A Woman Worth Fighting For

by Eunice Hart

  “You called for me, ma’am?” the waiter said, bowing a little. He had a smooth baritone.

  “Yes.” Adele let out a huge sigh. “Tell me, Peter, do you always serve your customers without a side dish?”

  To her left, Brian coughed lightly into his fist.

  The waiter smiled sheepishly. “No, ma’am. I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry doesn’t cut it,” she told him, surprised at how stern she sounded. “I can’t have you making silly mistakes like this. What would the customers think?”

  Peter looked at a loss for words. Different emotions flashed in his eyes: surprise, disbelief, annoyance. Adele herself couldn’t help feeling a bit unnerved, but she wasn’t going to let this man ruin her chances of maintaining a steady job with his carelessness.

  “Everything needs to be perfect before the customers gets here. Do you understand me?”

  The man nodded. “I understand, ma’am, but –”

  “No buts,” she cut in. “Do as I say, or you’re fired.”

  For a second, the waiter looked as though he might say something else, but he simply bowed again and hurried back into the kitchen. Adele glared at him until he disappeared out of sight, then faced Brian, who had a nervous look on his face. She nearly burst into laughter. Did he think she was going to fire him?

  “I do not think all that was necessary,” Brian said after a moment of silence.

  How many minutes had passed? Five? Seven? Where in the world was Peter with the side dish she’d requested?

  Adele stared at the dishes on the table. Suddenly she wasn’t as hungry as before. “Are you kidding me? Did you see the way he looked at me? I should’ve fired him on the spot.”

  She didn’t want to come off as rude or mean, but she was pretty sure that acting all nice and friendly on her first day wasn’t likely to accord her the respect she needed to effectively run this place. She needed to be as strict as possible. Perhaps her predecessors’ mistakes had to do with their laxity. All that was going to change now that she was here.

  She just didn’t like the way Brian kept looking at her, like she’d just cut the wrong wire trying to defuse a bomb.

  “Get Peter to clear this table before the customers start coming in,” she told Brian, climbing to her feet.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To my office,” she said. “I want to see what else is wrong with this restaurant.”

  With that, she walked away, leaving him gaping in her wake. She made for the stairs without looking back once, trying to assure herself that everything was going to be alright. She took stock of everything that had happened. Her first day seemed to be going pretty well, with the exception of Peter’s dumb mistake. She was going to have to keep a close eye on that guy to make sure he didn’t make any more errors.

  She just hoped things didn’t go downhill from there.

  It took her a couple of minutes to find her office, but the moment she got there she knew something was wrong. The door was open just a crack, which Adele was pretty sure wasn’t the way Brian had left it. The lights were on when she stepped inside. It looked as though someone had walked in while she and Brian were away and touched everything, like a Japanese version of Goldilocks.

  Oh, and there was a man sitting in her chair.

  He was reading a file, his feet propped up on the desk, shoes gleaming in the light from overhead. When she walked in, he glanced up and grinned, and Adele’s heart nearly skipped a beat.

  The man had changed into a black suit, a black shirt underneath, but his face was exactly the same as the one she’d seen just a couple of moments earlier. He had the same dark hair, same smooth jaw, same unsettling gaze.

  Adele blinked. “Peter?”

  He lowered his legs and got out of the chair, making his way around the desk and leaning against it, staring intently at her.

  “In the flesh,” he said, spreading his arms grandly.

  He sounded so confident; Adele found herself glowering at him. “What the hell are you doing in my office? And why aren’t you properly dressed?”

  Peter’s grin widened.

  “I was hoping I could get a chance to introduce myself properly, Miss Kincaid,” he said. “I’m Peter Tanaka, CEO of the Tanaka restaurant chain.”

  Chapter 2

  “Miss Prepaid”

  He was kidding, right?

  He didn’t look like he was kidding.

  Peter seemed to sense the look of confusion on her face, which was as subtle as an elephant posing as a squirrel. “I know you must have a lot of questions.”

