Whatever.
Fortunately, they head toward the bookstore where I know they’ll hog the tables in the back or pile on to the couches, but at least I don’t have to see them. We serve food on both sides of the store, but this side is self-serve at the counter whereas the other side has waitstaff to serve customers.
Ten minutes later, I’m even more irritated when I end up being switched to the bookstore side, where I studiously ignore the football crowd in the back that’s swarming with fangirls. Thankfully, they’re not in my section.
I stomp over to the two guys who just sat at a small table along the wall of books. “What can I get you?” I bring my pen up to my order pad.
“Your number if you’re single.”
My eyes dart up to catch this guy’s huge smile. He’s handsome with dark hair and eyes. He looks familiar. Maybe I’ve waited on him? They’re both wearing dark blue uniforms. Not cops, but maybe paramedics.
I laugh. “Does that line ever work?”
“I don’t know. You tell me. I’ve never used it before.”
“Uh-huh. How about we start with drinks and we’ll go from there? The list of specialty coffees is on the board.” I motion to the giant chalkboard menu mounted on the wall behind me.
I feel his stare as I put in the order.
Darlene nudges me and motions to the paramedics. “He’s cute, and he’s obviously into you.”
I shrug. I’m more gun-shy about dating than I care to admit. Besides those ill-advised few months hanging out with Rider, I’ve only dated one guy seriously. When Sean graduated at the end of my sophomore year, he accepted a job in New York, and we parted ways. It was all very civilized. He didn’t suggest a long-distance relationship, and I didn’t pine after him when he left. Rider taught me to guard my heart, and it paid off when Sean moved.
So while I might not have a ton of experience with men, I’d rather not get my hopes up about someone who’ll eventually let me down or break my heart.
As Darlene settles several sandwiches on her tray for the football players, she blows the bangs out of her face. “I swear if they stiff me on a tip, I’ll hunt them down.”
Our sports teams are notoriously bad tippers, probably because they think they rule the earth.
“I got this.” I march over to Ben’s side of the table and lean down. “Hey, please be sure to tip your waitress. You guys always eat like pigs and barely leave the staff any gratuity. It’s rude.”
His jaw tightens, and he gives me a stiff nod. The girl practically sitting in his lap gives me a dirty look. I laugh. “Relax. He’s my brother.”
The whole table goes silent.
It takes me a second to realize what this means.
Even Rider looks surprised. “No shit, Rodriguez. Gabby is your sister?”
I stand there like an idiot, and my throat tightens at the realization that Ben doesn’t tell anyone we’re related. We have different last names since he was adopted by our uncle, but I didn’t think this was some big secret.
One of the other guys—I think his name is Tank—scratches his head. “You don’t look anything alike.”
It’s true. We’re an odd mixture of our parents. While we both have black hair, Benny is a foot taller and has our mom’s soulful brown eyes while I have my dad’s hazel. He has our father’s beautiful olive skin, but I’m pale with a smattering of freckles, like our mother.
God, this is awkward. I back up only to run into a hard body. When I spin around, I come face to face with the paramedic.
He motions toward the street. “I have a call, so we gotta jet, sweet pea, but I was serious about hanging out sometime.” Lowering his voice to a whisper, he leans closer. “I don’t know if you remember, but I was the one who took you to the hospital. Last spring, I think.”
Another humiliating day. “Sorry, I was really out of it that afternoon, but you do look familiar.”
He places a hand over his chest. “I was about to be heartbroken if you didn’t remember me.”
I laugh and roll my eyes.
Clearing his throat, he raises his brows. “So… can I call you sometime?”
That’s when I realize the entire table behind me is still silent and listening to this conversation.
