Stay With Me, Contemporary Romance (Last Frontier Lodge Novels Book 5) Read Online Free Page B

plans whatsoever, she was relieved when Garrett immediately answered.
    “After breakfast, I’m headed to the office. I’ve got some work to do on that zoning case.”
    Delia nodded and started to reply when her name was called from the front of the restaurant. “I’d better go. Harry’s up to his ears out front since our breakfast hostess called out sick. Natalie apparently got a fishhook caught in the back of her head yesterday. She said they had to shave her hair to stitch it up. She doesn’t know when she can work again.” Delia shook her head and sighed. “My guess is she won’t be in for weeks. Natalie likes to look good, and her partial buzz cut probably won’t meet her standards. That means I’ve got to figure out how to cover her shifts.”
    Garrett rolled his eyes. “It’s not like you have to hold her job for her forever.”
    Delia’s eyes widened. “If I let her go over this, no one would want to work here. Diamond Creek’s not much bigger than a thimble. Everyone would know and I’d look like a bitch.”
    “I can help,” Jessa said, suddenly energized at the idea of being useful somehow.
    Delia and Garrett looked to her in unison. Delia’s eyes immediately glanced down at Jessa’s bandaged hand. “I don’t know if…”
    “My hand is fine! I just have to be a little careful. I waited tables all through college. If the hostess part is mostly seating customers and helping out to fill waters and coffees, I can do that with one hand. In another week or so, I could even help waiting tables. Please let me help.”
    Delia took a sip of coffee, her eyes considering, before she nodded. “Okay, but not today. I’ll check with Harry about Natalie’s schedule and you can start covering her next shift. This way, I can do a run through with you later tonight.” A slow grin spread across her face. “This is awesome!”
    Jessa felt a little buddle of joy inside and returned Delia’s grin. She liked to help and was craving something to help her feel grounded and useful again. Helping Delia when she needed it gave her a little boost inside and right now, she could use every boost she could get.
    Delia slipped out of the booth. “Okay, make sure to help yourself to the buffet. We have some amazing smoked salmon to go with the bagels and cream cheese.”
    Garrett caught her hand as she started to turn away. He leaned over and dropped a kiss on the inside of her wrist. “See you tonight.”
    After Delia rushed off, Garrett looked across to Jessa. “Well, you’ll be busy if that’s what you were hoping.”
    “I love being busy. Maybe I wasn’t sure what I planned to do when I got here, but I don’t want to just sit around.”
    Garrett grinned. “No worries there. This place is hopping all day up through about midnight. Just promise me you’ll take it easy on your hand if you need to.”
    Jessa rolled her eyes. “Oh my god. Don’t worry about me. My hand is healing up just fine. I can certainly handle managing a waitlist and walking customers to their tables. Right now I’m starving through, so let’s get some food.” She slid out of the booth and headed over to the buffet.

4
    A splash of seawater hit Eli right in the face. He wiped his face on his sleeve and held on to the fishing line. “Keep reeling it in!” he called out, glancing over his shoulder at the man standing a few feet behind him on the boat.
    Eli and Cliff were running a fishing charter today. Two brothers, Ed and Jack Rogers, and their two sons, Lee and Toby, were handling the semi-rough seas well today. Kachemak Bay was stirred up with a steady wind cutting across it. Cliff was holding the wheel of the charter boat, keeping the boat at a slow pace through the water. They were fishing for silver salmon. So far, their customers had caught one each and were all hoping for one more, the daily limit at two apiece. Silver salmon were considered some of the most fun fish to catch for anglers. They were strong, aggressive and