“It’s nothing important.”
“Okay.”I stopped swinging my legs. I was kinda sad now.
“You really wanna know?”
“Yes! Oops.” I’d dropped my phone in my eagerness to learn. I slid off the counter to grab it, then stuffed it in my shallow pocket and hopped back up.“Yes,”I repeated.
“I just think you’re really sweet. You’re not what you come across as.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re obviously beautiful. Everyone knows that. But your personality is so…”he trailed off, still smiling to himself. He was very focused on what he was doing.
“I’m guessing that’s good?”
“Yeah, it’s good,”hesaid, still not looking at me.“That’s why I like you.”
“I like you, too.”
“No, Ilikeyou. As in, I’m interested in maybe trying more than friends?”
I was super confused now.“You like me? As in actually…?”I made a face when henodded.
“I haven’t said anything because I know Dennis would kill me. Sean might, too. For Dennis.”
“I won’t,”Sean said.“Dennis might.”
“Yeah,”Nate paused thoughtfully.“Well, I figure it never hurts to try. Even though we’re coworkers now, so that’s a complication. But it could work out, right? People have done it before.” He was still going and I was still bewildered.
“Wait.”I held up a hand for him to stop rambling.“You’re serious?”He nodded.“I don’t believe you. You’re lying.”
“Trust me, I wouldn’t lie to you. I really do like you.A lot.”
“No, you don’t. Nobody likes me. No one’s ever liked me.”
“What makes you think that?”He was the confused one now.“I can tell you right now, that’s a lie.”
“No, it’s not. I’m not worth it,”I said nonchalantly.“Anyway, stop talking‘cause you’re confused.”I slid off the counter and motioned for him to scoot over so I could finish setting up my own station.
“You really don’t think anyone’s ever liked you?”
“No, Iknowno one ever has. They’ve liked the way I dress or the way I act or how easy I am, but never me. They’ve wanted to fuck me and that’s it. That’s probably what you want,” I realized. He wanted sex and was mixing it up with feelings. “I’m gonna go grab a new vodka.”I lifted mine to see it was mostly full.
“I think you’re good,”Sean said.
“No, I need more tequila. Rum. Damn it, why is everything full? Um. I need lime juice. Nope, that’s full too. I’m gonna go see what Richard’s doing. Or Michael. Whoever’s in charge today.”I escaped to the back.
“‘Morning, Emy,”Michaelsaid as I walked in.“How’s it going?”
“Good. I’m just setting up my station. I need more salt.” Igrabbed a container and went back out front. Sean and Nate were leaning against the counter talking. They’d already opened the door, but so far no customers had come in.“Found it.” Iheld up the salt.
“Didn’t you go to see what Michael’s doing?”Nate asked.
“No, I went to get lime. Talk to Michael. Same shit, I came back with salt. Who cares.”I put it at my station and went back to scrolling Sean’s profile. My radar went up the second I noticed the same beautiful woman was in a good amount of his pictures.“Hey Sean, who’s this?”I needed to know if Ari had competition.
“My sister.”
“You have a sister?”
