Chapter 29
I stopped a few tables away and stared. What wasshedoing here?
I dashed back to the waitress station and caught Josie. "I need to trade tables," I said.
"Let me guess," she said. "The blonde at table nineteen?"
"Yeah, that's the one."
"Sorry, no dice. She asked for you personally."
"How do you know?"
"I was there when they seated her."
"Oh crap," I said.
I glanced out toward the table. I'd met only two of Lawton's groupies in person. One was Brittney, and the other one was sitting out there at that table.
I'd waited on Amber exactly two times. Both times, she'd been with Brittney. The first time they'd gotten drunk and danced on their table, hoochie style. The second time, they'd come for the sole purpose of giving me a hard time.
Well, I'd just about had it. Maybe she was the customer, but I was way past caring. She'd hassled me at work. She'd hit on my boyfriend. She'd planned – or at least gone along with – that so-called prank.
When I reached her table, she had the menu propped up in front of her and was looking around expectantly.
I skipped the usual greeting and got straight to the point. "What areyoudoing here?"
She blinked up at me. "Was that a real question, or a funny waitress question?"
I didn't crack a smile. "A real question."
"I'm here to apologize." She glanced down at the menu. "Hey, what are your specials tonight?"
"Are you serious?" I said.
"Yeah," she said. "The fish tacos, are they good?"
"We don't have fish tacos," I said.
"Oh, poo. I was really in the mood for them." She ran a manicured fingernail along the menu's appetizer section. "The crab cakes, are they made with real crab? Or fake crab?"
"Real crab."
"You sure?" She wrinkled her nose. "Because fake crab tastes way too fishy."
"Forget the crab," I tossed my order pad onto the table and crossed my arms. "I believe I heard something about an apology?"
Amber gave a breezy wave of her hand. "Yeah, but I figure I'll do that after dessert."
"Let me get this straight," I said. "Supposedly, you came in here to apologize. But you're making me wait on you first?"
"Why not?" she said. "The food's good, and I’m totally starving."
"You know what?" I said. "This is the worst apology, ever. No." I held up a hand. "Make that thesecond-worst apology, ever."
She grinned up at me. "Brittney, right? She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I heard howthatwent."
"From who?"
