“Okay, what happened to you?” Dorine asks as we’re tying our aprons on, preparing for our shift.
“What do you mean?” I ask, but I know I’m not fooling anyone. I still can’t wipe the smile from my face.
“Come on, I haven’t seen a smile that big since my daughter’s crush asked her to prom.”
I blush fiercely but don't say anything. “Nothing, everything’s perfectly normal,” I lie, grinning from ear to ear.
Her mouth opens and her eyes go wide. “Holy shit, you fucked him!” she whisper shouts.
I wave my hand and shush her and she winces and then clamps a hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”
“I didn’t fuck him,” I tell her.
She frowns.
I grin wider. “He fucked me.”
She practically squeals.
I laugh. “Why don’t you tell me what you really think?”
Her face splits into a huge grin. “You two are hot together. I’m totally shipping you.”
I bite my lip and flush.
“You guys together, then?” she asks, her eyes sparkling.
I shrug.
She frowns again. “Charlie?”
I shuffle my foot. “We haven’t really defined what we are, and it’s okay. I’m good with things the way they are right now.” I know I’m falling for him, but I won’t tell her that. And I certainly won’t tell him that. Not when I’m so afraid he’ll ask me to leave if he’s not ready for something more, too. Besides, what we have right now is good. It’s better than good, and I don’t want to ruin it. I’m happy for the first time in my life, and last night, sharing a bed with him, being in his arms, was the first time in a long time I felt safe and at peace. I can’t lose that. I won’t.
She nods.
We hear a rowdy group of college students come in as the bell above the door rings, and Dorine narrows her eyes. They’ve been here before and they are never pleasant. Loud, rude, and demanding. The one time they were seated in my section I was getting ogled and flirted with by both the guys and the girls the entire time. I can’t be certain because the restaurant was so crowded that day, but I’m pretty sure one of them grabbed my ass.
“This way please,” we hear Monica, the hostess, say as she leads the group to their table. She turns and gives me a grimace on her way back, telling me she’s sorry. I know she wouldn’t have put them in my section if she had any other choice.
I sigh.
“You want me to take them?” Dorine asks.
“No, I can handle it,” I tell her.
“Okay. But don’t let them treat you like shit.” She squeezes my arm and makes her way to her own section, and I head to the table of hell.
“Good afternoon,” I say cheerfully, to the group of eight. “What can I get everyone to drink?”
“Oh, so glad you are working today, cutie,” one of the guys says, not even trying to hide the fact that he’s checking me out. He reaches out to touch my arm, but I step back.
“To drink?” I repeat. He narrows his eyes at me.
“Coffee,” he says. I look down the table at his cohorts and get their orders and then scamper away. I know I’ll be getting a lousy tip, if any, and that already has me on edge. Just the fact that that guy thought he had any right to touch me pisses me off. I’m not a fucking toy. There’s only one man who’s allowed to put his hands on me, and he would never mistreat me.
I’m back with the drinks shortly and Dorine helps me because there are so many. “Ready to order?” I ask as she hurries off to her own section. I pull out my pad of paper and pen.
“I know what I want,” another guy at the table says, his gaze raking me over. He winks at me and everyone else laughs. My cheeks flame and my jaw clenches but I hold my tongue.
