during a break. “Brandon?”
He looked up mid-pour. “One second.” Finishing, he slid the drink across the counter to his customer and headed over. Wiping his hands on a towel, he raised his eyebrows. “What’s up?”
I felt so stupid. “Did any of Mason and Logan’s friends come in?”
He frowned. “No, now that you mention it. That’s weird. You worried?”
Not helpful. I sighed. “I’m sure things are fine. I’m just surprised, is all.”
I was about to go back for the last of the dishes when Brandon tapped my arm. He’d come closer and lowered his voice, “Listen, I know what you’re thinking, and that’s not the case. I was being a jackass earlier. No way would Mason cheat on you.”
Thanks, Brandon. I am now thinking it’s a possibility.
Inching even closer, he scanned the room before he continued, “Listen, none of their crew came in.” He shook his head, staring at me like I was supposed to know what that meant.
I lifted an eyebrow. “And …?”
“Oh. Yeah,” he shuffled closer, “I remember those days. I know what it’s like. If none of them showed up, that means something came up.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“The popular crowd. You know, the ‘in’ crowd.” He nodded and patted my shoulder. “Something came up. I’m positive.”
“Why are you being awkward about this?”
“Oh.” He straightened and flashed me a grin. All that awkwardness was gone as he shrugged. “It’s called being a nice brother. My sis wasn’t a part of the ‘in’. She doesn’t know what it’s like. You and me,” lifting an empty glass, he pointed to me and then back to him, “we know what it’s like.”
Of course. Perfect sense. I shook my head.
“No worries, Sam. If he didn’t show, something must’ve come up.”
“What’s my brother talking about?” Heather plopped her order pad on the counter and leaned over, stretching her back at the same time.
“Nothing.” I needed to know what had ‘come up’ like Brandon insisted. Patting my pockets, I cursed under my breath.
“What?”
“My phone’s in the car.”
“Go.” Heather waved me off. There was an extra oomph to her grin.
Narrowing my eyes, I paused. “What?”
She went still. “What?”
“What happened to you tonight?”
“Nothing.”
She’d said that too fast. My eyebrow went back up. “I call bullshit.”
She laughed. “Spoken like a true friend.” Then she indicated behind me, and I turned to see Channing at a back table. He’d been watching us.
“Ah.” It made sense now. “So the no-boyfriend-not-anymore is here and you two are going to get not-friendly tonight?”
“Something like that.” She chuckled before patting my arm again. “Go. I’m serious. I’ll have him finish the few dishes that are left. It’s not like he hasn’t worked back there before.”
He had? That was new info. I started for the door after making sure my car keys were in my pocket. As I passed by her, I muttered under my breath, “One of these days you’re going to have explain your situation to me.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. Her tone turned wistful. “Maybe one day I’ll know, too.”
That was weird. As I headed out, I glanced back over my shoulder. The happiness on Heather’s face was unmistakable. She had turned back to Channing and struck a seductive pose. I grinned as I remembered the first time I met her and pushed through the door.
The parking lot was surrounded by trees and on most days it was peaceful. It was beautiful during the day, but at night, it was eerie. It was especially creepy when most of the cars were gone. I had no doubt there was some big party, and drawing closer to my car, I could see that my phone’s light was blinking. I had messages—
“You’re that waitress from last week.”
I screamed at the deep voice, jumping around in one leap. My heart was in my chest, beating loudly and trying to pound its way out. A dark figure appeared at the end of my car, and I
He looked up mid-pour. “One second.” Finishing, he slid the drink across the counter to his customer and headed over. Wiping his hands on a towel, he raised his eyebrows. “What’s up?”
I felt so stupid. “Did any of Mason and Logan’s friends come in?”
He frowned. “No, now that you mention it. That’s weird. You worried?”
Not helpful. I sighed. “I’m sure things are fine. I’m just surprised, is all.”
I was about to go back for the last of the dishes when Brandon tapped my arm. He’d come closer and lowered his voice, “Listen, I know what you’re thinking, and that’s not the case. I was being a jackass earlier. No way would Mason cheat on you.”
Thanks, Brandon. I am now thinking it’s a possibility.
Inching even closer, he scanned the room before he continued, “Listen, none of their crew came in.” He shook his head, staring at me like I was supposed to know what that meant.
I lifted an eyebrow. “And …?”
“Oh. Yeah,” he shuffled closer, “I remember those days. I know what it’s like. If none of them showed up, that means something came up.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“The popular crowd. You know, the ‘in’ crowd.” He nodded and patted my shoulder. “Something came up. I’m positive.”
“Why are you being awkward about this?”
“Oh.” He straightened and flashed me a grin. All that awkwardness was gone as he shrugged. “It’s called being a nice brother. My sis wasn’t a part of the ‘in’. She doesn’t know what it’s like. You and me,” lifting an empty glass, he pointed to me and then back to him, “we know what it’s like.”
Of course. Perfect sense. I shook my head.
“No worries, Sam. If he didn’t show, something must’ve come up.”
“What’s my brother talking about?” Heather plopped her order pad on the counter and leaned over, stretching her back at the same time.
“Nothing.” I needed to know what had ‘come up’ like Brandon insisted. Patting my pockets, I cursed under my breath.
“What?”
“My phone’s in the car.”
“Go.” Heather waved me off. There was an extra oomph to her grin.
Narrowing my eyes, I paused. “What?”
She went still. “What?”
“What happened to you tonight?”
“Nothing.”
She’d said that too fast. My eyebrow went back up. “I call bullshit.”
She laughed. “Spoken like a true friend.” Then she indicated behind me, and I turned to see Channing at a back table. He’d been watching us.
“Ah.” It made sense now. “So the no-boyfriend-not-anymore is here and you two are going to get not-friendly tonight?”
“Something like that.” She chuckled before patting my arm again. “Go. I’m serious. I’ll have him finish the few dishes that are left. It’s not like he hasn’t worked back there before.”
He had? That was new info. I started for the door after making sure my car keys were in my pocket. As I passed by her, I muttered under my breath, “One of these days you’re going to have explain your situation to me.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. Her tone turned wistful. “Maybe one day I’ll know, too.”
That was weird. As I headed out, I glanced back over my shoulder. The happiness on Heather’s face was unmistakable. She had turned back to Channing and struck a seductive pose. I grinned as I remembered the first time I met her and pushed through the door.
The parking lot was surrounded by trees and on most days it was peaceful. It was beautiful during the day, but at night, it was eerie. It was especially creepy when most of the cars were gone. I had no doubt there was some big party, and drawing closer to my car, I could see that my phone’s light was blinking. I had messages—
“You’re that waitress from last week.”
I screamed at the deep voice, jumping around in one leap. My heart was in my chest, beating loudly and trying to pound its way out. A dark figure appeared at the end of my car, and I
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