“Christian, I’m not–”
“So”—he quickly cut her off—“do I get a discount for being their best girl's best friend?”
Sam took a breath. She knew that smile plastered on his face was just afaçade, and that deep down he was seething. Christian didn’t get angry often, but, when he did, it was a sight to behold. She, of course, had never been on the receiving end of that short temper, but she had witnessed enough school fights to know the struggle that bristled under the surface.
She decided to just go with it today. She had seen Callum’s truck in the parking lot, which meant he was somewhere mulling around the restaurant, and there was not enough energy in the world to deal with both Callum and Christian at the same time.
She put on a smile almost as fake as Christian’s and said, “I wish! Mr. Brimley is such a stickler, though. He barely even allowsusto get a discount.”
“No worries. A fancy high-priced meal is worth it if it comes with seeing your pretty face.” He bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead.
Sam rolled her eyes. “You are such a heartbreaker. Is that the line you use on all the girls?”
“Only the endgame one.”
Her heart nearly stopped. She wasn’t quite sure how she was able to hold herself together at that moment, but she gave the customary swat of his arm and walked off, promising to be back as soon as she clocked in. The amount of emotions she had just gone through all but caused a wave of nausea to burst forth.
“You win the lottery last night or something?” Callum said as he leaned against the bar beside her.
She jumped at the noise. “What?”
“You have the biggest shit-eating grin going on here.” He pointed to her lips.
“I’m not talking to you.” She quickly turned back to the kiosk and refused to look in his direction.
He laughed. “You just did.”
“Fuck you.” She braced her hands on the table beside her as she desperately tried to rein in the punch she wanted to throw at him.
“That’s not very appropriate work language.” He threw a cherry into the air and caught it in his mouth.
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I don’t give a fuck anymore.” She knew he could fire her right there on the spot. She almost welcomed it. At least now she would have another job lined up by the weekend.
“Have a fun shift…not giving a fuck,” he added, tossing up another cherry and leaning his head back in preparation for the catch.
It was pure dumb luck the bar had been built a few feet lower than the floor of the kiosk she currently stood on. She had never understood why it had been designed that way. Now, she decided it was just for this very moment. She reached out just before the cherry reached his lips and clasped it in her hand. Then she squeezed it, letting the sticky juice fall onto his stupid, annoyingly beautiful face.
He sputtered as he quickly wiped off the sticky residue.
“Back at you.”
She gave him a smirk and promptly walked away.
The rest of her day shift went by pretty fast. Christian being there had definitely made it easier than it would have been otherwise. She didn’t see Callum again, and when she was ready to clock out, Mr. Brimley was there waiting for her.
“Don’t forget we have the employee luncheon slash dinner thing tomorrow to raise money for our charity. I don’t want to lose again this year. Not with higher management here.” She internally groaned, knowing who he meant. “Since you’re working day shift, I expect you to be there sometime tomorrow night to show support.” She nodded and then headed out.
They had these events every year. Local restaurants competed for different charities by attendance, and planned lame activities and contests for attendees. Most of Topline's wait staff were in their fifties and sixties, so they probably wouldn’t win any of the competition type stuff. Nonetheless, employees were required to at least show their faces to add participation points to the board. She had been working at a different restaurant this time last year, and had been able to get out of going.
Somehow, she knew she wouldn’t be so lucky this time.
Chapter 12 - Sam
The next day was the same as always. Sam hadn’t seen Callum around the restaurant, and assumed he was spending the day at the charity events.
Mostly, his absence felt like a weight off her shoulders. She didn’t want to see him. But then there was that small, annoying part of her that felt a pang of remorse that he wasn’t there.
About midday, when she still hadn't seen him and had the sudden revelation that this meant he was definitely at the event and she would absolutely see him that night, she had to sit down. A quick rush of excitement ran through her and nothing she did caused it to lessen.