AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Even so, her words rekindle that strange sense of hope from talking to her about it on Tuesday. The thought that maybe I could…
No. Better not start thinking I can do stuff out of my league.
The same way I need to stop looking at her.
CHAPTEREIGHT
TESSA
“Cheapskates,”Lexie mutters once the couple she was serving walks out the door. “They left me a dollar-fifty on a thirty-dollar check. That’s five fucking percent.”
I finish wiping down the counter by the register and throw the rag into the bucket behind me. “Sorry. They did the same thing to me last time they came in.”
She huffs a sigh of disgust. “Don’t people realize we make practically nothing per hour? This is criminal.”
“They probably know and don’t care. You’ve been here, what? Almost four months? Welcome to the world of serving.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbles, stuffing the money in her coin purse with the rest of her tips.
I glance over to check on my one table, but they’re doing fine. Now that the lunch rush is over, we’re in that afternoon slump where hardly anyone comes in. Only thirty minutes left of my shift, at least.
“What have you got planned for tonight?” I ask her. On a Saturday night, she and Ethan must have somewhere cool to go.
She rests her elbows on the counter, blowing out a sigh. “Nothing much. I’ll probably work on this presentation I have for one of my classes next week.”
“You don’t go out on the weekends?”
“Nah, I’m more of a homebody.”
“Oh.” I assumed they went out all the time. Ethan’s so outgoing.
“I do have to stop by the gym before I go home, though. I left my flash drive there.”
I perk up. “You mean the boxing gym?”
“Yeah.” She flicks a balled-up straw wrapper across the counter.
“What’s it like there?”
She looks over at me, raising her brows. “Don’t tell me you’re interested in boxing.”
“No, no.” Last night proved I’m incredibly out of shape exercise-wise. “I just have no idea what to picture.”
“Okay, imagine a giant room full of sweaty guys who’ve never heard of showering… and that’s it.”
“Doesn’t your boyfriend go there?”
She waves a hand in front of her in dismissal. “Besides him.”
“And your dad works there?”
She grins. “Including him.”
She straightens as a car parks outside and heads over to the hostess stand to grab menus. “It’s not some mystery place. You can come with me if you want.”
I can? “Yeah, sure.”
A swirl of excitement runs through my belly. Will Austin be there? Will I get to see him in action?
