“Oh what, do you have big plans or something?” she questions with annoyance in her tone.
“No, I’m just exhausted and I need a night of down time. This is my first day of not working a double in a week and I just want to go home, change into different clothes, hop on my bike, grab some ice cream, and watch the sunset,” I tell her honestly. Jessica only works part time, her parents help pay her college, her car, and she lives at home. I don’t begrudge her, but sometimes she forgets that life isn’t easy.
“Oh okay, yeah. I get it. Well not really, but you know. If you change your mind, text me,” she says as she goes back to her tables.
I get back to work counting down the hours until I can leave. The more I think about my plans, the more I’m ready for them to happen and to happen soon.
The day goes by ridiculously slow even with us being slammed for the lunch crowd. It’s one of those days that is so busy yet time still seems to creep by.
I seat my last set of customers and make my way back to the hostess stand to make sure everyone has been seated before I head back to the break room. It looks like the restaurant is going to be busy with the way reservations keep piling in.
I smile as I walk into the break room and clock out. I go to my locker and grab my purse, quickly locking it back and then head out the door. My face is turned down looking in my purse that’s half my size. I swear I always say I’ll down size and never do. Even with a small purse I’d still lose my keys. It’s one of those things.
Before I know it, I’m gasping for breath and I have knocked into someone.
“I’m so sorry,” I say as I look up and to my utter embarrassment it’s Evan.
“Whoa, there. Are you okay?” he asks.
“Shit. I’m sorry Mr. Jackson. I mean, yes. Ugh, today is not my day. I’m sorry for running into you, and, well, cussing. I promise I’m usually aware of where I’m going and never cuss on the job,” I ramble out.
“It’s fine Harlow, and you don’t have to call me, Mr. Jackson. Call me Evan, please,” he tells me and I’m a little stunned.
“Umm. Are you sure? I hear you never allow an employee to call you Evan,” I say trying not to laugh.
“Yeah, Harlow. I promise, I want you to call me Evan,” I can hear the huskiness in his voice. I stop fidgeting with my keys I finally found and look up into his eyes. He has a smirk and when he smirks a dimple pops out in his cheek.
“Okay, well, I’ll, uhh, see you tomorrow, I guess,” I tell him and I know I’m blushing, a blush that travels down towards my chest to where his gaze is now traveling.
“Yeah, Harlow. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he tells me as I turn and walk out the back door to where my car is parked.
6
Evan
Running into Harlow has me hard as a rock. I felt her curves melt into me and I knew that it wasn’t just a once or twice chance meeting that had the sparks lighting us up. She’s meant to be mine; she just doesn’t know it yet.
I hear another employee walk into the break room and go over to the letter board, pretending to look over the bulletins when I hear one of my employees Jessica over the phone, “Harlow’s out for the night. She wants a night on the beach. I mean I don’t blame her, but sometimes I wish she’d come out with us. Yeah, you’re right. I remember her saying how she decompresses at the beach.”
The conversation continues, but I tune it out. All I’m thinking of now is how I want to be the one to help her decompress on the beach. Hell, I even want to go down to the beach tonight and bask in her presence.
With that thought in my head, I veer back towards my office. Once I get there I see all the reports I should go through. I start to hesitate to go along with my plans, but say fuck it instead. I close my laptop and put all of the reports away, grab my keys, cell phone, and wallet out of my desk drawer and walk out of my office, locking it before walking out the back door. I need to head home, change, and make my way to a certain woman I can’t get out of my thoughts.
I hop into my Tahoe, back out of my parking spot and head for home. I have a surprise up my sleeve. It only takes a few minutes for me to get to my beach house. When I opened the Ocean Breeze I knew I wanted to be on the water, if not the intracoastal then definitely the ocean. I was lucky to find the place I have here. I decided to rent it, in case shit went sideways. Luckily for me this place is nice and new and the rent may be whack, but it’s worth it to end my day here.