I text her back.
Me: Can’t wait to see you! Sorry for not responding, I’m working.
Sweet, simple, and to the point. Hopefully she doesn’t get the wrong memo.
Before it’s time for me to clock out I walk over to the bar to see my boss flipping burgers in the back. He usually doesn’t mindfeeding me for the night so I’m gonna grab some food for Genevieve and I because she will probably be hungry after her long drive here.
“Hey boss,” I say to him.
“Hey Aspen, how was the day?” He asks.
“Day was good, I’m really enjoying teaching everyone. It’s been nice,” I admit.
“Knew you’d like it,” he says, then shoots me a wink.
“Thanks again. Hey, do you think you can make me a couple burgers?” I ask him.
“Yeah of course, how many?”
“Two,” I tell him while throwing him a peace sign.
“Two?” He asks me. “I thought Derek was out of town.”
“Yeah he is, this is just for my friend.”
“Ohh, I see,” he says, nodding his head slowly. “This wouldn’t happen to be your little partner in crime from the video camera footage, would it?”
I look at him dead in the eye.
“Just make the damn burgers you nosey fuck,” I tell him. Then he bursts out into laughter like the immature man child he is.
Raul and I are cool like that. I act all good because he treats all his employees the same and I shouldn’t get any special treatment, but sometimes, it’s really fun to play with him and talk with him the way I do.
“Just wear a condom. Okay?”
“Go!” I tell him pointing towards the back of the kitchen. He turns around and raises his hands like he’s innocent, one hand holding a spatula.
Innocent my ass.
This guy.
He comes back out about ten minutes later with two bags in hand each containing a burger with a side of fries.
“Thanks boss, you’re the best!” I say, grabbing the brown paper bags from him.
“Condom!” He shouts at me as I hurry out of the bar. I just shake my head.
As I head out of the bar, I head over to clock out and jog to my car. I put the car in reverse, then in drive and speed on home. When I get through the door, the first thing I do is stick the paper bags in the microwave. The grease is spewing out of the bottom of the bag.
I make sure everything has remained spotless even though no one has been home to touch anything. I light a candle that I’ve had for the last three years since I moved in here and have only used for special occasions. It’s not even halfway gone.
I text Genevieve back and tell her I’m home. She responds right away with a thumbs up and I hop in the shower as fast as I can so I can look my best for Genevieve. It sucks that I have to go into work tomorrow, but hopefully Genevieve will understand. If not, I’m going to feel real bad that I made her come out all the way just to watch me work.
I step out of the shower onto my shower mat and rewindex the mirror, it looks like shit. I have to wait for it to defog so that I can reclean it. I put on some fresh clothes and spray on a little bit of cologne I got from Hollister. I spray some on my wrists and then rub the rest on my neck. Now I just wait for Genevieve.
Within twenty minutes on the dot, Genevieve shoots me a text that she’s outside. I take one last look at myself in the foggy mirror and make sure I don’t have anything in my teeth. I’m all good so I go out into the parking lot and greet the woman of my dreams.
She steps out of the beautiful white G-Wagon and for the first time in what feels like forever, I see her. Her hair falls just as I remember—long, soft, and effortlessly flowing. She's dressed in dark brown yoga pants, a matching zip-up hoodie, and a cozy headband holding her hair back. Her feet are snug in Ugg boots, adding to her effortless look.
