“I’ll just get their drinks then,” Jake insists. I nod, excusing myself to the bathroom, away from Jesse’s probing stare. Once inside, I push the lock in and lean against the door. I catch my reflection, fighting the urge to fluff my hair on his account. My face is free of makeup, save for the red tint of cherry lip balm coating my lips. I tug at my white cotton uniform shirt that hugs my body tighter than I’m used to. I roll my eyes at myself, straighten my shoulders, and head back out into the lion’s den.
“What are you doing home on a week night?” I hear Jake ask. I pause in the hallway, not yet visible, waiting to hear his answer.
“He’s back for good,” Sullivan supplies, and their drunken group cheers excitedly.
What? The thought of him being here permanently sends a jolt of something through me. I don’t know if it’s dread or anticipation. I peek around the corner and Jesse has that fake smirk plastered to his face again.
“That’s why we’re celebrating,” the girl next to him informs Jake, rubbing at Jesse’s shoulder.
“Welcome home, man,” Jake says, giving him the man clap slash handshake thing, but Jesse’s eyes betray him. He’s not happy. Why am I the only one seeing this? Or maybe he’s just drunk. That’s probably it.
I hang back until I hear the sound of plates clanking together and sliding across the expo window that tells me their order is ready. Grabbing a tray, I load it up and head over to Jesse’s table.Once everyone has their food, I look back to Jesse.
“You sure you don’t want anything?” My voice is unintentionally softer than it was just a minute ago, and his eyebrows pull together, assessing. “The kitchen is about to close,” I add, forcing indifference into my tone.
As if he senses that I can see through his little charade, he curls a hand around the back of my thigh, his fingers burning a hole through my thin black leggings. “I’m not hungry for food.”
I scowl, slapping his hand away. “Asshole.”
“I asked for lemon with my water,” the girl next to him snaps, seemingly upset that Jesse’s attentions have shifted from her to me.
I huff out a sardonic laugh. I pause, looking at her, but my words are for Jesse. “I’m not interested.”
I spin around before either one of them can respond and Jake’s already armed with a side plate with a couple of lemon slices, heading in their direction.
“Does the offer to leave early still stand?”
“Get out of here. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
* * *
“DID HE SAY ANYTHING ELSE?” Halston asks, wrapping my hair around the thick barrel of a curling iron.
“He just asked how you were,” I tell her for the third time.
“And you just said ‘fine’?”
“What was I supposed to say?” I shrug as she lets a hot curl fall onto my shoulder before scooping up another piece.
“I don’t know,” she admits. “But something better than that.”
“What’s up with you guys?”
She frowns, looking perplexed. “I think I like him.”
I arch a brow. Halston loves boys, but she doesn’t usually like any of them for more than a couple of seconds. “So, what’s the problem?”
“He’s texted me a few times wanting to get together.”
“And?” I hedge.
“He wanted to do daytime things. He invited me to lunch. What the hell am I supposed to do with that?”
I laugh, rolling my eyes. “I don’t know, maybe date him?”
“Boys like him don’t date. At least not exclusively.”
“So, we’re going to this party because?” She runs her fingers through my hair, breaking up the loose waves and shaking them out.