"Roberts, Nora - Irish Gallaghers 03 - Heart of the Sea" - читать интересную книгу автора (Roberts Nora)

Tears dried up quickly with sheer shock. "But I've the night off."

"Not anymore, you don't. You'll come back prepared to do the job you're paid to do if you want to keep it. I want you moving smartly from table to table, from table to kitchen and back again. If something confuses you or there's something you don't remember or understand, you can come to me and I'll help you out. But-"

She paused, waiting until Sinead met her eyes again. "I won't tolerate you leaving your stations. You've got to pee, that's fine, but each time I note you sliding into the back and staying over five minutes at it, I'm docking you a pound."

"I've- got a bladder problem."

Darcy would have laughed if it hadn't been so pathetic. "Now that's bullshit and the both of us know it. If you had any problems with your plumbing I'd've heard, as your mother would have told Brenna's mother and so it would have come to my ears."

Trapped, Sinead shifted from apologetic to pout. "But a pound, Darcy!"

"Aye, a pound, so consider before you nip off what it's costing you." Which, she already decided, would go into her own wish jar, as she'd be the one taking up the slack.

"We've a reputation here at Gallagher's that's generations in the making," she continued. "You work for us, you meet the standards we set. If you can't or won't, you get the boot. This is your second chance, Sinead. You won't get a third."

"Aidan's not so hard as you."

Darcy lifted a brow as Sinead's bottom lip trembled.

"Well, now, you're not dealing with Aidan, are you? You've two hours. Be on time, or I'll assume you've decided this isn't the job for you."

"I'll be here." Obviously irked, Sinead got to her feet. "I can handle the work. It's nothing but hauling trays about. Doesn't take any brains."

Darcy sent her the most pleasant of smiles. "There you are, then."

"When I save enough money so I can marry Billy, I'm leaving all of this behind me."

"That's a fine ambition. But this is today. Go on now and walk off your temper before you say something you'll be sorry for later."

Darcy sat where she was as Sinead strode across the room. Since she'd expected the girl to slam the door, she only rolled her eyes at the bullet crack of it. "If she used half that energy for the job, we wouldn't have had this pleasant little chat."

She shrugged her shoulders to relieve some of the tension, curled her toes in her shoes to work out some of the ache, then got to her feet. Gathering the glasses, she turned to carry them to the bar. And Trevor came through the kitchen door.

That, she thought, was a fine example of what God had intended when he'd designed man. He might look a tad rough and dirty from the day's work, but it didn't mar the appeal.

"We're closed at the moment," she told him.

"The back door was unlocked."

"We're a friendly sort of place." She carried the glasses to the bar. "But I'm afraid I can't sell you a pint right now."

"I didn't come in for a pint."

"Didn't you now?" She knew what a man was after when he had his eyes on her that way, but the game required playing. "What are you looking for, then?"

"I wasn't looking for anything when I got up this morning." He leaned on the bar. They both knew what they were about, he thought. It made the dance simpler when both people knew the steps. "Then I saw you."

"You're a smooth one, aren't you, Mr. New York City?"