Chapter 35 Faithfully
Faithfully
I’m quaking with nervous energy, and Lainey’s no better since I told her Annie and the guys are coming tonight. Now that she’s seen his videos, she’s a total Sammy fangirl.
I haven’t heard from Jude since I got to work, but I don’t expect him until late. Maybe not until I get home. Friday night traffic is brutal, and I’m sure he’ll want to catch up with his mom and unpack.
I miss him, and I’m anxious to toss our big pillows on the floor and watch a movie.
Will we still do that? There’s been no time to establish a new normal, but I desperately miss the same things I’d miss if we were only friends. When I said I didn’t want things to change between us, I meant it.
Mostly.
Of course, I’d like to taste the wintergreen Tic Tacs directly from his mouth. Yikes. My inner thoughts are aggressive today. But I want the guy who steals my hair ties, flicks guitar picks at me, and licks my hand.
I haven’t had a wet finger directly enter my ear in over a week, which I suppose has been replaced by kissing me against various surfaces.
Okay, honestly, I forget what my complaint was.
Nathan was in this building less than a week ago. I’m aware he could walk in at any time, but surely he has enough going on to keep him away from me. He has a baby on the way, for crying out loud.
He can hate me all he wants, but he never went out of his way for me before, so hopefully he won’t start now.
Jude was right. Nathan wouldn’t have accepted the breakup no matter what, and I may not have escaped that nightmare without Jude.
If anyone wants to call me a cheater, I’ll just have to let them.
Dave’s been hiding in the kitchen all week, letting me run the dining room with Lainey and train a new hire.
Gavin’s barely sixteen, and he’s spent the last two nights unsuccessfully trying to impress Lainey with terrible jokes and tabletop parkour with all the grace and style of your average orange cat.
So far, he’s spilled mop water, filled saltshakers with sugar, and repeatedly mixed-up drinks, causing a lot of complaints about tea.
This is the South. No one orders unsweet tea without a medical reason.
“Trust me, Lainey.” I say conspiratorially. “He takes initiative. Just wait till that jawline firms up along with those shoulders. Once his prefrontal cortex grows in, you’re going to wish you were nicer to him.”
I’m glad Dave hired someone, because I want out of here. Soon. Lainey’s submitted a few applications to other places too, but even if she and Gavin both stay, they’re too young to work more than a few nights a week when school starts.
“I am nice to him,” she hisses through gritted teeth. “But if you don’t tell him to stop doing handstands in the booths, I’m gonna knock his ginger behind on the floor. I’m tired of seeing his skinny legs flyin’ everywhere. I’m afraid I’m gonna get my head knocked off.”
I’ve only witnessed this brand of energy in one other person, and holy herd of buffalo, I do not have the strength for another Sam.
Little League teams file in one after another, occupying the dining room all evening, and Gavin’s out there high-fiving all of them, asking about their games. He gets everything they need and contains the chaos on vibes and instinct.
“You hit a double! Whoa, that’s awesome!” he tells a snaggle-toothed girl while he refills drinks at their table, keeping them away from the counter so we can restock napkins and condiments.
Despite Lainey’s annoyance, Gavin’s got potential.
We’ve just caught our breath when my phone buzzes, alerting me that Sam has completed a drive.
“Lucy! I’m home!” Sammy announces in time with the bell as he throws the door open, with Jace and Annie trailing behind like exhausted parents.
I set a tea pitcher on a nearby table and brace myself.
“OOF. Geez, Moose.” I pat him on the back as he lowers my feet back to the ground. “Y’all go grab that table in the back where I can see the door.”
“Aww, you watchin’ for your man?” Annie grins.
“Maybe. I’m not sure. But I need to see when customers come in.”
Jace looks down at his phone. “I think he’s home, Cupcake.”
I check my phone, irritated at Jace for knowing before I do, but he’s right.
Jude Daniel (Take a Sad Song and Make it Sexy) Crawford: Hey, Punk. Just got home. Trying to make myself wait here so I’m not tempted to quit your job for you and carry you out the door.
Jude Daniel (Take a Sad Song and Make it Sexy) Crawford: Hurry. I’m dying here.
Me: I’m hurrying!
Jude Daniel (Take a Sad Song and Make it Sexy) Crawford: Be safe. I love you.
“Hey, y’all! I’m Lainey. I’ll get your drinks since Lu Lu’s busy smiling at her phone.”
“Uh-oh. Busted, Cupcake.” Jace pokes my arm. “You love-drunk little slacker.”
I smack him lightly on the back of the head, and he scratches his chin with his middle finger.
“Don’t y’all start,” Annie warns, the twitch of her shoulder giving away the smack to Jace’s leg under the table.
And I’d bet my guitar he enjoyed it.
Sam and I share a smirk when Lainey breaks our twin telepathy. “Chocolate shake, right, Sam?”
“Aw, Miss Lainey. You remembered!”
I narrow my eyes at him in a jailbait warning when a loud crash of trays reminds us that Gavin’s been left unsupervised for far too long.
“You can get their order, Lainey. I’ll take orange cat duty.”
Annie and the guys chat in the parking lot while Lainey, Gavin, and I finish closing up. I practically rip my cap off in the doorway, a to-go bag with wings and mac ’n’ cheese swinging from my arm.
Sammy trots over to say good night to my young co-workers and snatches my keys right out of my hand.
I glare at him, annoyed and confused when he pockets them and takes my hat, blocking my path to the car as he licks his fingers and smooths flyaway hair from my ponytail.
“Eww! What are you doing?” I swat his hand away. “Stop it.”
“You won’t be needin’ ’em, Lu Lu. Here, let me hold that.”
“Moose, I’ve been on my feet for eight hours. I want to go home. I’m not in the mood to play games.”
“You’ll like this one.” He grins, stepping out of my way.
“Move it, Moose. I need my girl.” Jude grabs my face in both hands, eliciting a muffled whimper when he kisses me hard before wrapping his arms around me, our hearts racing like we just outran death itself.
“You came home to me,” I say, inhaling his freshly showered scent and wintergreen.
“You are home to me.”
We stand in the parking lot, hugging, kissing, and soaking up the free-flowing serotonin, when my phone buzzes with a familiar alert.
“Are you hungry?” I ask.
Jude laughs. “You know I am.”
I raise up on my toes to kiss him again.
“Then we better get home, because Sammy took your food.”
He grins against my mouth while gently tugging the pink tie from my hair and slipping it over his wrist. Massaging the back of my head, he plants kiss after sweet kiss on my lips before catching my hand and guiding me to his SUV.
“Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds” fills the speakers, like it has every time I’ve been in this seat for the last year.
“You worked all evening and planned to feed me?” He squeezes my leg. “Really?”
“I tried.” I smile sheepishly.
“If you’re not careful, I’m going to think you love me.” He turns our clasped hands over to kiss mine.
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” I smirk up at him and skip to “Hey Jude” without looking.
“Good to know. Want to take a drive with me?”
“Always.”