“Cameron?”Elias’svoicecatchesme off guard as he smiles in my direction.
“Uh…hey, Elias.Wh-What are you doing here?”I stammer, my gaze shifting between Elias and the guy across from him.The resemblance is striking.This guy looks like an older version of Elias, maybe by a year or two.
“We came to grab a snack,” Elias says casually.“This is my brother, Keith.”He gestures to the guy sitting opposite him.“He’s the one I mentioned last night.Keith, this is Cameron—we met at the party.”
I wave awkwardly at Keith, noticing how good-looking he is.
“Hi,” I mumble.
“Nice to meet you,” Keith replies with a polite nod.
“Glad you made it home in one piece.Did you end up fighting with your roommate?”Elias teases with a grin.
“Nah, just a little talk,” I chuckle, trying to play it cool.
“Good to hear.”Elias leans forward.“So, you work here?”
“Yeah, I do.”I shift on my feet, suddenly self-conscious.“What can I get for you?”
“Two slices of pepperoni pizza—and maybe your number?”Elias asks, flashing a smirk.I blink, caught off guard by his charm.
Keith, who’s been scrolling through his phone, looks up with raised eyebrows, glancing between Elias and me.
Elias chuckles.“Remember, you promised me a tour, right?How else am I supposed to make that happen when I don’t have your number?”
“Oh, uh…water or anything to drink?”I manage to ask, trying not to stumble over my words.
Keith answers for both of them.“Water’s good.”
I jot down their order, shooting Elias a quick smile before turning to leave.Landon, who’s seated nearby, raises an eyebrow at me, looking amused.I shrug, feeling a bit flustered.
As I walk back to the kitchen, I hear Keith’s voice behind me, “Did you just flirt with the waiter?”
Elias laughs.I can’t hear his response, but it leaves me feeling oddly warm.
“You took forever getting their orders,” Noah says beside me.What is his problem, really?
“What do you want from me?”I groan, running my hands over my hair.I’m exhausted and could do without this.
Noah raises an eyebrow at me, and I sigh, rolling my eyes.“He’s just a friend,” I say, hoping to end whatever assumption he’s making.
“It’s like you know every good-looking guy in the city,” Noah teases, grinning.
“How did you know Blaze, anyway?”he asks, a little too interested.
“He’s my roommate’s friend.Why, you interested in him?”
Noah’s face flushes as he bites his lip and looks away.Well, that just confirmed my suspicions.
“He’s got a girlfriend, Noah.Sorry, but he’s taken,” Katie interjects with a knowing look.Noah rolls his eyes and slips his earphones back in, clearly not thrilled with Katie’s input.I can’t help but notice the tension simmering between them.
When I return with Elias’s order, I sneakily scribble my number on the receipt, placing it in front of Elias with a quick smile.He winks as he catches on, and I head back to the counter, trying not to grin too widely.
Later, Noah and I clean up the booths, closing up for the day.Landon’s still sitting at his spot in the corner, exhausted but waiting for me, his eyebrows raised in exaggerated impatience.
As I clock out, we step outside together.The evening air feels warm and refreshing.
“So, where are we heading?Your dorm or my place?”I ask.
