It’s a loaded question and I consider my options. I think my performance has been just fine, but if I say that, Marco will accuse me of being arrogant and find faults with my performance just to try and upset me. If I say anything even remotely negative about my performance, he’ll pounce on it, happy to agree with me. I have a feeling this is about Matt. Marco has obviously grown bored of keeping his distance and he’s ready to accuse me of being distracted at work because of what’s happening between Matt and me. It’s not true, but that won’t stop Marco from using it against me.
I decide to be honest. If I’m going to be berated, I’m going to fight my corner, and I can’t do that if I tell Marco I don’t think my performance has been good. “Good,” I say. “I think I have a good rapport with the customers and I think we’re a good team that are usually on top of service.”
Marco nods slowly. He puts his hands together on his desk. He smiles at me; a smile I can’t read.
“I’m inclined to agree with you Callie. Which is why I’m promoting you. You will be a shift supervisor, which means that you’ll be the head waitress on your shifts and it will be up to you to ensure service runs well. Of course, it means extra money too – an extra 3.50 per hour.”
Admittedly, I don’t like the way Marco tells me this is happening instead of offering me the chance to accept or refuse the promotion, but honestly, I don’t care. It’s just semantics. I am taken aback by the news, but I try my best not to show it.
Marco smiles again, a more normal smile this time. “You don’t look very happy about it,” he says.
“Oh no, I am… I just wasn’t expecting it is all. Thank you.”
He nods to me. “The promotion and raise are effective immediately. Don’t let me down Callie,” he says, signalling that our conversation is over by turning to his computer and beginning to type.
“I won’t.” I stand up to leave. I turn back when I reach his office door. “Thanks again.”
He doesn’t even look up from the screen.
I wonder momentarily why he’s given me the promotion. I mean I’m far from his favorite waitress and it’s not like I’ve been here the longest amount of time. I tell myself to stop berating myself and to stop being negative. I’m good at my job. I’m organized, and when it matters, people listen to me. Obviously, Marco is better at his job than I gave him credit for, and he’s put his own prejudices aside to make a fair decision about the promotion.
As I reach the restaurant floor, Matt appears while going in the opposite direction.
“Ice run?” I ask, unable to keep the smile from my face.
“Potatoes.” He grins back. “What are you so happy about?”
I look around quickly to make sure no one is watching us and then I step back into the corridor out of sight, pulling Matt with me. “I’ve just been promoted to shift supervisor.” I can’t keep the excitement out of my voice.
“That’s great news Callie.” Matt grins.
“You don’t seem too surprised.” I say with a frown.
“I’m only surprised it’s taken this long. You deserve this Callie. You’re a credit to this place.”
I beam at him.
He quickly leans in and brushes his lips across mine. “After work, we’re celebrating.”
“Doing what?” I ask.
“Leave that to me.” He gives me a wink.
I hurry onto the restaurant floor, wondering what Matt is going to do. Maybe I’ll finally get an invite to his place. We spend all of our time out and about or in my dorm room, and never once have I been to Matt’s place. As much as I want to relax and give myself to Matt completely, I still hold myself back from him a little bit. I still feel like he’s hiding something from me, and his reluctance to take me to his place only confirms it for me.
My shift flies by, and before I know it, as usual, Matt and I are left to lock up.
“So where are we going?” I ask as we leave the restaurant.
“You’ll see.” He leads me along the street.
I follow willingly. I expect us to go to the diner we went to on our first night together, but Matt passes it without a glance, leading me to a hotel a couple of doors down.
“Are we having drinks in here?” I ask as Matt gestures for me to step inside.
“Better than that,” he says close to my ear. “We’re having a room here.”
My stomach flutters with butterflies as we make our way across the lobby. I know what’s coming next. I know how we’ll celebrate and I am more than ready for it. I hang back, watching Matt from a distance as he checks us in. I wonder again, why he didn’t just take me to his place.
I know it was only a few weeks ago he was talking about our kids, but I can’t help but think he’s not really serious about us. That would explain why he never takes me home with him. Why he never reveals more than a snippet here and there of himself to me. Because he doesn’t want to get invested in something that’s just casual.
I’m still trying to work out if I’m okay with that or not when Matt comes over to me, waving a card key in front of my face. I smile up at him and the look on his face, the look that says he’s hungry for me. I don’t know if I’m okay with a casual relationship going forward. I’ll have to think about it. But I’m as sure as hell okay with it tonight.
We head for the elevator. Matt presses the call button. As we wait for it to arrive, I can feel my clit throbbing, my imagination running
