10. Remy
Chapter 10
Remy
The walk to the restaurant had been filled with a mix of nerves and excitement, but that all evaporated when I turned the corner and saw the line stretching out the door.
I stopped dead in my tracks. Inside, through the windows, the dining room was packed, with servers moving deftly through the crowd to keep up with the rush.
When I stepped inside, the noise hit me—laughter, clinking silverware, sizzling meat from the kitchen, and the occasional shouts of servers trying to cut through the chaos.
"Thank God you’re here," Jesse said, practically lunging at me.
He shoved a stack of menus into my hands, his face a picture of pure desperation.
"Uh, it’s my day off,” I said quickly, trying to hand the menus back.
Jesse didn’t budge. His wide eyes looked pleading, like a drowning man clinging to a lifeline.
Before I could protest, someone shouted his name, followed by a chorus of complaints from at least three tables.
Jesse shot me one last look of silent begging before darting off, leaving me standing there with the menus.
I sighed and set them down on the nearest counter. As I turned to head toward the kitchen, a regular waved at me from across the room, waving an empty napkin dispenser in the air.
“Remy! Can you grab us some napkins?”
Without thinking, I grabbed a stack from the counter and brought it over. "Here you go."
"Thanks, kid!"
I hurried to the kitchen before someone else recognized me.
The kitchen was absolute chaos. The air was thick with heat and the smells of grease, garlic, and spices.
Steam hissed from pots, and orders were being shouted faster than I could keep track of.
Ethan and Colton were at the center of it, both yelling—at each other, at the waitstaff, at the cooks.
One of the cooks switched languages mid-sentence, barking something sharp and guttural that made the others flinch. I didn’t need to understand the words to know I’d never want them aimed at me.
I leaned against the doorframe, trying to decide if walking in was a good idea or if I should just wait outside. Before I could decide, Colton spotted me.
"Remy!" His expression softened for a moment, but then he winced as a fryer alarm went off behind him. "Hey, I’m really sorry. Can you wait for, like, half an hour? I’ll be right out as soon as I can."
"Sure," I said, though I wasn’t entirely sure he heard me over the racket.
I stepped into the dining area, leaning against the wall near the pick-up counter, trying to stay out of the way.
The noise of the kitchen buzzed around me, and every few minutes, someone would stop and throw a quick question my way.
"Hey, can I get a refill?"
"Do you know if the wait is over an hour?"
"Where’s the nearest restroom?"
I found myself fetching water, passing out napkins, and answering questions like it was second nature.
Jesse burst out of the kitchen at one point, his hair sticking to his forehead.
"Are you sure you’re not working tonight?" he asked, his voice half hopeful, half desperate.
"I’m not," I said firmly, though I handed off a tray of drinks to him as I spoke.
More time passed, and Colton still didn’t appear. I peeked through the pass, catching a glimpse of him still chopping what looked like a mountain of meat while barking instructions.
He looked exhausted but focused, like there was no room for anything else in his mind.
I sighed. The restaurant wasn’t going to calm down anytime soon.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I slipped into the back room, grabbed an extra apron, and tied it around my waist. Jesse spotted me immediately and almost cried with relief.
"Thank you," he said, pushing a tray of drinks into my hands.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, already weaving my way through the crowd.
By the time I saw Colton again, I’d delivered drinks, cleared tables, and even helped bus a particularly messy booth.
He glanced up, eyes widening when he saw me. "Remy? What are you doing?"
I shrugged, balancing a tray on one hand. "Helping out. Someone has to keep this place from catching fire."
His lips twitched like he wanted to smile but couldn’t quite manage it. "You didn’t have to."
"Tell that to Jesse," I said, nodding toward the dining area, where the poor guy was juggling three orders at once.
Colton chuckled softly, his shoulders relaxing a little. “Thanks."
"You can thank me properly after this madness is over," I said.
