CHAPTER26
Despite it being a late night,I have to get up early the next day. It's Saturday, so there are no classes, but today's the big day.
Today, I start at Oaken Diner. I’m nervous, but I’m also excited. I do need protection, and I don’t want to have to rely on Rob and his gun. I don’t want him dragged into this more than he already is.
Then again, is it fair to dump my shit on the rest of the Grim Reapers? Not really, but I don’t want to have to be in this position myself.
I head inside. Robyn is letting me borrow her car for the day, but I'm not sure how long that'll last, and I don't want to have to keep asking her for rides. I know I'll be getting the bike soon, but I also need to learn how to ride a motorcycle before I can make use of it.
The hostess looks clueless when I tell her it’s my first day, but then Cherise comes over.
"Greg has a family emergency, so he can't be here, but I can help you. Don't worry."
"Great. Thanks. I appreciate it. I don't think it'll be too hard. I used to work as a waitress at a restaurant for two summers."
“Perfect. If you work at one restaurant, you can work at any. It’s just a matter of learning where everything is, basically, and—”
“Making friends with the chef,” I say.
She grins. “I was just about to say that! Rosie can be grumpy, but Jackson is a real gem. If he loves you, he loves you, and he’ll be sure to make an extra dessert for you.”
“I love the sound of that. My hips don’t, but I do.”
“Let me give you a tour of the place.”
The tour is straightforward enough, as are the rest of her instructions. She brings me to the back again.
“We have about ten minutes or so before we’ll open. We have a lot of regulars who come in on the weekends, and I can help you with getting the hang of helping them and making them happy, but first, I was hoping to talk to you a bit.”
“We really don’t—”
“No. You should know this. I would want to if I were you. All Rob did was vent about you. He came back at ten, and he sat at the counter, and he just ranted. We didn’t actually do anything. I mean, eventually, he asked if I wanted to get out of there, and he brought me to a… place… And we kissed a few times, but he eventually drew away. That was that. Nothing else. No nothing. No sex. Not even groping. Just some kisses.”
“That was it?” I gape at her. Suddenly, Rob’s purple faces made sense.
“I’ve seen Rob come to the diner a lot with new girls all the time. I hadn’t realized that you and him were more serious, so I… It’s terrible, I know, but I didn’t really think much at all about him asking me out. I’ve been hoping he would ask me out for the longest time… I realized how stupid I was as soon as I walked away after telling him yes. I was really beating myself up over it, and I hoped he wouldn’t show up. I wanted to see if I could find a way to tell you that I was sorry when you came running back in, but the look on your face… Are you all right? Did something happen?”
I blink back tears.
“Oh, Katie! I’m sorry! I didn’t want to make you upset! I just thought you should know. I mean, you’ve been so awesome, but you should know that I think Rob will come around. He’ll realize that you two had something good going. I don’t think he’ll be able to be with a different girl, not after you. He’s desperate for you.”
“I have no idea what’s going to happen between Rob and me, but I do know that you and I are going to be friends.”
Cherise smiles and shakes her head. “I hope you feel that way after your first shift. You’re going to have to put a few of the older gentlemen in their places. They tend to do this with all of the new waitresses to see if they can get away with it.”
“Pinching butts?”
“Yep.”
“Yeah, not happening. I don’t mind a bit of teasing and whatnot to try for better tips, but hands off.”
“Exactly. The worst offenders I’ll have Holly assign to my area, but there are too many of them for me to handle them all. If I could…”
“No worries.” I grin. “I’m ready.”
“You are. I know you are. Just… thank you for giving me a chance.”
“After your helping me… how could I not?”