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This guy was becoming a danger to my sanity. I swiveled back around and tried to focus on class. I zoned back in as the professor split the class into pairs for a joint project.
“Oddly numbered rows, turn to the person behind you. They are going to be your buddy this year. No matter what, you need to work together. This isn’t an easy A class; just look at the number of students who drop out every year. Work together. If one of you fails at classwork, you both do.”
I glanced uneasily at the number on my row of desks. Number one. Odd number.
I swung around, hoping against hope that there was someone other than me and Beckett sitting in this corner. No such luck. We were the only two in a five-feet radius.
Beckett grinned. “Hello, buddy.”
That afternoon, I had a lead on a job. Not just a lead, but a trial shift. It was at Hade Harbor’s country club, The Dunes, where my brother had worked as a lifeguard the previous summer. He’d put a good word in for me. He knew how much I needed to work, to have money to live on. I was hoping the tips at The Dunes would put my diner job to shame, and I could quit there, and just work nights and stay on campus during the day.
“Okay, so, you take the bar menu to the guests and be ready to advise them if they ask for recommendations. There’s a list in the kitchen each night with updated recommendations to go with different dishes. Memorize it.” Cassie was the head waitress in the brasserie section of the restaurant.
The Dunes’ membership roster was packed with the richest, most influential residents of the small town. You didn’t even have to like golf to be found there. It was the place to rub shoulders with other powerful players in the business and political scenes, and Asher said the tips could be crazy.
“Right, memorize the list,” I repeated, smoothing my black apron. I had on a knee-length black pencil skirt and a white button-down shirt. My hair was pulled up in a neat ponytail, and black pantyhose and flat ballerina pumps completed the outfit. I appeared professional enough, I just had to elevate my waitressing game.
“I’ll take you around for a while so you can see the kind of service we expect, then I’ll observe you on your own.”
“Great.” I pasted on a smile over my nerves and followed her through the low-lit, expensive dining room. I was trying out for the bar area where people were mostly ordering pricey drinks and appetizers.
We stopped beside a table of men in suits, and Cassie swung into action. She was good. Smooth and practiced. I hovered ineptly by her side, like a spare part.
“And I wanted to introduce Eve. She might be helping out in the brasserie from now on if tonight goes well. Eve, these gentlemen are regular clients. You’ll be getting to see a lot of them if you work here.”
“Hello, pleased to meet you.” I smiled at the men. An ick immediately washed over me as four pairs of eyes inspected me thoroughly, head to toe.
“Why, Eve. You’ll fit in here beautifully,” the man sitting nearest to me said. “But I have to ask, why would a gorgeous young woman like you want to work up here with us old, boring men when you could be out partying with boys your own age?”
I had no idea what to say to that. Luckily, Cassie jumped in.
“Eve just started at HHU and needs a part-time job. I told her that our section of the restaurant has the best tips, so I’m sure you guys can help me to tempt her to stay,” Cassie laughed and nudged me gently. “Besides, boys her age are hardly any fun to hang out with, are they, Eve?”
I laughed awkwardly. What in the holy gross flirting hell was this?
“No, I guess they’re not,” I tacked on, since Cassie seemed to be waiting for me to say something.
“So, you’re just a freshman? Man, oh, man, to be eighteen again,” one of the men chortled, and the rest joined in.
“So, have you gentlemen had time to decide what you’d like?”
One of the men flicked a hand dismissively at the wine menu Cassie held. “No need for that, darlin’. We’ll take a bottle of the Dom reserve to celebrate Eve joining the family here.”
“Wonderful, we’ll bring that right over,” Cassie beamed.
“Let Eve do it. She seems like she can handle it,” the man continued.
I followed Cassie to the other side of the bar. “That wasn’t what I expected,” I blurted out nervously. My skin felt like it was going to crawl off me from the lecherous ogles and innuendo.
“Don’t worry about it, they’re harmless. They like to flirt and feel like big men for an hour a day when they’re here, and then they go home to get nagged by their wives. Don’t worry. They’re all talk.”
“I don’t know. I don’t think I’ll be good at this,” I started.
“Eve, I don’t know your financial situation, but if it’s the same as your brother’s, you need this job. You think your brother doesn’t have cougar housewives asking him to oil them up or save them from the shallow end of the pool every summer? Of course he does, but he does it for the cash. That bottle they just ordered is seven hundred dollars, and they are big tippers.”
“Seven hundred dollars?!”
Cassie nodded. “Don’t be closed-minded. This is a great gig, and they liked you.” She scanned me up and down. “You could do very well here. Just give it a shot.”
