Nice job,Julian.
ChapterSeven
Katie
I’d been workingat the diner for a couple of weeks now. It wasn’t much, just a few shifts a week. Gwen had been right, I was able to learn the layout of the restaurant and the menu easily enough. And after a brief training with her, Mike had me waiting tables onmyown.
It took a few tries before I found my confidence and I definitely had more than oneoopsmoment, like when I brought a table’s check out before their food. But people were forgiving enough when you told them you were new and still learning the ropes. I noticed it didn’t affect tips, either. If anything, people were more generous to the girl who didn’t have a clue what she wasdoing.
I had seen Julian a few times when I worked, but mostly he was leaving when I was getting in or vice versa. Each time I saw him, my heart fluttered a little bit. It made sense, Julian was still the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen, except he wasn’t a boy anymore. He’dgrownup.
I would catch myself stealing glances at him when he wasn’t looking. He was lean, but his arms were just muscular enough to be distracting. I would find myself staying at the order window a little longer if he was facing away. I’d watch the muscles in his arms move as he adjusted patties on thegrill.
And much to my embarrassment, I finally understood how a guy could have a great butt. Seriously. I had never understood it before, had always thought it was an asset only appreciated by the male population. But jeans had never looked so good as they did when Julian walked away from the window to work on anorder.
What was wrong with me? I shook my head to clear the uninvitedthoughts.
The fact he had barely acknowledged me didn’t sit right with me. The Julian I remembered would have been welcoming. When I made the decision to come to work atThe Farmhouse, I had pictured the different ways our reunion would go. Maybe an awkward hug, or a bunch of questions. I did not imagine the silenttreatment.
Besides, he always had some kind of mark marring his skin. A bruise, a cut. That paired with his attitude made me wonder what had happened to him. Was hedangerous?
It didn’t seem to matter, I couldn’t keep myeyesaway.
Julian looked up and made eye contact with me just as I was mentality reprimanding myself for staring again. Like a child with her hand caught in the cookie jar, I instantly felt my face flush and my heart begin to pound beneath my chest. I looked away, embarrassed, hoping he thought I was just spacing instead of checkinghimout.
“Hey, Katie.” Gwen walked up “How did your shift go today? Are you getting the hangofit?”
She was tying her apron around her waist, getting ready to take over for me and start her night. After the initial training with her, I rarely worked with Gwen anymore. It was a bummer. She had become someone I called a friend in a very short time. I had grabbed that cup of coffee with her she had suggested and learned we had so much in common. We both loved running, I’d been on my school’s varsity cross country team back home. She ran as a way to reducestress.
We both loved cheesy sci-fi shows and argued over who was the best manifestation of our favorite time lord. Ten was my favorite, but this girl was old school and had a soft spotforfour.
“Yeah, it’s getting better. I just needed a bit ofconfidence.”
“I knew it! I’m so happy.” And looking at the joyful expression on her face, I knew she was genuinely thrilled for me. “I’m actually really glad I bumped into you tonight. A bunch of people are making one last river trip before everyone goes off in different directions for school. It’ll be fun and youshouldcome.”
“I don’t know. Wouldn’t it be weird since I don’t really knowanyone?”
“You’ll know me andMitch.”
“Okay, but what would be the point of me going since I don’t know anyone else and it’s a last bash type of deal?” I wondered how kindly they’d take to me crashing their farewellparty.
“Katie, I swear, I just told you. It’ll be fun. Come one, say you’ll come. The three of us can ridetogether.”
I sighed. “Fine. For the sake of fun.” I took one more glance toward the kitchen before leaving, but Julian wasn’t standing thereanymore.
“Turn left here,”Mitch called over my shoulder. For some reason, I was the one who ended up driving to the river. Never mind I was the only who had never been tubing down this river. And never mind I didn’t even own my own car. For some reason, I was voted to drive so I borrowed my dad’s vehicle and picked myfriendsup.
It was a Bronco from the seventies and was basically a box on wheels. My dad may have been a computer geek, but this thing was his baby. You could tell because its paint job looked nicer than some of the newer cars out there. I knew nothing about cars and even I could tell it was fancy. The mint green exterior made it look like it came straight from a vintage ad about camping. The seats were covered in white leather and I couldn’t find a single markonit.
It was hard to believe he trusted mewithit.
Knowing we were going to the river, my dad had taken the top off. The weather was beautiful and it would have been perfect, if my hair didn’t keep flying in my face from the wind. I was jealous of Gwen and Mitch and their short haircuts, if onlythisonce.
“Ok, now turn right there by the giant tree.” Mitch continued to call out directions from the backseat. Mitch was the self-proclaimed navigator. It’s not like I could putthat awesome place to park when you go tubinginto the GPS. Without him, I’d be lost. Gwen sat mostly silent on the drive out, staring at thescenery.
As we pulled up, I realized while I knew a ton about the beaches and the salt water in Florida, I actually didn’t have a clue about going tubing. It wasn’t something I had done before Imovedaway.
“Wait, so if we're floating down a river, aren't we going to be going away from our cars? How does thisevenwork?”
