She flagged down a guy who'd just finished taking an order at a nearby table. He tucked his notepad into his apron and walked over. Sandy-blond hair, a small scar through one eyebrow, moving like someone who'd worked here long enough to know every shortcut.
"Jake, this is Sophie. New hostess. Can you show her where the supplies are?"
"Yeah, sure." He wiped his hands on his apron. "Follow me."
Sophie followed him through the dining room, past the kitchen door where someone was yelling about shrimp, and into a narrow hallway lined with metal shelving.
"Menus here," Jake said, pointing. "Napkins, tablecloths, candles there. Extra silverware in that bin." He gestured to a locked cabinet at the end. "That's liquor. You won't touch it."
"Thanks." Sophie grabbed a stack of menus.
"No problem." He turned to go then paused. "You here all summer?"
"Yeah. My mom rented a house with friends. Big group of us on 59th."
"Nice. I'm here every summer. Grandparents live year-round, so I've been coming down since I was a kid. Started bussing at fourteen. Now I'm saving up for recording equipment." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Music stuff. Probably sounds dumb."
"It doesn't."
He looked at her for a second, like he was deciding whether she meant it. "Anyway. Diane's demanding, but fair. You'll be fine."
He headed back to the dining room, and Sophie returned to the hostess stand, sliding the menus into the basket. Checking through the reservation system, she heard the front door open. Ethan walked in.
His arrival surprised her. He looked like he hadn't expected to be there either, shoulders drawn up, hands in his pockets, eyes looking for somewhere else to land.
"Hey," Sophie said. "What are you doing here?"
"Callback." He crossed his arms, uncrossed them. "Busboy."
"Ethan, that's great."
"It's clearing plates." He shrugged.
"It's a paycheck."
His expression loosened. Not a smile, but close.
Diane appeared from the back. "Ethan? You're the eleven o'clock?"
"Yeah."
"Come on back. We'll talk in the office."
He followed her to the bar area. Sophie turned to the iPad. Jake passed by with a tray of drinks, heading for the patio.
"Friend of yours?" he asked.
"Sort of. Family friends. Our moms are friends. We're all staying in the same house."
"Ah." He looked back at the office door. "He seems nervous."
"He's been applying since we got here. Starting to get in his head about it."
Jake nodded. "He'll get it. Diane likes people who show up early."
He walked off toward the patio.
Her phone buzzed. Trevor.
