"Eddie! Two salads for table one, and I’m waiting for you in my office." Cork passes by him, speaking just loud enough for Eddie to hear but keeping it discreet.

  Eddie nods and picks up the pace. A talk in the boss’s office never sounds good, but knowing Cork, it’s probably not bad news.

  He’s almost done prepping one salad, and the other won’t take more than five minutes. Just as he finishes seasoning and looks up, he sees one of the restaurant’s waitresses—Beatrice—leaning on the counter, waiting for him. Her short blonde hair and brown eyes, lightly lined with makeup, fix him with a look Eddie would call lost. Or maybe just wandering.

  "These the ones?" she asks with a gaze dripping with arrogance. All she’s missing is gum to chew with her mouth open to match her couldn’t-care-less eyes.

  Eddie lifts the plates and hands them to her. Beatrice instantly switches her expression, flashing the biggest smile in the world as she thanks him.

  She started here around the same time as him, with the difference that he’s thirty-two and she’s twenty-three or twenty-four, studying to be an actress. She often rehearses her interactions with others, and Eddie can never tell what mood she’s really in. Because she’s always playing some character of her own.

  But Beatrice isn’t on his mind right now.

  "Greek for table four!" someone calls out, but Eddie’s already heading to Cork’s office.

  He finds him sitting at his desk in the cramped little room. On the desk are two photos of his kids, the restaurant menu handwritten and scratched out in dozens of places. Behind him are windows overlooking the restaurant’s courtyard, and on the wall beside him are his diplomas, positioned so only he can see them.

  "Sit."

  Eddie does.

  "Rex called me. Funny I had to hear it from him, Eddie. You scared of me or something?"

  Scared? Eddie’s caught off guard. He senses where Cork’s going, but why start like that?

  "No." He keeps it short, tossing the ball back. He wants to hear more.

  "Rex asked me to let you go for two months. You’re heading back to the ring, huh?"

  "I guess…"

  That sly Rex! Eddie hasn’t confirmed anything or agreed, and Rex is already making moves. And why’d he tell Cork? If Cork knows, it’s only a matter of time before Maisie finds out. News spreads fast in a small town.

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  "Rory Flint, huh? You remember his dad worked for me."

  "Yeah." Eddie keeps it brief again but adds more this time. "But nothing’s set yet. I’m even surprised you know, Cork."

  "Back in the day, Rex was like a little brother to me. Just because we’ve drifted apart doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten each other. I’m always glad when he calls."

  "And you’re okay with…"

  "Of course not. I remember his dad—Mr. Flint. Best pastry chef I ever had. But he quit for his kid. I thought it was rash back then, but look at him now. Four wins out of four fights. The local wonder. Think you’ve got a shot, Eddie?"

  "Honestly, Cork?"

  Cork just smiles. Eddie tells him anyway:

  "You know Rex. He’s got something up his sleeve."

  "Relax. You don’t need to tell me. I know why they called you up. But that kid’s damn good. Just watch your hands, my boy. Then I expect you back."

  "So you’re letting me go?"

  "I’m lending you to Rex for two months. The kitchen’s always open for you. But there’s one condition."

  There’s always a condition.

  "We agreed with Rex you’ll work next week too while I find a replacement. I’ll grab some kid for you to train. The young ones are easier. You good with that?"

  Eddie likes that Cork’s asking, but it’s not his call. He just nods. Of course he’s fine with it, but aren’t they rushing things? He hasn’t confirmed with Rex or agreed to the fight. If he tells Cork the truth, though, he might put Rex in an awkward spot. And he promised Rex he’d do one training session over the weekend.

  Cork holds a photo of one of his kids.

  "The little one wanted to be a boxer too. I stopped him. Too many hits to the head. If he started at eleven, by thirty he’d be mush. I even wonder how you’ve held up this long. How’s Maisie? She excited you’re going back?"

  Cork knows Maisie through his wife. The two women used to be close and spent a lot of time together. That’s how Eddie met Cork and started working for him. The good thing is they don’t see each other as often now, so Maisie won’t find out too soon. But it could all go sideways. Eddie prefers to be the one to tell her if there’s anything new. And there’s nothing new. Except that Rex is putting him in an awkward done-deal situation.

  "Maisie… Maisie’s not too thrilled, boss."

  "I figured as much, knowing her. But you’re something else… the money must be good."

  Eddie doesn’t tell him the amount. He doesn’t feel obligated. But Cork’s attempt to fish it out is solid.

  "Which gym you at?" Cork keeps going.

  "I don’t know, boss." Eddie’s starting to feel uneasy and doesn’t want to stay longer. He’d rather get back to the kitchen. "Nothing’s official yet. Just talks."

  "Maybe." Cork agrees. "Rex sounded excited. And that shark knows how to pull these things off."

  There’s a knock at the office door, and soon Barney’s ugly but ever-grinning face peeks through:

  "Boss, I know you love Eddie more than the rest of us, but we’re swamped."

  "Go, Eddie." Eddie’s still in the chair. He wants to be sure Cork’s done. He always has more to say. "And next time, I want to hear things from you first. Not have third parties calling me, got it?"

  Eddie nods, gets up, and leaves.

  How’s he supposed to tell him that even Cork knows more than he does?