fingers at her wrist dug into her skin. “Whatcha gonna do about it?” The blond slowly turned his head toward Noah Maxwell, but not before Cara saw his bloodshot eyes narrow in fury.
Trying to ignore the pain his hold produced, she looked at Noah, only a few feet away. An ice-cold expression greeted her, directed at the young man gripping her. The dead calm in his eyes helped quiet her rapid heartbeat. He knew how to take care of himself. That thought eased her rising panic.
“As I thought, nothing.” The blond started to turn back toward her.
“Jake—” One of his friends inched closer.
Noah settled a hand on the drunk’s shoulder. “Let me show you the door, Jake.”
The steel thread woven through that one sentence chilled Cara and would have made most men pause—if they hadn’t been drinking and had an ounce of sense left. Jake wrenched away from Noah, still grasping her wrist, which pulled her toward the blond giant.
Cara jerked her arm toward her, hoping to throw the young man off his precarious balance. For a second he teetered, then righted himself and released his hold on her as he concentrated on Noah, who had inched even closer. His two friends came to Jake’s side.
Freed, Cara hurried toward Noah, thankful it was so late that any families who usually frequented the restaurant were gone. Most of the customers had backed away, and a couple of men stayed near. She prayed they would help Noah. Jake was huge and his two friends weren’t much smaller. Noah’s odds didn’t look good at the moment.
“We’ll leave when we want. And I don’t think there’s too much you can do about it, old man.” He glanced at his buddies, a smirk tilting his mouth. “You’re outnumbered.”
Noah chuckled. “Don’t be too sure about that.” Again that lethal quiet sounded in his voice.
Jake threw back his head and laughed. The action shifted his large body enough that he fell against one of his friends.
“I think you need to take him home,” Noah said to the young man helping Jake stand upright. “Believe me when I tell you, I have been in worse situations than this and have come out unscathed.”
The one called Brent took one of Jake’s arms. “Let’s go. Someone’s probably called the police by now.”
As the two dragged Jake toward the entrance, Noah quickly moved toward the trio. “I’m calling a cab to take you all home.”
Brent faced him. “I’m not drunk. I can drive.”
Noah assessed him. “Fine. If you don’t want to end up in jail, I suggest you all go home.”
Brent turned back to his friends and hooked his arm around Jake. When the door closed behind the trio, Cara sagged against a table. She couldn’t stop the trembling spreading through her body.
Noah’s arm went around her shoulder, supporting her against him. “Let’s go back to my office.”
Suddenly voices began chattering around her. She glimpsed the customers and staff staring at her and nodded. Almost in a daze, she allowed him to lead her back to his office and seat her across from him.
Thank You, Lord, for sending Noah . She folded her hands in her lap to keep them from shaking and lifted her head to look him in the eye. “Are you going to fire me?”
He looked puzzled. “Fire you? Why would I do that?”
Over the past week she’d heard wonderful things from the staff about Noah Maxwell, but she hadn’t seen him enough to know him firsthand. “They’ll probably never come back here to eat,” she finally said when she realized he was waiting for an answer.
“Good. I don’t need customers like that. I don’t want drunks eating here. This is a family restaurant and I don’t serve alcohol. If someone comes in again that is intoxicated, get me or the manager. You shouldn’t deal with problems like that.” He smiled. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything to you before, but I hadn’t had to take care of something like that in a while. Most people know I don’t tolerate drunks.”
“Believe me, I’ll have no problem doing that the next time. I appreciate your help earlier.”
“My staff should never have to put up with someone like that young man.” Noah relaxed in his chair. “How was your first week on the job?”
“Fine.” Cara rubbed her thumb into her palm. From all accounts Noah Maxwell was a very wealthy man who still kept a personal interest in his business even though he didn’t need to. He hired competent managers and most of his staff had been with him a long time.
“Are you attending the barbecue at Stone’s Refuge on Sunday?” Noah asked.
“Yes, I’m helping Laura and Hannah set it up.”
“Why don’t you go on home?” He checked his watch.
“We’ll be closing up in a few minutes.”
“I’m supposed to learn how to close up with Kalvin tonight.”
He waved his hand. “Don’t worry. You can another night. I’ll help Kalvin this evening.”
“But—”
“Listen, Cara—” he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees “—I know how upsetting a scene like that can be. Go home.” He sat back. “Besides, I’m the boss. What I say goes.”
“How can I argue with that?”
“You can’t.”
The smile on his face totally altered the tough-guy facade he’d presented earlier to the three men. His hazel eyes sparkled, and his dimples drew attention to the curve of his mouth. He rose slowly, pulling her gaze down his length. Dressed in a gray, long-sleeved shirt and black slacks, he commanded the space around him, as though there wasn’t any situation he couldn’t handle.
“Are you working tomorrow?” he asked as he opened the door for her.
“Yes, I come in at ten.”
“Then you’d better go. Get some rest and put this evening behind you.”
After gathering her purse, she gave him a smile over her shoulder and walked toward the exit. “Thanks. I’m still adjusting to the job. My feet are killing me.”
“Try soaking them in warm saltwater.”
She placed her hand on the knob and looked back at Noah. Adam, one of the high school workers, said something, and Noah turned toward him.
Weariness blanketed her. Even though the idea of warm saltwater appealed to her, she was too tired even to take the time to do that. All she wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep for hours.
She opened the back door, noticing a few other staff members gathering their belongings to leave. As she stepped outside, she relished the night air cooling her cheeks. A pool of brightness shone down from the security light. She saw Maddy, another waitress, climb into her vehicle and back out. She waved to Cara as she drove past. Cara walked toward her car, thoughts of the comfortable bed waiting for her at Laura’s running through her mind.
“Boss, a toilet in the men’s bathroom overflowed,” one of Noah’s employees said, coming from the restroom.
“Will you clean it up before you leave?”
“Sure,” Kalvin muttered, quickly trying to cover his frown.
Pounding at the back door drew Noah’s attention. He peered through the peephole and saw Adam and Cara. Quickly he opened the door.
The ashen look on Cara’s face sent alarm bells ringing in Noah’s mind. “I thought both of you left. What’s wrong?”
Adam gestured toward the parking lot. “Those three guys that caused problems earlier in the restaurant were waiting for Cara. They tried to