Chapter 15
15
A s expected for the off-season, tonight is a slow night. I’m grateful for it, though, because I’m completely distracted, wondering if Chad is going to show up. He doesn’t have a set time, but he comes in most Mondays before seven.
It’s six now, and I’ve only had two tables. I still have to work these slow shifts, though—it’s the only way to get preferred scheduling in the summer when I can pull in at least five hundred dollars a night. My best night was three grand, but that was thanks to some drunk guys from Chicago trying to impress me and get my number. Who cares? I’ll take the money. I’m just glad they hired me. Most of the servers here are much older. I’m the youngest.
I take a deep breath as I see Chad walk in. Okay. Don’t make this weird. The bunny might not even be him, and you could be building a whole fantasy in your head. Or … it is him. And if that’s the case, why is he here? To flirt? To keep up the mystery?
The hostess walks up to me, and I already know what she’s going to say. “He requested you.”
He always does. Calm the fuck down.
I approach his table, keeping my voice steady. “Hey, how are you doing?” My standard greeting—nothing weird.
“Hey.”
Now that I’m thinking about him as someone I could be going on a date with, I check him out. He always looks good. Never anything embarrassing, and no graphic t-shirts. This henley is nice, cute. His arms look huge and remarkably similar to the bunny’s.
Okay, focus. I jump into my usual script for the night, telling him about the specials.
“How about you surprise me?” he says.
Hmm. That’s new. He usually orders a variation of the same thing—homemade pasta with one of the house sauces.
“What’s your budget?” I ask, trying to keep it light.
“Not worried about that tonight.”
“How hungry are you?”
“Starving.”
Is this flirty?
“Okay … but no sending it back to the kitchen if you don’t like it.”
“I know I’ll like it.”
This is definitely different energy from him. It has to be him. Stop blushing. It’s weird.
I let out an awkward giggle, feeling the heat rise to my face.
“Are you having a Stella, or …?” I ask, trying to regain some composure.
“Stella.”
I quickly walk over to the tablet on the wall and tap in the order. I choose my favorite dish on the menu: lamb shank with potatoes. It’s decadent, but amazing. He’ll love it.
When I set the beer down at his table, I remind myself to keep things neutral. “Did you have a nice weekend?”
“Parts of it were really nice … other parts were terrible.”
“Did you get arrested?” I tease.
“No … but you could say I was in one form of jail.”
I raise my eyebrows, giving him a sassy look. Just tell me already! I want to scream.
Chad takes a sip of his beer, and I remind myself I can’t spend the whole night at his table. I drift to the back with the other servers. “What do you guys know about Chad Braun? Like, what’s the tea?”
“The gossip?” Vicky, one of the older servers, clarifies.
I nod.
“Nice guy. He and his friends used to get up to all kinds of nonsense in their twenties, but he’s calmed down a bit.”
“What kind of nonsense?”
“Stupid, drunken behavior.”
“And what’s his reputation with girls?”
She squints at me. “Why are you so curious about him?”
I might be going on a date with him tomorrow.
“He comes in here a lot,” I say, trying to sound casual. “I get the feeling he’s going to ask me out one of these days.”
“I haven’t heard much about him,” she says, shrugging. “Which is probably a good thing.”
I smirk, grabbing his dish from the counter. “Lamb shank with potatoes,” I announce, setting it in front of him.
“This looks amazing.”
I smile, debating how much more small talk I should make.
“So … what are you up to tomorrow?” he asks.
If my date tomorrow is with him, he has the greatest poker face of all time.
“I have plans,” I say, playing it as cool as I can. “You?”
He glances down before meeting my eyes again. “Too bad.”
“Why?”
“I was going to ask you out.”
I burst out laughing. Probably not the appropriate response, especially if he’s not the guy I’m going out with tomorrow.
“Why is that so funny?” he asks, tilting his head.
Am I going to keep playing along? I feel like I might combust from all the tension and confusion swirling around in my head.