  He got that right. Adele had so many thoughts racing through her mind it was a miracle her brain hadn’t short-circuited yet. What exactly was he playing at? If he was the CEO of the restaurant chain, why had he dressed up as a waiter in the first place? And how in the world had he changed clothes so quickly?

  She tried to slow down her thoughts, taking them one at a time. “First of all, how do I know you’re not lying to me about being a…” she gesticulated vaguely “…CEO?”

  Peter looked at her as though she must be off her rocker. “You really haven’t seen it yet?”

  “Seen what?”

  In response, he pointed at something outside her field of vision. Adele turned to see what he was trying to show her, and was stunned to find a large, colorful painting of a man’s face on the wall. The man had dark hair and serious eyes. Below the man’s neckline were the words: TANAKA D. O.

  Suddenly, she felt unsure what to do next. Should she curtsy? No, that would be dumb. What if she just shook his hand? After what had happened earlier, Adele didn’t think this man would be up for that, either. She forced her arms to remain at her sides before she could do something stupid.

  She’d been worried about Peter messing up her first day, but in fact she was the one who’d ruined things for herself. But she couldn’t possibly be to blame, could she? Who knew this guy was the big shot owner? Not even the mythical Cassandra could’ve predicted this mess-up of a first day.

  Adele wanted desperately for the ground to open up and swallow her whole, but all she could do was stand there. She narrowed her eyes at the painting. “You look…older,” she couldn’t help saying.

  His jawline tightened. “That’s because it’s not me. It’s my father.”

  Ah. Adele couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed that earlier. How could she have been so dumb?

  “Whenever I hire someone new, I make sure I put them to a test without their knowledge,” Peter went on before she could speak. “It’s not always all about ability; I want to see their character, too. Sometimes I’m just a customer, sometimes I’m part of the staff. I want to see how well they will perform. A lot of my staff have passed through the tests.”

  He paused for a moment to let his words sink in. Adele’s eyes widened. The welcome meal, the missing side dish – it had all been a test. She remembered how she’d snapped at him earlier and a shudder raced through her. No wonder Brian and the chefs had seemed so uneasy earlier. The guy wasn’t just their boss’s boss. The line of bosses probably went a long way up, ending with the big dog: Peter Tanaka himself.

  Oh dear, Adele said to herself. You’ve messed this one up big time. And to Peter o: “D-did I pass the test?”

  She figured he would burst into laughter at her words and reply in the negative, maybe even fire her on the spot for being such a jerk to him, but his face remained completely expressionless. Then, all of a sudden, he began moving slowly towards her. Adele sucked in a breath and took a step backwards. Somehow, his silence was a lot more threatening. By the time he came to a stop, his face just inches away from hers, her heart was beating at the pace of a pair of native drums.

  “I don’t like you, Miss Kincaid,” he said, staring right over her head. “Not one bit. You see, from the moment you were hired, I had my suspicions. Why would someone who’s never had experience handling businesses like these be fit to run an entire restaurant? Now I know how great a risk I’ll be put
ting my business in if I let you manage it.”

  Adele managed to look him in the face. He smelled really good, like he’d just stepped out of a flower-scented sauna. He was so close to her, his body almost touching hers, and when he spoke, she could feel his warm breath against her face. And why did she want to place her hands on his chest so bad?

  She cleared her throat. “Mr. Tanaka, I’ve helped manage affairs before. I used to be a personal assistant; you see –”

  “Until you were fired,” he cut in. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t let history repeat itself right now.”

  Because if you fire me, I’ll be jobless once more? Because I don’t want to feel like a burden to Betty and disappoint her? Because if I get fired, I might not be able to see you again?

  Adele gulped. She really didn’t know what to say to this man without sounding stupid. He was the boss, the big dog, and she was…well, she was nobody compared to him. He exuded superiority, dominance, and as much as it intimidated her, she liked it.

