Page 26 of Sunkissed Colorado

“Yep. What’s next?”

“I can give you a quick walkthrough around the bar. My domain.” I opened my arms like I was showing off the narrow space we were in.

“Fits that you’re the bar guy. You’re one of the most extroverted people I’ve ever met. Everyone always liked you.”

“Did you just pay me a compliment?”

“I was stating a fact.” But coming from Zandra, it had sounded almost friendly.

I leaned my hip against the counter. After making sure nobody else was in earshot, I said, “Hey, I hope Russ didn’t upset you earlier. When he mentioned Jessa Mackenzie.”

She dropped her gaze to the tile floor. “Why would that make me upset?”

“Obvious reasons.” I knew how formative memories, especially traumatic ones, could take hold and refuse to let go. “Youseemedupset when Russ mentioned it.”

“Well I wasn’t.”

“Jessa was your best friend. I just thought?—”

“Don’t,” Zandra spit out. “Don’t you dare talk about her.”

Geez. She’d wielded that sentence like a knife, and I hadn’t even known we were back to fighting.

“Okay. Forget I said anything.” Time to get back to safer subjects, like work. “So, I made up a schedule for the next couple weeks. You can take turns shadowing me, then Russ, and then our back- and front-of-house managers.” I pulled up my notes on my tablet. “For this afternoon, I was thinking?—”

“I’m going to tackle Manny’s computer files. I’ll be in his office the rest of the day.”

“But he said he wants us to work together,” I said firmly. “Look, I’ll be totally up front here. There’s a lot I can learn from you.”

“No kidding.”

“But the opposite is also true. I understand you didn’t like me in high school, and maybe I deserved that by generally being a cocky shit. A typical teenage football player. But that was forever ago, Zandra. I need to know you aren’t going to punish me for it.”

“Punishyou? You think I’m going to sabotage your chances at getting the job?”

“That crossed my mind.”

Zandra stepped closer, her lips plush and eyes furious. “You’re such a hypocrite,” she hissed. “I’m not cruel. I would never use my position of power to hurt someone else. Unlikeyou.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Because I was lost. “Is this… Are you talking about the bonfire party senior year?”

Her stare got even more murderous. “No, Callum. What I mean is, you need to stay away from me. You steer clear of me, and I’ll steer clear of you.” Zandra stalked away from me.

A minute later, I heard the door to Manny’s office slam hard enough to rattle the frame.

“Great first day,” I muttered to myself. “Two more months to go.”

SEVEN

Zandra

Growing up,Hearthstone Brewing had been my favorite place in the world. I remembered one afternoon when I was around eleven years old. I’d fallen from my bike and scraped my knee. But I didn’t think of going to Mom or Dad. No, it was Nana Julia I’d wanted.

As soon as I’d appeared in the Hearthstone kitchen, Nana left her staff to their own devices. She sat me down in Grandpa’s office and cleaned up my knee. Wiped my tears. Then taught me to properly chop vegetables in the kitchen.

Somehow, she’d known that putting me to work was the way to make me feel valued.Loved.

Grandpa Manny had never been great with displays of emotion, but later that same day, he’d put my bike in his pickup and took me home, stopping at the local drive-through for fries on the way. Mom got mad at me for being gone all afternoon and spoiling my dinner, but it had been the best day.