Hey Babe, I hope you had a great sleep. I’m excited to see you today ??
I shift and sit up.
Morning. I think you have me confused with another woman.
I’m not talking to anyone else. Are you talking to another guy?
My cheeks flush slightly, and a soft smile tugs at the corners of my lips.
No, I’m not.
I’ve been ignoring the requests on the dating app, and I haven’t talked to anyone else apart from the people I live and work with.
Great! What time are we meeting? When’s your lunch break?
He’s persistent.
How do you know I’m even working?
You always seem to be working.
I need to get to know you more before I meet you.
Even though I’m curious, I’m not ready... my shy self may never be ready. I go back to the dating app again and tap on his profile. Short, thick brown hair, trimmed beard, full lips... and that jaw. He’s so handsome. In his photo he’s wearing a leather jacket.
After changing into my workout clothes, I pull out my yoga mat, unroll it, and begin breathing work and stretches. Then I select the yoga app on my phone and begin following the directions of the voice on the app. I should take the time before and between my shifts to explore the town. I make a mental note to start tomorrow. I need to get out of my comfort zone, even though just the thought of it makes me queasy.
When I finish doing yoga, I shower and head downstairs for breakfast. It sounds quiet again. I guess they’re sleeping off their hangovers. I woke up at three to loud voices. Everyone sounded drunk, and they mentioned the wordparty, so I assume they had just gotten home from one.
Downstairs the girls are sitting on the couches. They’re in their pajamas, huddled under blankets, their hair ruffled. I try not to laugh at them. “Big night?”
Lucy nods at me slowly. “My head hurts.”
“At least you weren’t up vomiting,” says Lia, who appears to be a pretty shade of white.
“You should come with us next time,” says Cindy.
Jasmine laughs. “She won’t go to a party.” Jasmine is correct.
“I seem to work the evening shifts anyway.” Not that I would. So many people drunk together in a small space...no thank you. I gaze at them. They look sick, and I’d prefer not to waste a whole day being hungover.
“We’ll make Cameron give you a night off,” Lia replies. “How’s it working with him?”
I pause. “He’s friendly.” I’m a little uneasy with him, but he could just be overly flirty, and that’s just the way he is, while I’m socially awkward, anxious, and overthinking everything. I smooth my skirt. “I’d better get going to work. I’ll see you girls later.” With a round of byes, I’m out the door and off to work.
I reverse park outside. You’d think that after parking the same way every day I’d get better at it. I absolutely am not. Inside the restaurant Mel and Cameron are talking by the counter toward the back. She’s straightening his shirt. He shifts his gaze from Mel to me and his face lights up. It’s only me. I have no idea why he seems to get excited.
“My girl Elena,” he says with a bright smile.
My shoulders stiffen at the comment. I smile at both of them, say hello, and slip through the kitchen doors. As I’m putting my bag away and getting ready for my shift, I turn to find Cameron standing behind me. I jerk back.
He grasps my upper arms. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“That’s okay,” I reply, though my heart thuds in my chest.
“I got a message from Lia this morning. Am I working you too hard?”
My face falls. She messaged him. “Oh no,” I stumble over my words. “They said I should go to a party with them,” I rush out. “I told them I work at night, but I didn’t say you worked me too hard.” It was my excuse to stop everyone from asking me. I didn’t know it would backfire.
