Energized by Mary Behre

kitchen looking for this.” A familiar voice called out from behind him, “See you guys, I told you. The Boxing Cat would get your meal out to you before you knew it.”
    Niall’s fingers, jaw, even his knees went slack as he turned to see Hannah of Heaven’s Gate. Her fairylike face alight with joy.
    She was here.
    His ears buzzed.
    She was in his restaurant.
    His heartbeat double-timed.
    â€œLet me get that for you . . . uh, Boss,” she said, slipping the plate out of his hands.
    She called him . . .
Boss
?
    Oh, hell no.

CHAPTER 6

    â€œB OSS ?” N IALL FORCED the word between clenched teeth. He’d tried for a smile when he’d returned to the kitchen with Hannah, but judging by the way she rolled her pink braid between her fingertips, it wasn’t working.
    But what the hell? Why was she in his restaurant? Working. For him.
    A sliver of alarm rippled through his belly. Was she a psycho stalker?
    â€œYes, isn’t it amazing? Last night when I arrived in Tidewater I needed a job. This afternoon while eating lunch here, I was hired. Really incredible.” Hannah dropped the braid, washed her hands in the sink, then walked around the half wall to check over the tickets waiting on the counter. “Anything up for me, guys?”
    â€œGive us three minutes and your pie will be ready.” Virgil gave her a wink. “But these are ready to go out to the Half Room, tables six and seven. Can you carry them out for Sadie?”
    â€œSure thing.” Hannah didn’t hesitate. She picked up thetray loaded with four plates and started to reach for the pitchers of sweet and unsweet tea.
    â€œI got the tray,” Niall said, sweeping it off her shoulder, leaving her free to grab the pitchers in both hands.
    â€œThanks.” Hannah’s face practically glowed. She led the way through the restaurant, smiling radiantly at the customers.
    Niall followed her through the restaurant both appalled and amused by how well she’d fit in. The way the guests chatted with her as she refilled drinks, it was like she’d been working here for months, not hours. Hell, several people called her by name but still had no idea who he was or that he owned the place.
    After serving the meals, Niall checked on a few tables. Relief swept through him at the sight of Karma and Sadie back at work. A large table of sailors, dressed in their blue fatigues, left. Michael appeared from out of the shadows and bussed the table.
    There was no time to talk to Hannah. Why was Niall trying? She didn’t seem to have any great impulse to talk to him. Like a social butterfly completely in her element, Hannah flitted from one table to another. Serving food, drinks, and even jokes. It was alarming and disarming. And fuck. He could smell her honeysuckle fragrance every time she strode past him.
    The sight of her killer body in the gender neutral white shirt and black pants uniform, the sound of her laughter, hell, even that damned fresh scent of hers was screwing with his head. But the blood pounding through his body was definitely not headed north. He needed to stop staring at her like some horny teenager. So he did.
    Around nine thirty, Niall retreated to his office. He kicked his bag under the desk and folded down the step stool into its other shape, that of a ratty office chair. He needed to work. The English wedding was this weekend. There was still work to be done to prepare for it and Ross was still MIA.
    As much as Niall hated the idea of expanding the business, he hated failing more. Someone had to do the work, sohe’d do it. He’d be damned if he’d let his brother drive the Cat into the ground. With one ear listening for the musical laughter of a certain confusing waitress, Niall set his teeth and focused on the numbers on his computer screen.
    Crap! He’d really come full circle today. He’d started the day trying not to think about Hannah while working