  Something was definitely wrong with her. This man clearly reveled in her discomfort. So why did she feel so drawn to him? She decided to take a step back before she did something stupid, but just then, the door swung open and a young woman sauntered into the office.

  Just like that, the temperature plummeted.

  The woman was in her thirties as well, though she looked a little older than Peter. Adele figured she must be Japanese, because her facial appearance was a lot like his. Her hair was long and straight, ending in small curls below her shoulders, and she had purple eyeliner on. The woman wore a short black dress that clung beautifully to her slender figure, and high heels that did nothing but make her look even more stunning. Around her neck was a necklace of pearls.

  The office was plunged into deafening silence. Adele was pretty sure she could hear Peter’s heartbeat if she listened hard enough, but something about the way the woman looked at her told her putting her ear against his chest wouldn’t be such a brilliant idea.

  “What is going on here?” the woman asked after a couple of seconds. She had a regal aura about her; it made Adele rather uncomfortable.

  Peter stepped back and faced the newcomer, his expression softening a little. “Ah, Aneko. I was beginning to wonder when you would show up.”

  Adele felt a twinge of jealousy, then scolded herself for feeling that way. Who exactly was this woman? His girlfriend? His wife? She watched him make his way towards her and kiss her on the cheek.

  “I was stuck in traffic,” the woman said disgruntled. She jerked her head in Adele’s direction. “Getting busy with the staff, are you?”

  “God, no.” The look on his face was enough to make Adele wonder why she hadn’t just stayed at home and watched Discovery Channel all day. “This is the new manager, the one I told you about.”

  They’d been talking about her. Adele figured this was her cue. She stepped forward and extended a hand. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Adele Kincaid.”

  Aneko glanced at her hand but didn’t bother to shake it. “I am Aneko Tanaka.” She gave Adele a cold once-over, then returned to Peter. “I hope this one will not cause us any problems, little brother?”

  Little brother?

  “That was what we were talking about when you came in, actually,” Peter replied, regarding Adele like she was a mosquito he was trying to resist swatting. “I worry that she will.”

  His sister’s expression didn’t waver once as she said, “Then fire her. If she’s of no use to this business, we can’t have her around. Why not get someone else to take her place?”

  “I’m not sure that’s necessary.” He scratched his jaw. “I think this one will do. She just needs a few adjustments.”

  They were talking about her like she was a sack of potatoes they were thinking of discarding. Miffed, Adele cleared her throat loudly to get their attention.

  “Did you want to say something?” Aneko’s gaze was frosty as ever. She didn’t wait for an answer, but turned back to her brother, jerking her thumb in Adele’s direction. “I don’t think I like her. She seems…impertinent.”

  She was one to talk about rudeness, Adele thought, but she forced herself to remain silent.

  “That’s exactly what I wanted to talk to her about.” Peter shoved his hands into his pockets and made his way over to Adele, stopping three feet away this time. “I don’t like the way you act, Miss Kincaid. You seem like the rebellious type, and that is far from what we are looking for. You see, we Tanakas have a legacy to preserve, and we won’t have you trying to change things.”

  “But you hired me so I could improve the restaurant,” Adele blurted. “The Tanaka restaurant chain hasn’t been getting as much attention as it used to, and you want to stay relevant, right?”

  Big mistake. Very big mistake. Peter’s eyes narrowed to slits. For a second, Adele thought he might yell his head off, but then his lips curved into a strange smile.

  “There’s got to be a way to improve things without taking away the Tanaka tradition we uphold here,” he told her. “If you’re competent enough, you should be able to figure something out. In the meantime, remember your place. You might be manager, but your job is still to take orders, not make them.”

  His eyes flickered over to Aneko and back. “Perhaps I’ll leave you two to…get acquainted with each other.”

  He turned and walked out of the office, leaving the two women in uncomfortable silence.

