“Oh right. On your date.”
“Date with my auntie,” Agnes leaned in on a whisper. “But he doesn’t need to know that, does he?”
“Ah, right.” I smiled as Agnes picked up her handbag and headed toward the door as Graham came out of the kitchen. “Havesomuch fun tonight.”
“Och, I will. Thanks, Liora. Good to see you again. Later, Graham.”
“Agnes, wait. Damn it.” Graham looked down to the bowls of soup he had in his hands and then to the door, frustration blooming on his face as it closed after her. He delivered the soup in a hurry and by the time I had finished washing my dishes in the kitchen and wrapped my serving apron back around my waist, he’d worked himself into a tizzy.
“Did she tell you where she was going tonight?” Graham demanded and I raised both eyebrows at him.
“Did who tell me?” I asked, looking around the room.
“Damn it, Liora. Agnes.”
“Is it part of my job requirement to tell you what she tells me?” I asked, sweetly, and Graham’s eyebrows drew low on his forehead.
“Is it?” I asked, using the same tone I would to scold a naughty child.
“No, it’s not.” Graham sighed and raked a hand through his hair.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, sweetly, as I straightened the bar stools and looked around the room for things to do.
“No. Nothing’s okay. It’s never okay,” Graham grumbled and then nodded toward a tray of ketchup bottles. “Tomato sauce needs filling.”
“Thanks,” I said, and ducked into the kitchen to get the big jug of tomato sauce. Working quickly, I filled the bottles while Graham muttered and cursed under his breath, until it was impossible to ignore him anymore. After I topped off the last bottle, I capped it and turned to him. “If you fancy her, why don’t you ask her out on a date?”
“Och. I have. I’ve asked her to marry me too.”
“Have you really?” I asked, surprised.
“Aye. Just like that too.” Graham turned to me. “Will you marry me?”
“It’s a bit improper for the boss to be proposing to his staff, wouldn’t you say,mate?” a voice growled and I whirled to see Torin standing by the bar, his eyes simmering with fury.
Graham took one look at Torin’s face and then glanced over to me, before lifting his chin and letting a slow smile slide across his face. They looked like two dogs bristling for a fight. I pressed my lips together and bit back a sigh. Men.
“It depends. When you have such lovely staff as I do, it makes the idea of marriage a touch more palatable, don’t you think?” Graham gave Torin a smug smile, and I rolled my eyes.
“If he’s?—”
“He’s not,” I said to Torin who had turned to me. “He’s taking the piss. Stand down. Graham, tell him you weren’t talking about me.”
“Alas, though you are, of course, mouthwateringly beautiful, my heart belongs to another,” Graham said, clasping his hands to his chest.
Torin relaxed, and slid onto a stool, though his face was still annoyed.
“Could’ve just said that, mate.”
“I wasn’t the one jumping to conclusions,” Graham said. “Pint?”
“Irn-Bru. I’m driving.”
I glanced up as a group of people walked in and I reached for a stack of menus.
“So when did you and Liora start dating?” Graham asked and I skidded to a stop as I was about to greet the guests.
“We’re not?—”