to spit it out.
“I just got promoted to manager! It turns out that stuck-up bitch that used to manage the place was stealing money from the register every night! Lucky for me, huh?”
I grin. “Yeah, lucky for you. Congratulations! When can I see the new place?”
“Um, as soon as possible? I’m looking for a roommate. There’s a girl I knew from school who lives here, too, and I’m trying to convince her to move out of her parents’ mansion and come pay rent with me.”
“Okay,” I agree. I know now isn’t the time to ask Mea why she isn’t pursuing something with her recently acquired theater degree, which suits her so perfectly.
I leave her to go get her drink order and tend to the growing number of tables quickly filling up in my section.
By dinner shift, my feet are aching so severely I’m limping instead of walking, and my back feels like I’ve been carrying boulders down a mountainside rather than waiting tables at a popular seafood restaurant. My hair is falling limply around my face, and I’m sure whatever trace of makeup I had on before I left the house this morning is long gone. Despite all of that, my butterflies begin to dance around in my stomach as I anticipate Dare’s impending visit.
As if on cue, his dark, beautiful form enters the front door about halfway through my shift. When I see him, I forget all about my usual play-it-cool act and run straight into his strong, willing arms.
He makes a pleased sound deep in his chest, which rumbles against my neck where his face is buried, and I sigh with satisfaction.
“That’s a hell of a greeting,” he murmurs against my skin.
“Well, a girl misses her soldier when he’s been away all day.” My voice is a little breathless as I pull back to stare up into his perfectly handsome face. A dark shadow of stubble graces the line of his jaw, where it connects with his neck, and I reach up to run my fingers across it.
“No shave today?”
He smiles, staring down at me. “I’ve had a lot on my mind today.”
The corners of my mouth begin to rise, and then another guy, one that I’ve never seen before, steps out from behind Dare.
“Hi there,” he says, sticking out a hand. A brilliant smile touches his lips. “I’m Chase. Dare’s brother. You must be Berkeley.”
I can’t stop my eyebrows from shooting upward, and my mouth from dropping open. I had no idea Dare had a brother. Then again…I don’t know Dare very well, do I? A wash of unease settles over me as I shake Chase’s hand. I catch Dare’s eye and he gives a minuscule shrug.
“Well, let me get y’all to a table,” I finally say, turning to lead them toward the back of the restaurant. As I let Chase step around me, Dare grabs my arm, gently swinging me around to face him.
“I didn’t know he was coming. I’ll explain later.” His gaze is apologetic, and I know he’s read my expression and wants to ease my conscience.
I shouldn’t feel uneasy at all. There are plenty of things about my life I haven’t shared with Dare. Including a proposal for marriage and parents who have my entire future mapped out for me.
Chase is tall, though not as tall as Dare. Their hair is similar in its dark color, although Chase’s may be closer to the color of toffee, rather than milk chocolate. His eyes are drastically different from Dare’s clear light green ones. Chase’s are dark as a night sky, the darkest, deepest shade of brown I’ve ever seen. I can’t read anything in them, and it strikes me that he could be hiding anything in those deep, dark abysses. His hair curls around his ears, where Dare’s reaches all the way to his collar.
After I seat them and take their drink orders, I inform Dare that I won’t be able to eat with them tonight.
“Yes, you will,” says Lenny as she breezes by me on her way out of the kitchen. “I’m feeling better. You deserve to sit and eat, and then to go on home, sweetie. I’ll do your side work tonight. Thank you so much,
“I just got promoted to manager! It turns out that stuck-up bitch that used to manage the place was stealing money from the register every night! Lucky for me, huh?”
I grin. “Yeah, lucky for you. Congratulations! When can I see the new place?”
“Um, as soon as possible? I’m looking for a roommate. There’s a girl I knew from school who lives here, too, and I’m trying to convince her to move out of her parents’ mansion and come pay rent with me.”
“Okay,” I agree. I know now isn’t the time to ask Mea why she isn’t pursuing something with her recently acquired theater degree, which suits her so perfectly.
I leave her to go get her drink order and tend to the growing number of tables quickly filling up in my section.
By dinner shift, my feet are aching so severely I’m limping instead of walking, and my back feels like I’ve been carrying boulders down a mountainside rather than waiting tables at a popular seafood restaurant. My hair is falling limply around my face, and I’m sure whatever trace of makeup I had on before I left the house this morning is long gone. Despite all of that, my butterflies begin to dance around in my stomach as I anticipate Dare’s impending visit.
As if on cue, his dark, beautiful form enters the front door about halfway through my shift. When I see him, I forget all about my usual play-it-cool act and run straight into his strong, willing arms.
He makes a pleased sound deep in his chest, which rumbles against my neck where his face is buried, and I sigh with satisfaction.
“That’s a hell of a greeting,” he murmurs against my skin.
“Well, a girl misses her soldier when he’s been away all day.” My voice is a little breathless as I pull back to stare up into his perfectly handsome face. A dark shadow of stubble graces the line of his jaw, where it connects with his neck, and I reach up to run my fingers across it.
“No shave today?”
He smiles, staring down at me. “I’ve had a lot on my mind today.”
The corners of my mouth begin to rise, and then another guy, one that I’ve never seen before, steps out from behind Dare.
“Hi there,” he says, sticking out a hand. A brilliant smile touches his lips. “I’m Chase. Dare’s brother. You must be Berkeley.”
I can’t stop my eyebrows from shooting upward, and my mouth from dropping open. I had no idea Dare had a brother. Then again…I don’t know Dare very well, do I? A wash of unease settles over me as I shake Chase’s hand. I catch Dare’s eye and he gives a minuscule shrug.
“Well, let me get y’all to a table,” I finally say, turning to lead them toward the back of the restaurant. As I let Chase step around me, Dare grabs my arm, gently swinging me around to face him.
“I didn’t know he was coming. I’ll explain later.” His gaze is apologetic, and I know he’s read my expression and wants to ease my conscience.
I shouldn’t feel uneasy at all. There are plenty of things about my life I haven’t shared with Dare. Including a proposal for marriage and parents who have my entire future mapped out for me.
Chase is tall, though not as tall as Dare. Their hair is similar in its dark color, although Chase’s may be closer to the color of toffee, rather than milk chocolate. His eyes are drastically different from Dare’s clear light green ones. Chase’s are dark as a night sky, the darkest, deepest shade of brown I’ve ever seen. I can’t read anything in them, and it strikes me that he could be hiding anything in those deep, dark abysses. His hair curls around his ears, where Dare’s reaches all the way to his collar.
After I seat them and take their drink orders, I inform Dare that I won’t be able to eat with them tonight.
“Yes, you will,” says Lenny as she breezes by me on her way out of the kitchen. “I’m feeling better. You deserve to sit and eat, and then to go on home, sweetie. I’ll do your side work tonight. Thank you so much,
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