Chapter 700
My hand froze for a second, a shiver sliding down my spine. Was Tanya some kind of ghost? How had she snuck up so silently that I hadn’t even noticed her? I didn’t know how long she’d been standing there or if she’d caught the message I was about to send. But honestly? Even if she had, it didn’t matter. I was the boss, and taking a photo of my own bar was perfectly within my rights.
Twisting my phone casually in my hand, I gave her a professional smile. “Do undercover bosses usually roll in with a marching band?”
Tanya slid into the seat across from me and gestured toward the revamped bar. “I made some changes to the decor. Thought it might freshen things up for customers.”
I nodded, taking it all in. “Not bad. It’s definitely got a new vibe.”
“As long as you’re happy with it,” she replied, signaling a server to bring drinks over.
“You’re someone I handpicked for this job. How could I not be?” I said, glancing around the room. “Just proves I’ve got a good eye. You’ve got real talent.”
I shifted my attention back to her, taking note of her outfit. While the rest of the staff stuck to crisp uniforms, Tanya was decked out in a glittering sequined mermaid gown with bold cutouts that left little to the imagination. Her outfit fit the bar’s bold, edgy vibe perfectly, radiating a kind of wild, no-holds-barred confidence.
It was a far cry from the first time I met her. Back then, she’d seemed soft and delicate, almost demure. Who would’ve guessed she had this daring side lurking underneath?
My gaze slid over her, the barely-there dress highlighting the soft curves of her chest. I smirked. “When I say you’ve got talent, I’m not just talking about those. You’ve got the brains to back it up, too.”
I genuinely meant it as a compliment, but Tanya’s expression tightened for a second. Clearly, she thought I was mocking her, because she fired back quickly, “Anyone in this position would do the same. If you were running things yourself, you wouldn’t handle it any differently.”
The message was clear: her choices were just part of the job. If it had been me, though, I would’ve done things differently. Not that it mattered—I’d set this whole situation up to trap her. The deeper she leaned into her role, the more leverage it gave me. But if she thought she could overshadow me as her boss? Yeah, no. That wasn’t happening.
“You’re definitely leading by example and setting the tone,” I said with a pointed smile. “There’s a bonus in it for you.”
The mention of a bonus wasn’t random—it was a reminder of who signed the checks. Sure enough, her confident facade cracked.
I leaned back, enjoying her reaction. “Anything you need my help with? I might not micromanage, but I wouldn’t ignore a real issue.”
The subtext? No matter how much freedom she had, I was still the one in charge. Her success was tied directly to me.
“No, nothing,” she said, pulling herself together quickly. “I’ve been busy hiring new staff. Some of the current team are outdated and too rigid—the customers complain about them constantly.”
I smirked at that. “Funny. One of your servers mistook me for a job applicant earlier.”
“You’re so beautiful—it’s no surprise they’d think that,” Tanya retorted. Clearly, it was payback for my earlier remarks.
Leaning forward, I grinned. “So, you’re finally admitting I’m beautiful?”
Her expression flickered with annoyance before she masked it again.
“Well, I’m heading out. Keep up the good work, and who knows? There might be a nice bonus for you at the end of the year,” I said, tossing her a figurative carrot before making my way to the door.
Once outside, I pulled out my phone to check my messages. The photo I’d sent earlier had been replied to with a simple OK. Satisfied, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and headed to the restaurant where Wayne had made the dinner reservation.
When I got there, he was already waiting. Of course, he’d probably shown up early—meanwhile, I’d intentionally stalled. My back-and-forth with Tanya earlier had been the perfect excuse to drag my feet.