“This isn’t like you to take so long getting orders up, even on a busy nightlikethis.”
“Yeah, I have to keep starting fresh fries. And trying to get my station in a smooth assembly line with him straightening up behind me has really messed up my flow. I’m tryinghere,Gwen.”
“Oh, I know.” She replied with the same easy smile she always wore. “I’m just trying to feelyourpain.”
“Get your butt back here, if you really want to know what I’mdealingwith.”
She stuck her tongue out at me and grabbed the ready order in front of her before walking back intothefray.
Ispentthe next hour pushing my limits in the kitchen just praying for the rush to be a short one. When things did slow down and Mike had finally,finallyleft the kitchen, I was able to get things back to how I liked them. Just two hours until my shift was over and things were looking good in the dining room. It would be pretty dead from this point on. Gwen had cashed out giving me a generous wad of cash. It must have been a goodnight.
I had told her the last time she gave me too much she had better not pull that stunt again. She had the decency to look almost as embarrassed as I had felt. So I knew when I got my cash at the end of the night, it was what I deserved andnomore.
Katie flitted through the dining area like a hummingbird on steroids. Empty tables were wiped down at least three extra times, salt and pepper shakers were full to the rim, and I was convinced the couple at table twelve were going to burst if she filled their water glasses onemoretime.
She looked happy out there, the happiest I’d seen her since she started working at thediner.
It wasn’t as if I was watching her. Not at all. I had made it clear to her dad I wasn’t the guy to be looking out for his daughter. I still felt that way. It wasn’t my fault my eyes had a mind of their own and would seekherout.
She would occasionally look my way as if she was remembering something. Or her mouth would open and close like she wanted to say something. I don’t think she was even aware she was making those strange littlefaces.
I would catch glimpses of the girl I used to know and think about how easy it would be to fall back into a friendship with her. Of course, that would require me to open up to another person besides Gwen, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. I found comfort in mysolitude.
Or at least I thought I did. I wasn’t so sure these days. The way I reacted to Katie made me wonder if I was ready to let someoneelsein.
As I sat in the kitchen contemplating this, I watched Tyler sit down at a booth with some more of my old friends. Most of the guys were in different states by now, but Tyler and a couple of other stragglers were either attending BSU or the local community college while stayingintown.
Before this fiasco with Marco, Tyler and I had been tight. Captain and co-captain of the wrestling team, we ran the school. Girls wanted to date us and guys wanted to be us. I knew it sounded cocky, but it was the truth. We had so much fun together before he decided he couldn’t do drama. It was easier for him to believe the lie than deal with some minor inconveniences. Better to find out now our friendship was built on nothing more than mutualpopularity.
Itstillhurt.
Katie walked up to the table and I couldn’t help but notice she looked bashful as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. What was that? I sure as hell didn’t want to watch her flirt with him. I couldn’t hear what they were saying and I tried to look busy while watching from the corner ofmyeye.
Katie burst out in giggles at something Tyler said. It didn’t suit her. I knew it was because he had given her some over the top compliment. I knew his tricks. Abandoning all attempts to pretend to be busy, I flat out stared at Tyler standing right in front of the kitchenwindow.
Katie was offlimits.
Tyler looked up at Katie with a suave smile and pointed at the menu before looking directly at me. He continued talking to Katie and I didn’t have to be able to hear him to know what was being said. He didn’t pull this with Gwen anymore. I’m not sure what exactly went down between the two of them but I knew anytime Tyler and the guys came in, their orders were as plain as could be. Not onemodification.
I held my breath and waited to see how Katie would react, not sure why it mattered. Her body, that had just moments ago been filled with an unnatural amount of energy, suddenly stilled. She looked over her shoulder at me, smile gone with no hint of the laughter that had just filled the dining room. She faced the table again and I could tell the two were going back and forth. I wish I could have heard what was being said. It wasn’t long before she stormed off toward Mike’soffice.
The table erupted in roars of delight. Tyler shushed them and looked at me, eyes narrowed. Somehow, I was the one who pissed him off? He stalked over to the window, pointing his fingeratme.
“You sleepingwithher?”
“What?” Was that what this was allabout?
“Are you sleeping with Katie?” He asked again slowly emphasizing every word. “Why else would a girl like her defend a guylikeyou?”
“Must be my charmingpersonally.”
“Oh, that’s good. Your personality.” He started to turn before adding, “Stay away fromKatie.”
And that was it. He gathered up the guys at the table and left without placing anorder.
I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on between the two of them. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. Because Tyler had shown me just how shallow some people could be. I didn’t want to believe Katie waslikethat.
Knowing Tyler had his sights on her, I debated whether or not to get involved. I knew Katie wouldn’t benefit from it. So I decided I would keep my distancefornow.