By closing time, the kitchen had quieted down. The clatter of pots, the hum of the fryer, and the calls for orders had stopped.
Outside, Jesse and Ethan were wiping down tables, moving slowly, clearly exhausted. Jesse looked like he might pass out any second.
Ethan caught my eye and mouthed, “Sorry,” before heading into the back room.
I slumped down on the counter. My arms ached, and my legs felt like jelly. Across from me, Colton was scrubbing down the grill with long, deliberate strokes, his jaw set tight.
He glanced up, catching my gaze. "Remy... I’m sorry.”
That drew a laugh out of me, tired as I was. "Sorry for what? Forgetting to mention tonight was going to be the busiest night of the year? Or setting a date in the middle of it?”
Colton winced but smiled, wiping his hands on a towel. "Okay, maybe not my best planning.”
"Not your best?" I grinned, propping my chin in my hand. "Understatement of the year."
He shook his head, chuckling. "I just... I really wanted to see you tonight. Didn’t think it’d turn into this.”
That threw me off, enough to pause my teasing.
"Well," I said, recovering quickly, "you sure know how to make an impression."
Colton laughed, then turned to the fridge, pulling out a couple of food trays.
He set them on the counter beside me, grabbing a fork and handing it over. "We can still have dinner together.”
I raised an eyebrow but took the fork. "What’s on the menu?”
He gestured at the trays with a flourish. "Tonight’s finest offerings."
I couldn’t help but laugh as I dug in. "Let me guess—leftovers?"
I paused, fork halfway to my mouth, eyeing the trays carefully. "If this is leftovers, then what have you been giving me every night?"
I let the question hang in the air, a teasing smile tugging at my lips.
Colton’s eyes widened for a split second, caught off guard. He quickly recovered, looking a little sheepish. "What do you mean?”
I shook my head, smirking. "You’re not fooling me, Colton. I knew it the whole time. You’ve been giving me fresh food, not leftovers. I mean, who puts garnishes on leftovers?" I raised an eyebrow. "You put parsley on every box you’ve handed me before. Don’t think I didn’t notice."
Colton blinked, caught for a moment before recovering with an easy smile. "We pride ourselves on presentation," he said, feigning nonchalance.
I chuckled, not really buying it. "Uh-huh, sure you do." I shook my head but couldn't hide the smile on my face.
Colton smirked, leaning casually against the counter. "Fine. You caught me," he admitted with a mock sigh.
As we ate, the tension of the night faded into something easier. Now and then, our fingers brushed when we reached for the same tray.
Each time, Colton’s smirk stretched into a full smile, like he was enjoying the game.
At one point, I dipped a piece of bread into a sauce, the corner of it dripping slightly. Without thinking, I swiped it with my thumb and licked it off.
Colton’s gaze flicked to my mouth, lingering just a moment too long before he looked away, clearing his throat. "So, uh... thanks for saving the night.”
I grinned, leaning back against the counter. "Couldn’t just let you flounder out there, could I?"
His expression softened again, that warmth back in his eyes. "You didn’t have to. Really. But I’m glad you did."
Colton reached out, brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen into my face.
His fingers lingered for just a fraction of a second too long. I thought he might lean closer, but then he straightened, breaking the spell.
"Hey," he said, almost hesitantly, "if you’re not too wiped out, do you want to come back to my place? Watch a movie or something?”
I arched an eyebrow, a teasing smile already forming. "Just a movie?"
His ears turned pink, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes. I mean— if you’re up for it. No pressure."
His eyes softened, lingering on mine for just a beat too long. This wasn’t just about watching a movie.
I pretended to think it over, tapping my chin. "We should bring some food with us. You know, for 'presentation’s sake.'"
Colton laughed, shaking his head. "You’re impossible, you know that?”
"It’s a good thing you don’t mind, huh?" I said, grabbing a container and starting to pack up some of the trays.
"I don’t mind at all," he said, his voice soft but sure.