  Aneko broke it first. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  Adele didn’t like the way the woman looked at her, like she was something the cat dragged through the street. She remembered the look that crossed Peter’s face right before he left the office: sinister – frightening, even. He had left her here alone with this woman who looked like she was considering getting security to toss her out.

  Clearly, neither of the Tanakas wanted her here. The slightest mistake on Adele’s part could end up with them giving her the axe. That wouldn’t be such a great story to tell Betty later at home. She couldn’t afford to lose this job. Not when she was so eager to run the business. She would do whatever it took to keep this position, even if it meant groveling before the Tanakas.

  “But…you hired me. Your brother – er, Mr. Tanaka hired me.”

  Aneko let out a sigh. “Believe me, Miss Prepaid –”

  “It’s Kincaid, actually…” Adele trailed off immediately, trying not to shrink under the glare that Aneko suddenly shot her. “Uh, sorry, do go on, please.”

  “My brother had little to do with your hire. He has agents all about. One of them must have deemed you fit for this job and hired you – poor judgment, if you ask me. I do not think you deserve to work for such a relevant, eminent restaurant chain.”

  Poor judgment? Adele couldn’t believe what this woman was saying. She could already tell this woman disliked her, but this? This was too much for her. What was Aneko insinuating? Surely, she must know how well equipped for this job Adele was. Or could there be some other reason she didn’t like her so much? Could it be because she wasn’t rich or classy enough? That was bound to change when she began working and getting paid, right?

  Or could this have to do with Adele’s size? Was she that revolting to the Tanakas?

  It didn’t help that Aneko kept gazing up and down her body as she spoke, like Adele was a slab of meat she was trying to guess the price off. Or that she had such a slim, beautiful body.

  Adele opened her mouth to speak, but Aneko beat her to it. “I am sure there are people more…fit for this position,” she said, “but I can’t fire you. That’s not my call to make. I just hope my brother doesn’t regret keeping you.”

  Somehow, that wasn’t as relieving as Adele imagined it would. She wasn’t going to be fired. Yay. Now she was going to work for people who probably didn’t see more than a lump of flesh when they looked at her.

  “Um…” Her voice came out croaky. “Thanks?”

  Aneko gave her the same look her brother had given he
r, like she was a buzzing bee she was trying to restrain herself from swatting to death. “Don’t thank me,” she said. She turned to leave, but right before she got to the door, she paused in her tracks without turning back around. “Oh, and one more thing? Stay away from my brother.”

  Adele’s eyebrows rose as if of their own accord. “What…?”

  “Oh, don’t play dumb with me, Primpaid.” Before Adele could correct her, the woman spun on her heel. “Do you really believe I didn’t see the way you looked at him? You obviously want him, no doubt because he’s rich and good-looking.”

  It was in times like this that Adele thanked her stars she wasn’t Caucasian. Her burning cheeks would’ve been red enough to give her the impression of a clown. “I wasn’t –”

  Aneko let out a short, humorless laugh. “Trust me, you’re not the first lowlife who’s gotten starry-eyed because of my brother. Unfortunately for you, you’re not his type. You see, Peter prefers to be with people who are more his…style. And that’s definitely not you. You don’t stand a chance.” Her lip curled suddenly. “That doesn’t go to say that I’d tolerate you trying to get lucky with him. Best believe there’ll be hell to pay if I ever sense something like that going on.”

  Noted. Adele swallowed and nodded, and a satisfied expression came over the woman’s face.

  “Good. You may begin your work. The first of the customers must have started to show up by now.” She smiled briefly, then made to leave.

  As Aneko strutted out of the office, her head held high like a giraffe’s, Adele couldn’t help picturing how Betty would’ve reacted in her shoes.

  *****

  “I would’ve slapped her in the face, right then and there,” Betty said; there was a soft rustle on her end of the line, like she’d just hit the vending machine for a snack. “Who the hell says all that to their employee?”

  “Funny thing is, she’s not even my employer,” Adele replied. “Her brother is, though he wasn’t so nice either.”