and placed and received orders. You know, the usual stuff that goes on in a diner.”

She stares at me for a moment, which doesn’t help my nerves shit, then she says, “I have a manager’s assistant position open. You’ll have to help keep the fridge stocked and plan the serving staff schedule.”

“Really?” I gasp. “That would be awesome.”

Skylar lets out a chuckle. “I have one rule, though.”

“What?”

“If we butt heads at work, it can’t affect our personal relationship.”

“Personal relationship?” I parrot her.

“We’re going to become friends, Eden. Dario and Renzo are close, and we’ll spend a lot of time together outside of work.”

“Oh, right. Sorry,” I chuckle. “I forgot about that.”

She reaches her hand out to me, and when I shake it, she says, “Welcome to the team.”

“Thank you so much.” I feel some of the tension leave my body. “When do you want me to start?”

“The second week of January.”

“That’s still a month away,” I mention. “You sure?”

“A certain person wants to spend the holidays with you before I steal all your time.”

Laughter bursts from me. “Dario?”

“Yes.”

With the business out of the way, she asks, “How are you doing after…?” She lets the sentence trail away, but I know what she’s referring to.

“Much better. I’m back to my old self.”

“Did Dario mention we all get together once a month?”

I shake my head.

“It’s Tori and Angelo’s turn this month. It was Renzo’s and mine last month, and we had Thanksgiving here at the restaurant.”

“You all sound really close,” I mention.

“We are.” Her eyes lock with mine. “You’ll get used to it.” She stands up. “Remind Dario about the dinner at Tori and Angelo’s place on Christmas Eve. Oh, before I forget, we can arrange for you to come in a week before you’re due to start so you can meet all the staff and explain the job in more detail and talk about your pay. Will you be okay with that?”

“Yes, that would be great,” I murmur as I get up and follow her out of the office.

“Sorry, I can’t talk longer, but I need to get back to the kitchen.”

“Oh, sure. I totally understand.”

She gives me another quick hug before rushing back to work.

When I walk out of the restaurant, it’s to see Tyrone leaning against the SUV with sunglasses on.

I can’t help but start laughing, which has his head turning in my direction.

“I look cool, don’t I?” he asks.

“Yeah, totally badass.”

He opens the front passenger door for me. “Seat belt, baby girl.”

“Yes, Dad,” I tease him.

Tyrone freezes, then his features tighten with emotion. “I like the sound of that.”

Jesus. My heart.

He shuts the door, and walking around the front of the SUV, he slides in behind the steering wheel.

As he starts the engine and drives down the street, I ask, “Would it be okay if I called you Dad?”

He clears his throat. “I’d love it.”

We’re quiet again, then he asks, “Where to?”

“The diner.”

The ride to Brownsville is filled with emotion, and Tyrone keeps clearing his throat while I blink my ass off to keep the tears back.

When he pulls up to Ben’s Burgers and places the car in park, I lean over and kiss his cheek. “Thank you for being my father.”

I shove the door open and quickly climb out.

When Tyrone…Dad joins me, he mutters, “I swear you want to see your old man weep like a baby.”

As soon as we walk into the diner, Sherrie lets out a shriek and comes to hug me.

“I thought you forgot about us.”

“Never,” I chuckle.

She gestures at the SUV. “Who’s ride is that?”

“Mine,” Dad mutters before he finds an open seat.

“For real?” Sherrie asks.

“Yeah,” I reply. “I have a lot to tell you.”

“Can I get a refill,” Jovan, one of the regulars, asks.

“Give me a minute,” she tells him before turning her attention back to me.

“Give him a refill. I’ll talk while you work,” I say so she won’t get in trouble with Sylvia.

She grabs the coffee pot and as we walk from table to table, I tell her everything that’s happened the past two to three weeks.

By the time I’m done, she’s staring at me with wide eyes, the coffee pot forgotten in her hand.

“Damn, girl. Besides the shit with the drug dealers, you’re living the fairy-tale life the rest of us dream about.” She gives me a playful punch on the shoulder. “Good for you.”

“Right?” I grin from ear to ear, then do something I’ve always wanted to do, and shout, “Pie’s on me, people!”

I haven’t spent a dime of the money Dario gave me and figured this is the best way to start.

The customers cheer, and I get to work, helping Sherrie serve everyone a slice of pie.

When I take a seat by Dad to wait while he eats his slice, I say, “I’m going to miss this place.”

“You spent a lot of time here.”

“Yeah.”

“On to bigger and better things,” he murmurs before washing the pie down with a sip of coffee.

“Talking about bigger and better. Want to open a soup kitchen with me?”

“Here in Brownsville?”

I nod. “I was thinking we can talk to the church and get something going.”

“Is that really how you wanna spend the money Dario gave you?”

I mentioned the money to him during the drive to the restaurant but didn’t tell him how much. I’m still trying to process the amount, so it will probably give Dad a heart attack, which is the last thing I want.

Answering his question, I say, “Yes. I want to give back to the community.”

“We can stop at the church over on Riverdale Avenue before we head home.”

“Thanks.”

Leaning back in my seat I glance around the diner, thinking how much my life has changed.

One moment, I’m a struggling waitress slash janitor, and the next, I’m dating Dario La Rosa, mafia boss slash art lover.

How the hell did I get this lucky?