The Finding of Miss Fairfield by Grace Hitchcock

Author:Grace Hitchcock [Hitchcock, Grace]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Valmont House Publishers

CHAPTER 13

The counter slowed down around one in the morning, so to keep busy, Jenny and Sophia began scrubbing the counters, shelves, and floor.

“So, this young man that you spilt coffee on . . . who is he? The girls were quite curious as to how you two met.” Jenny’s eyes sparkled mischievously at Sophia as she returned stacks of glasses to the freshly dusted shelf.

Sophia felt the heat creep into her cheeks, but she continued vigorously scrubbing the counter even as she angled away from Jenny. “We met because he is the son of my former fiancé, but his stepfather and I are no longer engaged.”

Jenny gasped and fumbled with her armful of glasses. “What? He was to be your stepson? Out of all the things you could have said, that I never would have imagined.”

Sophia grimaced and dipped her rag back into the suds-filled bucket and set to work on a stubborn spot of hardened syrup under the lip of the counter. “I know. It is not exactly the ideal way to meet, but my engagement was arranged by my father. I tried for months to find an honorable means of refusing my father’s request, but in the end, I couldn’t, and I ran.”

“You seemed to be pretty close to the son, though.” Jenny placed the last glass on the shelf and began to remove the coffee cups from underneath the counter to wipe the shelf. “Dare I ask how that occurred?”

“He looked out for me while his stepfather was on an extended business trip, and we became close.”

“So, you do like him. Perhaps even love him?” Jenny smiled playfully.

Sophia shrugged and tossed the rag in the dirty bin, wiping her hands on a clean rag. She reached for the mountain of freshly ironed napkins and set to folding. “He’s nice.”

“Nice? He’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen!” Jenny giggled. “If you don’t want him, please let me know and I’ll gladly attempt to win his heart. You’d put in a good word for me, wouldn’t you?”

Sophia rolled her eyes, smiling, but even though she knew Jenny was jesting, she couldn’t help the twist in her gut at the thought of Carver with another.

Jenny yawned. “I am never going to make it until morning.” She slumped against the counter. “Need . . . sleep.”

“I suppose that it’s the excitement of my first night shift, but I feel quite awake.”

“At least that makes one of us.” Jenny rubbed her eyes with her fist. “I don’t know how I’m going to manage. Maybe I should have some more of that fresh coffee the night chef just brewed?”

“I think I can handle the crowd,” Sophia laughed, nodding to the empty lunch counter, “if you want to slip into the staff dining room and rest.”

“Fifteen minutes? That’s all I need to feel alive again.” She paused with her hand on the kitchen door, strangling another yawn. “But only if you are sure?”

Sophia shooed her through the door. “In the unlikely event that it starts raining guests, I’ll fetch you.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.