Page 79 of The First Time

“Freckles,” he whispers softly.

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

My chest fills with a mix of emotions. The words hang in the air as I process the weight of his declaration. In this moment, everything has changed. I feel it deep down in my heart that this is the start of something amazing.

My heart is frantically beating as I catch my breath enough to say, “I love you, too.”

He kisses my lips gently, then rests his head on my shoulder, wrapping his arms around me tightly. We watch the sunset in silence, but I know nothing will ever be the same.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Layla

“Are you kidding me?” Zane gasps in my office. “He told you he loves you? Girl, you must be dynamite in bed. It’s only been like three weeks.”

It’s only been two days since he told me, but I still feel different. Knowing he feels that way has brought me an odd sense of calm.

“I’d like to think it was more than my bedroom skills that led him to say that,” I tell him as I head towards the door. “Has the lunch rush started yet?”

We walk down the hallway towards the kitchen, where I see my team diligently working.

“We’re about seventy-five percent full already. I think in the next half-hour, we will be maxed out.”

It’s still surreal that my restaurant is such a hot spot for lunch and dinner. I’ve worked my butt off to make sure the menu was trendy, and yet it still feels like you are getting something familiar.

“That’s great. I’m just going to do a walk-through in the dining area to make sure everything is running smoothly out there.”

I head over to the front of the restaurant to see how the hostesses are doing. Mindy and Becca are the two on the schedule today.

“Hi, girls,” I say to them as I join them behind the stand. “How’s everything going up here? Are we at a wait time yet?”

Mindy smiles at me. “Hi, Layla. We’re getting close. I think we’ll hit a fifteen-minute wait time soon.”

“That’s great. Do you need anything while you’re up here? Something to drink? I can cover if one of you needs to go to the bathroom,” I offer.

These girls are generally stuck up here during high-traffic times, so I try to make sure they are comfortable.

“No, I think we’re good,” Becca says. “Thanks for the offer.”

I turn around to make sure the menus are stocked adequately. As I shuffle through them, trying to make them straight, I hear the girls whispering to each other.

“Oh my god, Becca. It’s him. He’s back. Ugh, he’s so hot,” Mindy whispers.

“Look at him in that black shirt,” Becca responds. “You should ask him out.”

I turn around to see who these two are talking about like that on the job. Clearly, it’s a regular.

“Hey, sis,” Asher stands there with a smile on his face.

He’s in his white shirt with Josh next to him—my Josh, in a black shirt. My two hostesses were standing there crushing onmyman. Becca even encouraged Mindy to ask him out.

I look at Mindy. Her long blonde hair, petite figure, and blue eyes. She’s only twenty-three, but I doubt that would stop any man Josh’s age from being with her.

What is Josh doing with someone like me when he can have his choice of any woman, like Mindy?

“Hi, Ash,” I smile at him. “Josh.”

---