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ISABELLA
The lunchtime crowdwas finally starting to disperse at Lenny’s. I’d been there since eleven o’clock in the morning, after my only class that day, and had been taking back-to-back tables. Never before in my life had I felt so exhausted, quenching my thirst with water every chance I got. Line cooks shouting that my tables were up kept me dashing into the kitchen, loading each plate onto the tray, delivering it to my customers, and then going back for more.
It was almost three o’clock, and I was officially beaten.
Emily and I were counting our tips from behind the lunch counter, which was my section for the day.
“$127,” she said before shoving the wad of cash back into her apron. “What about you?”
“$87. Fuck, I have a long way to go.”
She patted me on the back before we headed back into the break room, where we sat down with sodas. “You’re doing fine, girl. Besides, I’ve been here since nine o’clock.”
I put my feet up on a nearby chair, breathing a sigh of relief as the pain escaped my body, the tension from being on my feet all day dissipating. Waitressing had turned out to be a hell of a lot more complicated than I expected, but Emily and I still managed to have fun on shift. I quickly learned that the busiest times were Sunday mornings, all day Friday, and Saturday nights. That’s when I always went home feeling the most tired and with the biggest wad of cash.
I rubbed the bottom of my foot from within my shoe. “Another four hours, and I’ll be done. Not sure if I can make it, though.”
Emily fanned her face with her money. “Let this be your fuel. When your body starts aching, and you feel like quitting, remember why you took this job in the first place.”
No, I definitely didn’t want to do that.
If it hadn’t been for my dumb ass treating Blade like my dirty little secret, then I wouldn’t have had to wait tables. And if I had been up front and honest about missing my period, then perhaps none of that drama would have gone down and my life would be fucking normal again.
I kept an eye on the front door, hoping that nobody would come in anytime soon.
Emily knew the reason I took the job was because of Blade. I could have been relaxing on my ass in the library at that moment, tutoring him in between kissing behind bookshelves. Instead, I was running from table to table, delivering food and swiping tips out of fear someone else would.
“So, what are your plans after work?” she asked.
“To go home and study, like usual. That’s all I ever have time for.”
It was hard to believe how far my life had come in such a short amount of time. One day I had all my physical needs taken care of by my parents, and the next, I was on my own. One day I was head over heels in love with The Bedroom King, and the next, I was taking a pregnancy test.
And now I was back to square one, with no boyfriend, parents who hated me, and very little money.
I stood up to catch a glimpse of someone walking through the door and sighed. “Fuck, I really hope they don’t sit in my section.”
“How many people?”
I shrugged as I readjusted my apron. “I think just one person.”
“You know what that means, girl.”
I sure did. That meant the customer would be sitting at the counter. If it was a man, I’d have to flirt back as they flirted with me. Nobody warned me that flirting was a part of the job description. It wasn’t required, per se, but it certainly helped when it came to tips. Women, for their part, usually just wanted someone to talk to when they sat at the counter. That was easier than the flirting.
I took a long, deep sigh and headed out into the server alley. “Well, here goes nothing.”
Since I hadn’t officially wiped down the counter all day, I grabbed a clean dish rag and headed out into the dining room. After spraying it with cleaner, I looked up at the counter and locked eyes with Blade.
He was sitting in front of me, looking solemn as he stirred creamer into his coffee.
“What…what are you doing here?”
His face lit up the longer he looked at me, tugging at my heartstrings. “Look, I probably should have waited for you to finish your shift. But I needed to see you right away. Can we talk?”
Emily came out with a pot of coffee, gasping when she saw Blade. “Blade Eggleston? Why are you here?”
“It’s okay, Emily,” he attempted to reassure her, but she most definitely would not take heed.
