Page 24 of Blinded By Love

I finish pouring the coffee in a small cup. I place it on a plate and then take that and a single donut on another plate.

Max is in the middle of talking to Kayden while Kayden writes in his journal as I walk up to their table and place the plates on the table.

Max pauses and smiles when he sees the donut he ordered.

“Thanks, sweetheart,” Max says before taking a bite of the donut.

“I don’t think she likes being called that,” Kayden mutters as he continues writing in his journal.

“That’s a lie, she loves it.” Max looks away from Kayden and up at me. “Don’t you, sweetheart?”

I don’t but it makes him smile so I don’t mind. “Sure.” I look at Kayden who is still writing. “What are you writing in there?”

“A story,” he says bluntly.

“About what?” I ask, making Kayden look up at me and I see that same sadness in his eyes that I saw when he was talking about his girlfriend who isn’t his girlfriend.

“A girl.”

“See he says it’s always about a girl but he never explains,” Max says with an annoyed and teasing tone. “Who’s the lucky girl who caught Kayden Black’s attention?”

“I don’t tell you anything because it’s none of your business. Maybe if you’re around long enough you can read what I’ve been writing but until then stay out of it.”

Max sighs. “So grumpy. Who pissed in your candles?”

“Cereal,” I correct.

Max shakes his head as if I’m the silly one. “Same thing.”

I laugh because how could I not?

Max is entertaining.

I leave their table and go behind the bar where Andy is on her phone. It’s super dead in the middle of the day on Thursdays. I was supposed to have class today but it got canceled so I picked up a shift because I had nothing else to do for the rest of the day. I do have homework but I can do that later.

“I can’t wait to go home,” I say as I lean against the counter next to Andy.

She has two tables while I only have one. It should get busier later on because it’s Thursday and college kids don’t have classes on Fridays.

“Same. I have to take my cat to the vet early tomorrow morning so I’m going to need as much sleep as possible tonight.

“What happened to her?”

“I don’t know. She just has been pooping blood since last night. I asked James to take her to the vet today but he works.”

James is Andy’s boyfriend. They have been together for six years and met in college. James is a lawyer while Andy is a small business owner plus waitress on the side.

“And Lisa couldn’t take her?”

“I didn’t want to ask her.”

The sound of the doorbell catches my attention and I see Hayden walk in. He has that blank dark stare on his face that screams ‘leave me alone!’. He’s wearing black jeans and a white sweater with a design in the front.

Hayden avoids my glare as he walks towards the end of the diner where Kayden and Max are sitting.

“Mmm.” I hear Andy say, making me look at her.

She has a smirk on her face and I furrow my eyebrows at her. “What?”

---