Page 27 of Let Leaves Lay Where They Fall

“No fun!” Molly reaches out and swats his knee with the back of her hand. “You’re too good to be denying some man your brilliant self.”

“Tell that to the men!”

They both laugh. Jamie loves how she gassed him up. It almost makes him feel worthy.

The door swings open and Petra pops her head out. “You two slackers coming back? We’ve got a full house. The second dinner wave has arrived.”

With hesitant grumbles Jamie and Molly drag themselves back inside. Following Petra to the dining room.

“Just a few more hours.” She sighs.

The trio break off in different directions. Collecting stacks of menus along the way.

Jamie weaves around tables filled with conversations, laughter, silverware scraping against custom stoneware plates and glasses clinking cheers.

“Hi guys.” He plasters a bright smile from cheek to cheek, making eye contact with each of the four ladies sitting around table 9. Passing around menus. “Can I get you any drinks? Waters? Coffees?”

They’re already giggly and probably a few bottles of wine into their evening.

“Girls!” The boisterous leader of the group swats a jet-black bundle of ironed waves back over her heavily spray tanned shoulder. “The bartender makes the most incredible cosmos here.” She nods in Sebastian’s direction, plump wet glossy lips curl at the edges. Her gaze lingers longer enough to confess she’s part of his special fan base.

“Four cosmos?” Jamie must reel her back from Sebastian land.

“Yes.” She nods at her friends, deciding for them. “And a charcuterie board.”

Jamie notes their order on his pad. “I’ll be right back ladies.”

He looks over to table 4, the next target. A familiar face is smiling and chatting with his date. Mark Knowles loves to bring new prospects in. There’s at least one every month. It’s hard to believe he’s not made his way through every man in the small city by now.

Jamie side steps past a six top. Apologizing for brushing against a large man whose seat was pushed too far out. They hadn’t even noticed.

“Hey gentlemen.” He smiles at Mark. Interrupting their conversation.

“Hi Jamie.” He lights up. Standing from his seat to wrap an arm around Jamie’s shoulder.

They’re not really friends, but acquaintances. They did go on a date years ago. When both were just young men, fresh to the city from their small upstate hometowns.

“This is Nathan.”

Jamie looks over to the dark curly haired man with smooth butterscotch skin. Familiar hazel eyes are wide and lock with his. He’s freshly groomed since their last encounter. “Hi.” Words catch in his throat. He swallows. “Nathan?” Sure that his smile was not hiding the confusion and disdain he was feeling. Blood rushing through his veins. He could feel the anxiety beast rising in his twisting belly. No wonder he couldn’t find Dave. The liar.

“Hi Jamie.”

Nathan’s smile feels antagonizing. Asshole.

“You boys know each other?” Mark lowers back into his seat. A nervous tic twitches the muscle under his left brow.

“We met the other day.” Nathan turns his attention to his date.

Jamie doesn’t respond. “Can I get you guys some drinks? A starter?” He looks back to Mark. We met the other day? When our dicks were in each other's mouths. It was so hot, wasn’t it—Nathan?

“What would you like Nathan?” Mark’s warm eyes glitter under the dining room lights. Edison style, hanging from long black cords at the center of each table.

The wall behind him could use a wipe down. Jamie focuses on a spec of sauce that’s probably been there for who knows how long. He avoids looking back at the date.

“Just a coke with lime for me.” Nathan answers.

Jamie can feel those hazel eyes on him but won’t give him the courtesy of meeting them again.

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