Page 26 of Newly Tied

“I reckon so,” I husked, grinning back.

His eyes mapped me from head to toe, and clearly, from his quick indrawn breath, he liked what he saw. I wasn’t stupid; between the defined muscle I worked hard to keep, the dirty-blond hair I inherited from my mother along with her blue-green eyes, I normally didn’t have any trouble getting men to notice me.

“My shift ends at midnight. Is that too late for you?”

I shook my head. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. I can stay up all the way to breakfast.”

“Oh, I know that’s a line, but I love it.”

“You gonna give me your number?”

“Yes,” he said breathlessly, licking his lips. He rushed over, pulled out one of the restaurant business cards from his apron, flipped it over, and wrote his number on the back.

“Thank you kindly,” I murmured, then turned to get back to the table.

Halfway there, I passed Talia on her way to the bathroom.

“Oh, everyone had nice things to say about you when you left.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes. God, you’re the same as Lang. Take a damn compliment, will you? Everyone thinks you’re gorgeous and charming.”

“Well, I am, ain’t I?”

She nodded. “I don’t think Lang and Nicolette will be going on a second date. He’s not being fun or engaging, and now he’s insisting we talk on the balcony when I get back. I will not stand outside in a-hundred-and-fifty-degree heat with the same amount of humidity. Fix it while I pee, all right?”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“I don’t care, get it done,” she demanded, then gestured, I thought, at my shoes.

“What?”

“I never noticed you have such good legs before.”

I squinted at her.

“What? They’re nice. All muscly and fuzzy and toned.”

“Can I go now?”

“Do you think the shake is safe to drink since I barfed earlier?”

“I do,” I affirmed. “Whatever Alcott slipped you is outta your system now.”

She nodded, spun around, and left me.

At the table, I noted that everyone was talking except Lang, the lone man out, scrolling on his phone. I was very excited to see nachos—well, half a plate of them—onion rings, and what was either mozzarella or zucchini sticks. Either way, it was good.

“I see Cody delivered the goods.”

“Yes,” Malik agreed, glaring at Lang. “And your partner has been eating the nachos all by himself and not passing them down here.”

I picked up the plate in front of Lang, moved the onion rings over, and handed the nachos to Ashton, who delivered them to Malik. “Sorry about that, everybody. He’s not great at sharin’ his food.”

They laughed, which was nice.

“We all ordered,” Nicolette told me, smiling, and then, when she glanced at Lang, there was an instant scowl. “And Lang got something for you.”