“It’d be better if you had a drink with us.” He gave me a smile that sent a shiver up my spine.
“Oh, thank you, but I’m not allowed to socialize with customers before my shift ends in five hours,” I bit the inside of my cheek wondering if he would get the message. And he did.
“What about after your shift ends?” he asked.
“I’ll have to check my schedule,” I said, and my heartbeat sped up.
His beautifully shaped lips turned up in a smile as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “What’s your number?” His eyes were gazing into mine.
I slowly uttered the numbers of my phone one by one, trying to keep my voice low and make sure that I would not mess it up. I was feeling so anxious.
“You have got a text,” he said and snickered.
“I’ll check it out later, I am not supposed to have my phone on me while I am working,” I whispered conspiratorially.
“We will have another pitcher of beer,” he said loudly to make sure he would be heard to the other side of the room from where my manager was looking at us and frowning.
“I’ll bring another pitcher,” I said and held my notepad close to my chest as I walked away with quick steps.
After a few minutes, I returned with their drink.
“Did you check your phone?” Owen whispered and put his hand on mine as I placed the pitcher on their table.
“No, I did not get a chance to do it,” I replied, electrified by the touch. I turned all the way around and looked at the back of the room where my manager was standing. He seemed busy having a conversation with a pair of customers. “But I’ll surely do,” I reassured him keeping my voice low and my eyes down.
He nodded and moved his hand away before I turned back and walked toward the back of the restaurant and the curtain that kept hidden the narrow corridor that led to the kitchen. I opened the wooden wardrobe behind the curtain and grabbed my purple backpack. Purple was my color, obviously. I pulled my phone out of the backpack. My hands were shaking so hard with anxiety that I almost dropped it.
“Meet me at Greene’s after your shift ends.”
Quite terse and laconic. I was not sure I liked that approach. On the other hand, I did not want to take things slow. I was eighteen freaking years old, emotionally immature, with zero life experience, desperate to love and be loved. I could not wait any longer to feel alive for the first time in my life. I could not find a reason to prolong the flirting game. I should accept the challenge, seize the day, and meet that striking good-looking young man at Greene’s Grill. At least I would have a juicy steak and French fries even if everything else went wrong at my rendezvous with Owen.
My stomach gurgled and I realized how hungry I was. But I did not have time to think about my diet. I had to think about me looking pretty. And sexy. And desirable. I looked at myself in the mirror on the inside door of the wardrobe. The skinny blue jeans and red checkered shirt was not my ideal outfit for my first ever date. Should I go home and change clothes? I was afraid that I would run late. What if Owen thought I was a no-show? I could not risk it. I would patiently wait for my shift to be over and I would go directly to Greene’s.
“Fingers crossed everything will be okay,” I whispered to myself.
I combed my hair with my fingers and looked at myself in the mirror one last time. After putting on a smiling face, I returned to the restaurant room.
Owen and his friends were gone. I panicked.
“The bastards left without paying the check,” I uttered shocking the waitress that was passing by.
Anne, that was her name, almost dropped the plates she was carrying; however, she quickly regained her balance and turned to me.
“Oh, no, they did pay,” she said. “And they left a tip for you. A quite generous one,” she winked.
“Awesome,” I said dazzled. “Did they leave any message for me?”
“No. Why should they?” Anne gave me a confused look.
“Never mind, I am just shocked by how generous the tip is,” I blushed, and she smiled at me before she turned away.
“Well, I suppose that means that the date is still on,” I mumbled and looked at the room around to check on my tables.
Rewinding the time before Own left the restaurant was still the option, but I did not want to spoil the thrills the anticipation of the date had given me.
I wanted to live every single moment to the fullest as if I could never live it again. Like every normal person would do. And I wanted to live like a normal person for the first time in my life and from then on.
Spoiler alert!
I did not.
CHAPTER 2
*
I put my black leather jacket on, I grabbed my purple backpack, and I rushed out of the restaurant door. My shift was over, and my Uber was waiting for me right outside. I had comfortably sunk into the back seat when my phone text alert made my heart jump. I reached into my bag and pulled the phone out.
“But you know nothing about him. Please be careful. I’ll send you a fake emergency text in thirty minutes in case you need an excuse to get out.”
That was Lynette. She had started her shift at The Drunk Lobster and texted me to express her worry about my date with a man I had just met. That was what best friends were supposed to do after all, right?
I texted her back that although I had a feeling that everything would go well, I would be waiting for her text
