Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Robin
Katie comes back from the doors that lead into the ballroom, a bright smile on her face and her eyes sparkling. “It’s starting! We have Alphas, and I guess, a few Betas. That’s different. I’m kind of excited to see how tonight goes.”
Chef Harris makes an irritable sound and curses under his breath before he raises his head to look at her and say, “You would think this was your sweet sixteen. It is not. Be careful to remind yourself of that.”
She rolls her eyes. “If it was my party, I’d be out there dancing with those Alphas.”
“Do not even think about it,” he warns.
“As if!” she complains, looking at me. “I would never risk setting such a bad example for the new girl.”
“We’re here to work,” I tell him, backing her up.
She grins. “See? We’ll be good.”
He mutters under his breath again. This time I have no idea what he’s saying.
Clearly, he’s exasperated by Katie’s attitude.
I like her sense of humor, and her enthusiasm.
It’s going to be fun working with her.
I didn’t think working could be like that.
She comes around the counter and takes my hand.
“Come and see what’s happening.”
I follow her over to the double doors that lead out to the ballroom.
She pushes one door open slightly, just enough to let us see into the other room.
“Ugh,” she murmurs. “Alphas are just so … I mean, I know they’re usually creeps or assholes, but still … That energy they have is crazy-hot.”
She lets out a longing sigh, resting her head against the door.
I look out across the room, but I don’t see what she sees.
It’s just a room with some men in it now.
I don’t feel excited about that.
Not even …
My thought drifts away as I look past the seating area to the two men who are just coming into my line of sight. An odd feeling crashes over me as I gaze at them.
Is this DeJa’Vu?
I’ve seen the taller Alpha before.
I don’t know how I know him. I just know I do.
His face is too handsome and sullen to ever forget.
That stubbled jaw and those deep-set eyes …
I’ve looked into those eyes, from much closer than this.
They were kind, and the light gray color was so unusual that I couldn’t tear my gaze away.
The tinge of memory slips away as quickly as it came.
I must have met him before.
I wish I could remember …
Who is he?
I’m still wondering as my gaze drifts over his friend.
He’s an Alpha, too, but I’ve never seen him before.
Just as attractive as the other man, he’s a little shorter, and he has a more classically handsome look, with his dark hair styled perfectly and high cheekbones that stand out strikingly when he smiles.
Oh, goodness. His smile. It lights up the whole room.
This guy should be in movies.
“See?” Katie insists, in a dreamy tone. “They’re so … yum.”
My skin warms as I remember what I’m supposed to be doing.
I shouldn’t be looking at these guys as if they’re romantic prospects.
They are, I guess, but they definitely didn’t come here for me.
They’re here to find an Omega.
“Mm hm,” I murmur.
“Too bad we’re just here to serve them food, right?” Katie asks.
I can’t know that guy. He’s an Alpha. I don’t know any Alphas.
Besides Ivan Hamilton.
I never felt a thing for that creep.
Not once. Not ever.
So, why are these Alphas making me feel like this?
Why is this happening to me now?
“No, Katie,” I tell my new friend as gently as possible. “They’re always creeps, remember?”
“Hm?” she murmurs before she looks back at me.
She sounded so sure when she was telling me that before.
Maybe this is just what Alphas do to Beta women.
At least, when they’re age appropriate.
“Creeps, remember?” I repeat.
The dreamy look melts away, and she blows out a breath.
“Thanks for the reminder. I kind of needed it.”
“No problem.”
She smiles. “It’s not like Alphas ever choose a Beta over an Omega anyway. That’s one thing those rom-com movies get right. It’s always an Omega.”
“Katie!” Chef Harris calls out. “Do I have to speak to you again about harassing our guests?”
She rolls her eyes as she motions to me to move back, pressing her lips together as she closes the door to the ballroom.
I can’t help but let out a relieved sigh when the ballroom is gone from sight.
“I’m not harassing anyone,” she calls back, folding her arms under her chest as she moves toward the counter. “I never have, and I never will.”
“Good. Keep it that way. Now, start circulating with the appetisers. Get them out while they’re still perfect.”
“Fine,” she says, picking a tray from the stack and placing it down next to the plates we just finished helping the chef prepare.
I move to her side quickly, not wanting to miss anything important.
She puts a tray in front of me, before she starts picking up plates and putting them on her own tray. The tray is square, and it can fit four of the small round plates.
“Careful!” Chef Harris chastises when she knocks a tiny fork from one of the plates.
The fork lands on the floor next to him, and he shakes his head as he picks it up and deposits it into the sink.
Katie pulls a face while his back is turned.
“I was being careful,” she protests. “The fork was just badly placed.”
He snorts lightly as he gets a replacement from a drawer.
I load up my own tray slowly, making sure I don’t move the perfectly positioned pastry or knock any of the desert forks from their positions into the side of the sauce and icing dots we spent the last fifteen minutes or so placing to the chef’s exacting standards.
My hands shake a little as I put the final plate into position.
It feels like my shift is just starting now. Despite spending the last hour with Katie and getting some idea of what to expect from the night, I’m suddenly not sure I’m prepared for what I need to do.
That first hint of nervous energy is hard to ignore.
I’m almost afraid to pick up the tray when Katie smiles at me and tells me it’s time to get out there and offer the appetisers.
The unexpected weight when I lift it helps to keep my hands steady, but as I follow Katie into the ballroom, my stomach fills with butterflies and I can’t help but start to question everything.
This whole place, the apartment, the friendly co-worker, the job I was given so freely …
It’s all way too good to be true.
Something’s going to go wrong.
I can’t help but wonder how easily this wonderful new life could slip from my grasp.