"Hey," she whispered as she sprinkled chocolate onto a cappuccino, "why didn't you tell me that sexy new guy Daniel had started? At last we have some eye candy around here for the ladies." She joked.
"Daniel!" She snorted. "How do you even know about him? Did you meet him out back?"
"No, right here out front. He helped me with some little asshole angry pants who was giving me a hard time."
"Did he now?" Her friend and manager said. "Well we'll have to see about that."
"What do you mean?"
"He shouldn't even be out here. He's in non-customer contact training all day. No way is he ready for real customers yet."
Alison did a double-take.
Not ready for customers? That meant…
She knew how dedicated her friend was to the job. If the new guy had impersonated a manager, then MJ would go crazy. As much as she loved her friend, the guy had done her a favor. She wouldn't tell on him, not even to MJ. It wouldn't be fair.
"Well, he did an awesome job. Definitely manager material. That guy just took one look at him and turned into a purring kitty cat right away."
"Yeah, well don't get too excited. The only things he'll be managing for a long time will be a mop and bucket. It'll be weeks before we even try him out on the floor with paying customers."
"You're kidding me, right?" Alison was incredulous. "This damn coffee chain with its pretensions of being corporate. They couldn't spot talent if it came up and slapped them in the chops."
Her friend gave her a long look and sighed.
"Oh Alison, come on. Don't start with this again. I absolutely forbid you to go near this guy."
Alison's jaw dropped.
"What are you talking about?"
"No more minimum wage losers, okay?"
"Mary Jane, how can you even say something like that?"
MJ pulled her aside and ordered another barista to cover for them.
"Come on honey, we're taking a break. I need to have a serious talk with you. Haven't you learned your lesson by now?"
Alison was incensed. She loved her friend dearly, in fact, since she had lost her parents and had no siblings Mary Jane was the closest thing to family she had anymore. She respected her friend's opinion but sometimes she could be too controlling.
"How can you be so materialistic, MJ? And besides, I'm already dating someone. I'm just saying that this new guy is a hottie, that's all. There's no need to get all worried and protective about it."
"Dating? Surely, you're not referring to that uber-loser Brad. The waste of space with the pretty face? The cute little ass you just have to pass? The good-looking schmuck you don't need to fu--"