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“Are you following me? First the laundry room, now here?”
“No,” I sputter, then recognize too late the smile lurking around his mouth.
“I was kidding.” He sticks his hands in his pockets, calling attention to the way his black shirt clings to his torso. “My buddy invited me. I didn’t know you work here.”
How does he… Oh, right. My uniform. Can’t imagine I’d be wearing this otherwise.
I clear my throat, hating the frog stuck in it. “Is that Ethan? He comes in to visit Lexie all the time.”
He nods. “You know him?”
“Only really from what Lexie mentions. How do you know him?”
He points across the street. “I box with him. Lexie does the accounting there, too.”
Okay, that makes sense. She mentioned being a bookkeeper somewhere once. “You just came from there? From boxing?”
He nods again.
“I’m guessing you’re sitting in Lexie’s section?”
“Yeah, she took our drink orders already.”
“Okay, great.” I tuck my hands in my apron pocket, then realize I’m mimicking his pose and cross my arms instead. “Um, I should get back to work.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”
His gaze is steady on me, fully focused, and I get caught up in studying him for a moment. The straight nose and light brown slash of his brows. The trimmed beard that frames his face, a square jaw lurking underneath. The surprisingly full lips that are quirked up at one corner.
Oh, God. I’m staring, aren’t I?
I dash off, muttering under my breath about how I should mind my own business, and refill my table’s drinks, keeping myself busy for the next thirty minutes so I don’t spend any time gawking at him.
Silverware needs rolling? I’m on it.
The salt and pepper shakers need refilling? Yep, I can do that.
Fountain machine needs unclogging? Got you covered.
That doesn’t mean I’m unaware of what’s happening at his table, though. I mean, do I hand Lexie a bottle of ketchup when I notice the one he’s using is low? Sure. Do I give her the water pitcher when I see his drink is half empty? Of course.
But that’s just helping my coworker out. I wouldn’t want her to get a bad tip.
I nearly snort to myself. As if that would happen. Ethan overtips her every time he comes in.
When they get up to leave, I pause from cleaning out the ice machine, watching as Austin looks around the restaurant. What’s he looking for?
He holds a hand up as he spots me, and I tentatively raise mine in return.
Then he’s gone, a motorcycle engine starting up a few moments later outside. My pulse slowly returns to normal, not that I’m sure why it was high to begin with. What’s the big deal about seeing him? I could see him any time I want. He lives across the hall.
And what’s this ache in my chest about? Like I’m… disappointed or something. Like I wanted him to come over and actually tell me goodbye. Even though I spent his whole visit avoiding him.
I must be mental.
I go back to scrubbing the interior stainless steel wall of the machine, wiping it down until it’s sparkling.
“You know Kate won’t give you a raise for doing that, right?” Lexie asks, behind the counter again now that her boyfriend’s gone.
