Cole: I’ve never taken you out on a date. I want to. Tomorrow, be ready at five.
I can’t hide my grin. I’m suddenly feeling very excited about my day off. I dig into my rare steak, licking my lips as I enjoy every bite. Yummy.
“Whatcha gonna wear?” Jake asks over my shoulder, reading my messages as I eat.
“Jake!” I scowl, but it doesn’t work when I laugh after. I can’t help it. I feel so happy. He snatches my phone and runs to the other side of the bar and starts madly typing.
“What are you doing?” I run after him, dropping my fork, but he’s too quick.
He grins as his fingers tap away. Almost immediately there’s a ring signaling a message has come in. Jake makes a huff and hands it back.
I glance down and laugh.
Savi: Panties are optional, right? I won’t if you don’t.
Cole: Hi, Jake.
“He knows I wouldn’t wear any,” I say over my shoulder, heading for the kitchen to return my plate.
Savi: Will I see you tonight?
One step through the door, and it hits me like a brick wall. I turn and heave my yummy steak right into the trash can.
“You’re still not better?” Zack asks, popping his head out from behind a fryer. His normally crisp white chef’s apron is all dirty because one of the cooks called in sick. He’s busy—I can see it on his face—and he’s stressed. Zack’s is a very busy restaurant. “Savannah, you’ve been vomiting for four days now. You sure it’s just the flu?”
I wipe my mouth with a spare napkin. I feel a little dizzy but stand and give him a smile. “I had the flu, but I’m over it now. I’m actually feeling a lot better, but I ate sushi from the supermarket, and it didn’t go over so well.” I sure wasn’t going to admit it was a steak from Zack’s. His face twists, thinking about that damn sushi. I knew he’d gotten sick off it once before too. “Once it’s out of my system I’ll be fine,” I assure him.
“Go home, honey, and don’t come back until you’re better.” I start to argue, but he holds up a hand. “You’re only going to run yourself down, make yourself worse. One of the deals I made with Cole was to look out for you, and if he knew you were sick and still working…”
“Okay.” I hold my stomach, just wanting to get away from the smell. “I’ll go.”
I let Jake know I’m leaving. “I didn’t know you were still sick.” I shrug on my coat and pull on my pink knitted hat Abigail made me and lean into the counter, feeling worn out.
“I think I ate sushi too soon,” I lie, not wanting to tell anyone I’m still sick with this on-again, off-again flu.
Jake makes a gagging sound as he hands me my tips. “Let me know if you want me to bring you home anything.”
I step up and give him a hug. “Thanks.”
Heading into the night, the breeze feels good across my sweaty face. The nausea is passing, but I’m left completely drained. My stomach has been on a roller coaster of binge eating. My feet are moving, but my mind is dreaming about my pillow. My pocket vibrates and brings me out of my dreamy daze. I remove my mitten and yank it out.
“Hello?” I say without even looking at the number.
“Hey, baby, I was just going to leave you a message.” Cole’s voice washes over me, warming me momentarily. I stop to look into a toy store that has a red and pink display in the window.
“Hey, where are you tonight?”
I hear him shift in his chair. “I’m just wrapping a few things up. Been a long day.” He pauses. “I’m hard.”
I stop mid-step with a grin that makes all the tired feeling leave in a puff. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.” His voice is deep and dripping with need. “I’m thinking about that little scrap of material you call a work shirt. The way your smooth skin looks against the color. The way your breasts pop out the top, begging for my tongue to run along them. I hate that shirt.”
“No, you don’t.” I laugh a little as I run my finger along the window, tracing around a train that a tiny teddy bear is sitting on.
“Mmm,” he chuckles, “I wish you were here. I hate that whenever my office door opens, I have a moment of hope it might be you, but it isn’t.” My hand drops as I lean against the cold brick wall and wish he was here too.
“Sometimes…” I whisper, wanting to tell him I think it was a mistake to leave the house, that as much as I need to find myself, sometimes I wish I was back inside the comfort of its walls. I miss everything right down to the way it smells. A horn honks at a car waiting at a green light.