Her Silent Revenge novel Chapter 11

"Sure." My veins ice over.

"Look, this won't be a regular occurrence. You don't need to worry about that."

Regular?

I sure as hell hope not.

If I see this kid demolishing the place again, I'll flip my lid. Also, she needs to quit apologizing before someone—probably me, admittedly—loses their cool.

First impressions are God. If the new manager from our mentor program walked in right now and saw this shit show…

Let's just say I doubt there'd be a second impression. And that would instantly be my fault with Dex and Archer breathing down my neck.

"Who are you, anyway? Are you cleaning or accounting? We're not supposed to have any other staff on duty today."

"Oh, right. Hi, I'm Salem. Salem Hopper?" She blinks at me like the name should mean something, offering me a hand while she keeps mopping coffee with more napkins. "Your new intern. Er, manager, I mean."

My manager.

My goddamned manager.

This day just charged into first place for historic disasters.

"Patton," I growl back, annoyed at myself for having the MILF thought a minute ago.

My brothers might think I'm an idiot when it comes to dating, but I don't dip my pen in the company ink. Ever.

Predictably, that realization only makes me notice her more. The way her blouse falls open at the top, just enough to—fuck.

Stop.

I have to turn away and stare at this gold abstract art piece mounted on the wall before I can look at her again.

"I'll call someone to deal with the mess. Let's get started, assuming you can find a way to keep your son entertained."

"Oh, yes. He has a coloring book and I won't let him out of my sight. I'll make sure he's set up before we begin Mr.—um, do you prefer Patton or Mr. Rory?" She tosses the sopping wet napkins in the trash and grabs Arlo's hand.

I can't make out much, just a few harsh pleas for him to ‘behave' and something about losing weekend pizza rights for the next ten years.

When she finally walks in with the boy sulking behind her, I show her inside and shut the door.

At least in here, Arlo can't cause too much destruction. Just in case, I hand him a Higher Ends notepad and a blue pen to go with the coloring book Salem pulls from her bag. While he scribbles away noisily, I gesture for her to sit next to me at the end of the long table.

"You came here with a glowing recommendation. Mr. Persephone himself, from the fashion brand. He knew my folks for years," I tell her, praying I won't have to make someone regret those words. "Your previous hotelier experience speaks for itself."

"I have a thick skin. Working at Copper Roof will do that." She gives me a strained smile.

Copper Roof? That's her experience?

The place is a frigging dive, just off the main highway leading into town from the Kansas state line. The place was never anything close to luxurious even in its heyday, when Elvis music and new veterans back from Korea were common there.

"Don't let it scare you. I knew this job wouldn't be easy and I love a challenge. After years working there, I can handle anything," she tells me proudly. "Trust me, I've dealt with roaches who had bigger egos than the nastiest guest."

That wins her a smirk, and I'm annoyed to admit she has a point. "That's what I like to hear, Miss Hopper. I'll remind you that while I'm giving you a shot, your performance is what really matters in the end. The hours and sweat you put in with us are far more important than a few lines on a résumé."