Bad Rep (Bad Rep, #1)(8)

“You'll be fine.  And if you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to ask me.  We're one big family here at Barton's,” Moore said kindly.  Jordan chuckled.

“Yeah, a big dysfunctional family,” he added.  Moore ignored his comment and shooed him out of his office, saying he needed to make some phone calls.

Jordan walked us out of the office and into the kitchen.  There were two older guys scrubbing dishes and I could see a few other people out back smoking.  “It's a good thing I never saw the kitchen when I ate here,” Riley muttered under her breath, taking in the grease stained surfaces and wafts of cigarette smoke coming in from the open door.

I shot her a look but Jordan just laughed.  “I swear, it's all perfectly hygienic.  No cockroaches or pissing in people's food.  We're a civilized bunch here.”  One of the guys washing dishes looked over at them.

“Civilized, huh?  Don't start speaking that fancy college talk.  Otherwise, Pocco and I'll take you out back and kick some street into your ass,”  one of the guys called out.

The man grabbed Jordan's arm and put him in a head lock.  Riley and I exchanged horrified looks as Jordan slugged his captor in the stomach, forcing him to release his hold.  “Watch the hair, Fed.  This takes hours,” Jordan put his hands over his short hair.  Fed (who the hell has a name like Fed?) swatted him with a grimy dish towel.

“Fucking pansy,” he mocked, though he said it with a smile.

“You're gonna chase them off before they even get started, man,” Jordan joked, pulling me by the arm over to the two dishwashers.  Pocco and Fed were easily in their forties and the looks they gave me and Riley was more than a little skeevie.

“Pocco and Fed, this is Maysie and Riley, the new waitresses.”  Pocco gave Riley the once over and actually licked his lips.  Really?  He licked his flipping lips!  He was short and overweight with a goatee.

“Nice to meet you ladies.  Welcome to Barton's,” Pocco said, his voice tinged with an accent as his eyes roamed over our bodies.

“Um, thanks,” I said, feeling uncomfortable.

Riley put her hand on her hip and stared both men down.  “Maybe if you can stop eye f*cking me for more than two seconds, I could say the same.”  My jaw dropped but the dishwashers barked out a laugh.  Jordan gaped at Riley, then grinned.

Fed, the taller of the two with more hair, hit Jordan's arm.  “This bitch's crazy.  I like her.  She'll fit in just fine.”

I looked at Riley, who shrugged.  The men were still howling with laughter as we moved on to tour the rest of the kitchen.  Jordan leaned in close to me and whispered loud enough for both Riley and I to hear.  “Those two are a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen.  But they're all talk.  I don't think either of them has gotten laid since the original line up of Guns and Roses were together.”

I tried not to sigh as I felt him lean against my arm.  My skin tingled where he touched me and I gave myself a mental shake.  I had enough romantic drama with Eli.  I did not need to be lusting after this hot bartender.

Jordan led us around, introducing us to the rest of the kitchen staff.  Rozzi was the head cook and Jordan let us know that he was going through a nasty divorce after his wife caught him screwing Lyla, the other bartender.

Cal and Tito, the two line cooks were, according to Jordan, an item, though they tried to keep their relationship on the down low.  Jordan told me that he had caught them making out in the freezer after hours a couple of times.

“You weren't kidding when you said this was a dysfunctional family.  This is like Melrose Place,” Riley said, after meeting Dina, another waitress who had a second job as a topless dancer the next town over at a club called Badlands.

“Yeah, these people are a little nuts.  But they're cool.  You'll see,” Jordan assured as he led us to a table to fill out our tax forms and the other paperwork for Moore.  “Riley you'll be shadowing Damien tonight.  Mays, you'll be following Evian and just so you know, I want to offer my condolences in advance.”

I almost crowed over the way he shortened my name.  I couldn't help but smile brightly at him.  “Oh, yeah?  Is Evian that bad?” I asked.  Jordan grimaced.

“Let's just say, the kitchen crew doesn't call her Evian the Terrible for nothing.”  Oh great.  Just what I needed.  To be trained by a sadistic dictator.

“Do you guys want something to drink before I head over to the bar?  I have to do inventory before my shift,” Jordan asked.

“I'll have a Coke,” I answered, looking up at him through my lashes.  I glanced at Riley, who was giving me the look.  “What?” I mouthed to her.  Riley shook her head and turned to Jordan.

“Yeah, I'll have a Coke too, thanks,” she told him blandly.

“Two Cokes it is.  Be right back.”  Jordan gave me a wink before heading over to the server station to fill up two glasses with soda.  Riley smacked me in the arm.

“Stop it!”  she hissed.  I frowned and rubbed my arm.

“What are you talking about?” I whispered back.

Riley pointed at me, waggling her finger.  “I know that look on your face!  You're picturing him naked with you naked.  Just stop it!  Give your libido a rest, woman!  Or did you forget about Eli?  Wait, maybe I shouldn't be complaining about that. But seriously, you just met the guy!”