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MalcolmreachedpastJamito catch the plate she’d nearly dropped.
“Sorry!” Jami cringed as she tried to grab the hot plate back from him again.
“I’ve told you to use the trays,” he reminded her.
Her brow wrinkled as she frowned at him. “You never do.”
“Jami.” Malcolm drew out her name as he said it.
She sighed. “Fine.”
When she bent for the tray, he barely managed to grab the other plate of food from her before the fries slid right off. After she put the tray on the counter, he set the plates on it himself, keeping an eye on her as she made her way to the table.
Jami was a joy and a terror as a server. Despite her constant smile, he had to admit she was more terror than joy. He hadn’t realized the cast on her leg had forced her to move slower than she normally would. At full speed, Jami was more of a klutz than he would have imagined. Reggie kept extra fries on standby after having to replace so many that found themselves on the ground.
Malcolm had intended to be fully hands off with her, but that promise had flown out the window when he’d had to rescue her from herself the very first day. She’d nearly face-planted into the bottles of liquor behind the bar. If he hadn’t caught her, she would have. Jami didn’t tense against his touch, but thanked him instead. Besides the longing for her that continued to grow into a large knot in his stomach, they’d settled into a pattern. A messy one, but it was as if Jami was a colt who’d suddenly found her legs. He wouldn’t tell her to stop for the world.
She took over the lunch shifts. He’d decided to only allow her to work the dinner rush on Saturdays. Honestly, it was to save his sanity. The dinner crowd was busier, and Tanya was a much better server.
Jami had taken to perching at the far end of the bar on weekday evenings, close to the kitchen. She opened a laptop and ignored everything around her. The only thing that could distract her were the baskets of sweet potato fries Reggie continued to ply her with.
She’d asked Malcolm for the Wi-Fi password, and her intent eyes stared at her laptop screen ever since, her fingers flying over the keys. He’d been curious about what she was working on, but was content to wait for her to tell him.
On Thursday nights, she put the laptop away to spend time with Celia and Trenton. Jami immediately moved to sit beside Celia each time they visited. A strange warmth in his stomach grew whenever he watched them talking together.
He poured Trenton’s standard gin and tonic, sliding it in front of his friend. “You’re drinking on me tonight. Thanks for the help.”
Trenton shook his head. “I didn’t do much. The prosecutor didn’t have an appetite for pushing forward after she watched the video.” He lifted the glass, toasting Malcolm. “To dropped charges.”
Malcolm nodded solemnly as his friend downed his drink.
Jami leaned across the bar, her hand resting on his arm. “Wait, you’re in the clear? You didn’t tell me that.”
“I didn’t realize you were worried about it.” Malcolm studied her face, not finding the accusations he deserved within her gaze. Her fingers stroked the spot where his sleeve gave way to skin, though she didn’t seem aware of it. He had no desire to pull free, even with the other news lodged in his throat.
“Not worried, not exactly.” She smiled. “I’m just glad.” Her hand trailed down his arm to cover his hand where it gripped the bar. “I didn’t want to cause you trouble.”
“Nothing about what happened was on you.” Malcolm pulled free when a rush of heat expanded in his chest. Despite sparring with Reggie every night, the anger wouldn’t stay tamped down completely. “I don’t want you to think that.”
Her lips pressed together.
It was another thing he knew he’d never convince her of. “It’s not your fault,” he said anyway, the words a murmur as he leaned closer.
Her fingers curled in as she stared down at them. “I know. In my head, anyway.” Her smile had fallen.
Malcolm couldn’t prevent his hand from reaching for hers. “There’s something else. I—”
“Ooh, look at who should get a room,” Erin said with a laugh.
Katie smacked her arm. “Leave them alone.” She groaned as she climbed onto a barstool.
Erin steadied her. “Damn, chick, you’re starting to move like a whale.”
Katie glared at her. “Christ, Erin, you’re not supposed to say that out loud!”
Jami giggled. The sound of it slid straight through him.
Celia looked at her much more pregnant cousin. “I’m sorry, Katie. We should probably start gathering at a table.”
