Page 53 of Journey to Love

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I say, trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh, come on! It's written all over your face. You definitely had sex last night!" she insists with a knowing chuckle.

I chuckle back, "What happened last night and this morning in the shower, is classified information."

"Wait, you continued in the shower this morning too?" she gasps, her eyes widening with amusement.

I smirk, "I plead the fifth” I say putting one hand in the air. “Let's just say it was a good night."

As we continue to drive to the restaurant, Lana turns down the radio and gives me a wide grin, a knowing look gleaming in her eyes. "Anya, this is the first time in two years, girl! It’s a big deal!"

I chuckle nervously, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks. "Lana, can we not talk about this right now? It's still kind of new and..."

She interrupts, her excitement palpable. "And it's exciting! I'm just happy to see you moving forward, you know?"

I offer a smile, "Thanks, Lana. But for now let's just focus on work, okay?"

Lana nods, but her grin doesn't falter. "Of course, but later, we're definitely having a girls' night and you're spilling all the details!"

I sigh with a mix of amusement, "Deal." With that, we head into the restaurant, ready to start the day's work.

Lunch shift goes by smooth, but slow. Not many people came in to eat, probably because they are all at the beach. This has become normal lately, everyone just wants to head to the beach instead, which is understandable but its hurting my pay and I need money to get my own place. Our manager was gracious enough to allow us extra time between the lunch shift and dinner shift.

We're sitting outside, chomping down on our food when Lana turns to me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Okay girl, spill the tea!" she says, stuffing a burrito into her mouth.

I can't help but laugh as I recount every detail of last night and this morning with Jacob. "Girl, I'm over here fanning myself, and it's not just because of the summer heat!" Lana exclaims excitedly.

I join in her laughter, quipping, "Yeah, it was definitely steamy."

As we continue bantering and joking during our break, finishing up our food and tidying up, Lana's tone shifts to one of sincerity. "But in all seriousness, I'm glad you found someone who makes you happy. You deserve to be treated right," she says warmly.

I smile, but there's a hint of doubt in my response. "Yeah, I guess," I reply, chuckling softly. Deep down, part of me knows she's right, but another part struggles to believe it. After all, I made choices that kept me in a toxic situation with Paul. I allowed it to happen, and sometimes, I can't shake the feeling that I deserve the consequences.

We're in the thick of the dinner rush, with people streaming in from the summer heat. I've been double and triple sat so many times in the past three hours that it feels like a marathon. My feet are throbbing, and sweat is dripping down my forehead as I hustle from one end of the restaurant to the other, non-stop.

Lana is just as busy, and we've barely had a moment to acknowledge each other. Then, in walks Marcus, and I freeze in the alleyway. My heart starts racing again, and Lana almost spills the drinks she's carrying on her tray when she bumps into me.

"Anya! Whoa!" she exclaims, balancing her tray precariously. She notices the look on my face and follows my gaze to the entrance. "Okay, girl, it's okay," she says, trying to calm my nerves. "Let me drop off these drinks, and I'll be right back," she adds before hurrying off.

I'm left standing there, staring at the entrance, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over me.

I snap out of my trance when Lana pulls me into the kitchen. “Do you want me to take the table?” she asks, her voice laced with concern. I close my eyes, trying to calm my rapid heartbeat. Why is he here? Is he looking for me? Did Paul send him?

“Anya?!” Lana's voice jolts me back to reality as she waves a hand in front of my face.

“Huh? What?” I ask, shaken from my thoughts.

“Do you want me to take the table?” she repeats, her tone more urgent now.

“Wait, what do you mean?” I respond, panic creeping into my voice. “Is he sitting in my section?” I ask, my tone now tinged with fear.

Lana lets out a sigh and nods, “Yes, so I’ll ask again, do you want me to take the table?”

I glance over at her section, which is already packed. If I let her take the table, she'll be running back and forth, and I can't ask her to do that.

Shaking my head, I reply, “No, just have the host tell them that I’ll be a minute,” my voice trembling.

“Are you sure?” she asks with a concerned look.

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