Intent on his phone, Dawson hadn’t noticed. But he was walking directly toward the spill. If he put his foot in the puddle of juice, his foot would go out from under him and he’d fall on his ass.
Nico hurried toward him to warn him, but before he got to Dawson, he hit the apple juice. Arms windmilling, he began to fall backward.
Nico lunged and caught the back of his shirt, keeping him from hitting the ground. As he lifted Dawson to his feet, Nico saw a wide purple birthmark across the small of his back.
As soon as he was steady on his feet, Dawson yanked his shirt from Nico’s hand. Tucked it into his jeans. As he turned around to face Nico, his face was red. Anger that Nico had pulled his shirt out, exposing his birthmark? Embarrassment because he’d almost fallen? Irritation with the toddler who’d spilled his juice?
“Thank you,” he managed to say to Nico. “I didn’t see the spill. It should have been cleaned up immediately.”
The parents of the child looked mortified. “Sorry,” the father said stiffly.
“The juice was spilled moments before you stepped in it,” Nico said, trying to keep his voice neutral. Non-judgmental. “That’s why I hurried over. I wasn’t in time to stop you from stepping in it, but at least you didn’t fall down.”
“No. I appreciate it,” he said. Dawson smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t… I don’t like to be touched.”
“Sorry,” Nico said, wondering about his unusual reaction to being saved from a fall.
Giving Nico a sharp nod, Dawson looked around the restaurant. “Why don’t I pay my bill before I use the restroom. Then I can just leave.”
“I’ll get your server for you.”
As Dawson headed back to his table to wait for Riley and his check, Nico pulled a chair from a table and blocked the row so no one else would step in the juice. “I apologize for our customer,” he said to the parents in a low voice. “It’s no one’s fault that your son spilled his drink.” He smiled at them. “That guy must not have any kids of his own.”
“God, I hope not,” said the woman. “Pity the poor kids who had an asshole like that as a father.”
“Hey, Jill,” her husband said, putting his hand over hers. “He probably had a hard day.” He glanced at his son. “And we probably kept Ryder out too late.”
“Let me get that spill cleaned up,” Nico said, moving away from the table.
“We’ve already paid our bill, so we’ll be out of your way in a minute,” the father said.
“No rush,” Nico said easily.
As he bent to mop up the juice, Nico watched Dawson open his pocket knife and use it to flip open the folder. Withdraw cash from his wallet and set it on top of the bill. Then he used the knife to close the folder, folded it and slid it into his pocket.
Riley took it from him with a smile. When she turned around, she gave Nico a ‘WTF’ look, then hurried to the terminal to log in the cash. As he mopped and dried the floor, Nico’s gaze lingered on Dawson. Who used a knife to open up the black plastic folder holding his bill?
Ryder’s father hoisted his son out of the high chair. Both parents hurried out of the restaurant without looking at Dawson.
“Would you like more iced tea?” Nico asked Dawson.
“No thanks. I’ve had enough for tonight.”
“Very good, sir.”
As Riley returned with the folder, Dawson waved her away. “Keep it,” he said. He pushed away from the table and headed to the restroom.
Nico returned to the kitchen with a tray full of dishes he’d cleared from Ryder’s parent’s table. Still angry on their behalf, he wanted to tell Julia about the incident. But she was deep in a conversation with Delia, so he merely delivered the dishes to the dishwasher and hurried back into the dining room.
Dawson’s table was empty, his jacket gone, so Nico assumed the jerk had left the restaurant. He cleared the table, being careful to touch his iced tea glass only along the bottom edge. He carried the dishes into the kitchen, but took the glass into Julia’s office. Julia was still talking to Delia, so Nico returned to the dining room to help finish the bussing then start the set-up for the next day.
Riley was at Dawson’s table, clearing it off. “Did that jerk leave you a decent tip after harassing you?”
“Standard twenty percent,” Riley said, rolling her eyes. “From the ones with dirty minds, I expect at least twenty-five percent.”
Nico laughed. “Cheap bastard.”
“You got that right.”