They go around introducing themselves to me, and I start to relax. Maybe this won’t be so bad. I take everyone’s order and drop it off in the kitchen before I deliver their drinks.
I’m just putting down the last glass when three cheerleaders come skipping up to the guys’ table. I’m hoping Paige is here too, until I remember she has a date.
“Hey, lovers. Ya got room for us?” one pretty brunette says.
Dax pats his lap. “Right here, gorgeous. Climb on up.”
She crawls over Nick, pausing to whisper something in his ear, and I take that as my cue to leave.
I hate this clawing feeling in my chest. I remember it well from all the times Ezra would flirt with other girls in front of me. He always said he was just keeping up appearances, but now I know it was more.
I’ve come to accept that I’ve got a streak of jealousy in me, which is why I can’t ever date another professional athlete. They have women four rows deep begging for their attention wherever they go.
And I’m never planning to stand in the back of that line again.
When their order is up, I line up all five plates on a giant tray and carry it over. One of the girls is squished between Nick and Dax, but she doesn’t look upset by the lack of space. The other two girls squeezed in at the other end of the circular booth next to Jinxy.
I’m just glad these women aren’t my problem anymore. Go for it, ladies. Flirt all you want. I’m not going to lose sleep over it.
I pass out the dishes and am about to ask the cheerleaders if they’d like something to drink when the queen bee sitting between Nick and Dax snaps her fingers at me. “I’d like a chef’s salad, please. No tomatoes. With that diet vinaigrette on the side.”
Did she really just snap her fingers at me? I bite my tongue until I taste the tang of metal. “No problem.”
Nick gives her a look. “Be nice.” She rolls her eyes.
One of the other girls orders fries, and Queenie tuts. “Sheryl, those fries are going to land on your ass, and no one will be able to heft you up the pyramid.”
Poor Sheryl pales. “You’re right. I’ll have a plain salad.”
The third girl kills my soul by following suit and ordering another plain salad.
I have to bus a few tables and serve up other orders before I get a chance to deliver their meals, and Queenie is pissed. “That took for-fucking-ever.”
Nick murmurs something to her, but I can’t catch it.
“Sorry about that. I’m the only one who showed up to work tonight. I’m doing my best.” As Queenie eyeballs her salad, I slip a small plate of fries to Sheryl and make a “shh” motion with my finger. Jinxy smiles at me and steals one. I turn back to Queenie. “Moe makes a killer chocolate icebox pie. Would you like a slice? My treat for the long wait.”
She flicks something off her salad. “God, no. All that processed sugar makes me want to yak.”
Okay, then.
I might need to eat a whole one when my shift is over.
Dax nods. “Hell, yes. Bring on the pie. We’ll pay for ours, obviously.”
Nick motions to me. “Can you put my piece in a to-go box? I think I’ll share mine with Hazel tomorrow.”
Why does he have to be so sweet? I can see that moment now—Nick sitting in front of his large picture window with Hazel on his lap as they share the pie.
And why does he have to be so dang handsome? Tonight, he has scruff on his chin, and he looks so collegiate in his letterman.
Queenie interrupts my fantasy by wrapping her arms around his neck. “You’re really hot when you talk about your daughter.”
That’s my cue. Turning on my heel, I head off to get the pie. When I drop off their slices, I place their check under the ketchup and beeline it to the cash register before I throw up from watching Queenie flirt with Nick.
You’d think I’d learn.
Well, I wanted to kill my attraction to Nick, and watching that cheerleader crawl all over him definitely did the trick.
