I snorted. “It’s my brother’s. I ride a motorcycle, but with the rain, I didn’t think you’d want to ride on it. Someone is supposed to be bringing my car over here, but in the meantime, I’ll borrow so you don’t get wet.”
She grinned. “My father would’ve had a cow.”
I snorted. “Maybe. Or maybe he would’ve let you come. He seems pretty cool.”
She shot me a smile and ran in front of me to open the door for an older couple that were walking as slow as two sloths.
I waited patiently in the rain while they moseyed through the door. When they finally made it through, I took the door from Perry and gestured for her to go in front of me.
She did, walking straight up to the hostess stand and patiently waiting behind the older couple as they asked for a booth and ‘somewhere private.’
She gave me an amused look over her shoulder, making me want to lean down and kiss her.
I took a step back instead and turned my head to the hostess who smiled at us both.
I was unsurprised when I saw one of her friends there.
“Echo!” Perry grinned. “What are you doing here? I thought you had tonight off?”
Echo, the quiet girl that had almost not even been a blip on my radar today, smiled hesitantly. “I did, too. I got called in because Candace called in.”
Perry scrunched up her nose in disgust.
“They need to fire her already,” Perry muttered darkly.
Echo snorted and gestured for us to follow her.
I didn’t know what I was expecting when we were taken to our seats, but a completely isolated spot in the back of the restaurant wasn’t it.
“This is where I had a reservation cancel last minute,” she said to Perry’s unspoken question, which happened to mirror mine. “I heard that Symphony was on her way in with John, and I decided to go ahead and seat y’all before she got here and requested it.”
I snorted. “You knew she was going to ask?”
Echo looked at me for the first time and blushed. “She always does. She treats this place like her personal hangout. Just like her predecessor.”
“Predecessor?” I asked in confusion.
Echo jerked her head toward Perry. “She’ll explain, I gotta go.”
Echo was gone just like that, and I gestured for Perry to slide into the booth across from me before I took my own seat.
“Predecessor?” I asked again, this time the question aimed at Perry.
“Rachel Howell,” she answered. “Rachel was head cheerleader last year. Rachel was Symphony’s idol. Did you hear about Rachel Howell killing someone?”
I blinked in surprise. “Vaguely. The girl was a cheerleader?”
“Yep,” she said. “Anyway, long story short, Rachel Howell was a queen bitch and Symphony was her sidekick for the longest. Rachel was taken to jail and kicked out of school and Symphony stepped right into her shoes. Though, saying that, I don’t think that Symphony quite has the evil streak that Rachel did.”
I shook my head. “Let’s fucking hope not.”
Perry shot me a smile and waved at the waitress that came up to our table. “You’re working, too?”
Temperance. Another one of Perry’s friends.
“Yes, ma’am,” Tempy said. “What can I get y’all?”
“Y’all have good sweet tea?” I asked curiously.
“Of course.” Tempy grinned. “I make it myself.”
“Then I’ll have that,” I said, looking at Perry.
“I’ll have that, too.” Perry grinned. “And some of that bread.”
Tempy flashed her a grin and hurried away, stopping to check on two other tables before heading into the kitchen.
“This is a popular place,” I observed.
“It didn’t used to be,” she admitted. “It used to be an adult hang out, but then they changed the hours, and new ownership took over. They wanted to cater to the younger crowd. And now it’s a bit of a blend of people. On school nights, Tempy works. There’s no alcohol served. But Friday to Sunday nights, they’re not allowed to work because they open up the bar. It works out.”
I nodded, thinking that I’d need to go find myself a job.
At least for another six months or so.
Though, saying that, my parents would float me. I just didn’t like buying some shit with their money.
I mean, what if I needed condoms? Or beer? I didn’t feel right buying those kinds of things when they would ask to see the receipts.
So a job it was.
“Do you work?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. I have too much going on sports-related. Why?”
I shrugged. “I was thinking I needed to find something that worked with my schedule.”
She tapped her bottom lip with her thumb.
“Have you thought about one of the CrossFit gyms? You said you like to work out there. Why not do both? They have an opening for a coach for the five and six o’clock classes at the one in Longview.”
I frowned.
That would actually not be too bad.
“Where’s the gym at?” I asked.
“It’s actually sort of close to here,” she answered. “I can show you where it is on the way home. Not technically in town, though.”
Conversation flowed after that, and over the next hour and a half, I became really surprised at just how much I enjoyed talking to her.
Though she seemed hesitant and standoffish at first, eventually she came out of her shell enough to show me her true colors.
That was until Symphony was seated next to us when we were finishing up dinner.
Echo looked over at Perry with an apologetic expression on her face, causing my lips to twitch.
“Look who it is.” Symphony smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
I looked at her date, finally realizing who it was.
John, better known as Alero.
The boy that I’d beaten out of his spot today at practice.
Oh, joy.
I looked over at Perry to see her staring at me wide-eyed.
“Nice to see you,” I lied. “We’re just paying. Y’all have a nice night.”
I stood up and offered my hand to Perry, which she gratefully took.
As we were leaving, she snatched the basket of bread and her tea, taking them with her.
I snickered as she
