Page 66 of One Timer With A Wingman

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, I can put you on the backup list,” he offers.

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

My shift starts so I get to work. After a day of classes I am exhausted, but I have to do what I have to do.

It’s already 11:00 p.m. when Aaron walks through the door with the guys. They had a game out of town tonight, but it was only half an hour away.

“Hey, guys,” I greet since they sat in my section. “How did the game go?”

“We won,” Aaron says. The guys all cheer. They order lots of food. I enter their orders and walk around my section to check my tables.

I’m headed back to the kitchen to pick up some orders when I feel someone behind me. “Which ones are yours?” Aaron asks.

“Huh?”

“The orders,” he says.

“Why?”

“Because I want to help you. It’s late and you look tired.”

“Aaron, I’m fine. This is my job.”

He starts picking up plates. “Tell me which table these go to so I don’t screw up orders.”

He doesn’t leave me much choice, so I tell him. He takes the plates over to a table of girls, who all swoon when he delivers their meals. When I head back to the kitchen, Aaron follows me.

“You can’t do that again,” I warn. “I’ll get in trouble.” Just as I say it, Jace walks up to me and my stomach sinks.

“Aaron, bro, you can’t be helping her with her job,” he says.

“Sorry,” Aaron replies, and he backs away.

An hour later the guys are still here, and my tables have everything they need, so I take a five-minute break and sit with Taylor and Ivy at a table.

Aaron suddenly stands on a seat and has a fork and glass in his hand. What the hell is he doing now? He clinks the fork on the glass like he has an announcement. Being Aaron, he grabs everyone’s attention.

“Hey, everyone,” he begins. He gets a lot of hellos in return. “I have an announcement. See that beautiful lady over there?” He points at me. Oh shit. Please tell me he isn’t going to. . . “She’s having my baby.”

A round of shocked noises vibrates through the restaurant, followed by some guys shouting congratulations.

I hide my face in my palms as if not seeing everyone will make them disappear.

“Holy shit, Briar. You’re pregnant?” Taylor asks.

“Wow,” Ivy chimes.

“Punta Cana, huh?” Taylor says.

“I came home with a present,” I say, cheerfully holding my stomach. In reality, I want to go run and hide under a rock.

“Thank you, thank you,” Aaron says and then he is sitting back down. The guys at the table are laughing and joking around, but me, I’ve been outed. Everyone’s attention is on me.

Aaron walks over to me before heading out. “Is everything okay? I feel like you’re hiding.”

“That’s because I am. Everyone’s attention is on me. I thought when we agreed to tell people it would be a slow process, not a huge announcement.”

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