“Do you even know him?”
“He’s Lenni’s boyfriend’s best friend. I know enough.”
Lori shrugs and starts to head for the back, but I’m not done yet.
“Why is he even working here? What, the billion-dollar football paycheck he’ll be getting in nine months isn’t enough?” I lower my voice to a furious whisper. “And Cecily knows how badly I need that job! She hired him because he’s some local celebrity? Put him in an ad, then, not on the restaurant floor.”
“Maybe she hired him ’cause he’s fine as hell.”
“Cecily’s too old for that.”
“Girl, my granny’s not too old for that. Do you have eyes?”
I tell my eyes to stay exactly where they are, but I can’t help letting them drift back to Reeve as Lori walks away to start her shift. He does look incredibly good with that collared shirt a tad too tight for his wide shoulders and cut arms. His skin has a deep tan and his dark-blond hair boasts buttery highlights that look like he spent all summer on the beach. Even from here, the blaze of his bright-blue eyes is remarkable. I watch as he follows Jorge around the empty restaurant, listening to the directions he’s given, smirking every so often at Jorge’s comments in a way that’s totally on-brand for his arrogant self but somehow also makes him look annoyingly hot. I turn back to my work before he notices me watching and starts thinking I’m another one of his many, many fangirls. Who cares if he adds a little eye candy to the workplace? Beautiful men aren’t for me.
It’s a busy night,and I barely see Reeve, but when I do I feel hot with resentment. If I didn’t need the money so badly, I wouldn’t mind being a hostess. The hours are fine, my coworkers are fun, and I love my surroundings. Somerset is beautiful with its midnight-blue walls, dark furniture, and modern, angular light fixtures. But the money I make hostessing is never going to get me to Spain, and knowing Reeve stole my job right out from under me reignites the hate I had for him for so long. And it’s not only the way he and the other football players strut around campus like they’re god’s gift to the student body and entitled to whatever and whomever catches their eye. It’s the way he treated my best friend.
Last year he basically coaxed Lenni into having a crush on him, strung her along, and then, when she finally worked up the nerve to act on it, he humiliated her. It doesn’t matter that he’s since apologized and explained he never meant to treat her that way. It doesn’t even matter that the incident led directly to Lenni landing Cam and becoming the happiest I’ve ever seen her. Reeve and I can tolerate each other on the rare occasions that Lenni and Cam force us together, but he’s still an entitled asshole. And now he’s screwing with my plans.
When I step into the office to grab my purse after work, Reeve’s in there chatting it up with Cecily. I do a double take because Cecily—fiftysomething Cecily with kids the same age as Reeve—is all starry-eyed and laughing with him like he’s Prince Charming in the middle of a stand-up act.Gag.
I try to move quickly enough that Cecily might not notice me against the blinding beauty of Reeve Dalton, but no such luck.
“Oh, Jade,” she says. “Did you introduce yourself to Reeve?”
I open my mouth, but Reeve beats me to it. “No, she didn’t.” He looks at me, his eyes flashing like he just told a joke atmy expense.
Whatever it’s about, I’m not taking the bait. “We already know each other,” I tell Cecily bluntly. “Our friends are dating. Well, good night. See you tomorrow.” I’m out the door before she can say goodbye. No need to kiss her ass now.
I wave to the kitchen staff on my way out and head for the parking lot. My hand is on the handle of my car door when I hear my name. I know without looking that it’s him. Even his voice oozes arrogance.
When I turn around, there he is, taking his sweet-ass time crossing the parking lot, hurrying for no one. Hopefully it’s not too dark for him to catch the way I roll my eyes.
“Hey,” he says when he reaches me. “Way to extend me a warm welcome on my first night.”
“Did you need one? You’ve got everyone else on staff eating out of the palm of your hand. And I’m not the warm-and-fuzzy type.”
“Don’t need to tell me, baby.” He pretends to shiver. “Brr.”
“All right, would you like me to pretend to care? Let’s see ... how was your first night?”
“You’re still pissed at me, aren’t you?”
“Still? No, sir. I’m pissed at you all anew.”
He laughs. I never noticed before that he has two dimples. “Seriously? What could I have possibly done to you?”
“Never mind.” I refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing he scooped my job. “So how was the first night for real?”
“Pretty easy. Good tips, and everyone was pretty understanding about my screwups.”
“Yeah, because you’re the local hero. Our guests are going to salivate over you.”
“Until I screw up on the field.” For a rare moment, he looks solemn.
“Do youever?”
He shrugs. “There’s a first time for everything.”
