Page 47 of Betrayal & New Beginnings

“You’re all pains in my ass, you know that?”Wadegrumbled.

All four women chuckled at his grumpiness, and it made me smile.

Wade turned to me and spoke softer as he put his right hand around the back of my neck and shoulder. “I’mheaded out.I’llbe back at the end of your shift to come get you and head back to the apartment.”

He leaned in to kiss me on my temple, his hand slowly moving down my back and slightly squeezed my hip, and then he turned and walked away.

He’d kissed me.Inpublic!Iknew it wasn’t on the lips, but it was definitely something you wouldn’t do to just any coworker, and there were people around.Infact, whenIlooked up,Bethwas staring at me with a look on her face that clearly said, “Sureyou two arejustfriends.”

I didn’t realizeIwas standing there frozen for a few seconds untilWade’smom spoke.

“Aww, that was so cute,” she said, smiling at me.

“Who knew the big brute had a soft side,”Whitneysaid, chuckling.

“You two are cute together,” his grandma said. “Youwill make such beautiful great-grandbabies for me.”

The rest of the table all laughed while my face continued to turn even redder and my eyes widened.Notknowing what to say to that comment,Itried to go back to waitress mode.

“CanIget you guys anything else?”Iasked.

“Just the check, my dear,”Wade’smom said with a huge smile on her face still.

They left about fifteen minutes later, and yes, they gave me a huge tip.Tryingnot to think too much about what just happened,Imoved over to my other three tables to check on everyone and ask about refills.AsIwalked over to the bar to put in an order for another table,Tammywas waiting for me and staring at me asIwalked toward her with a big smile on her face.

“I see you decided to go with the ‘have more fun’ option.”Sheshot me a knowing look asItyped in my drink order and sighed.

“I don’t know what is happening exactly,”Itold her.

“Ask him,”Tammysaid, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

“It’s not that simple,”Itried to explain to her.

“Honey, men are simple creatures.Mostof the time you don’t have to ask a guy what they’re thinking because it’s usually only about their job, sports, food, and sex, or some combination of those four,” she said as she turned to make my drink order. “Butif you need clarification, just ask.Especiallywith a guy likeWade, who is gonna give it to you straight.”

I didn’t have anything else to say becauseIdidn’t know how to respond to that, soIjust stood there.

“Alright, here you go,” she said, handing me my drinks. “Justtalk to him, sweetheart.Thisdoesn’t have to be any more complicated than you want it to be.”

I nodded, knowing she was right, but still nervous.Therest of the night was uneventful and seemed to go by very quickly.

I was cleaning up one of my last tables whenIsawWadecome in the front door.Hesaw me and started to walk over to me.Hismood was definitely better than when he was here earlier talking with his family.

“Hey babe,I’llbe in the back office working on the schedule.Justcome get me when you’re done,” he said, winking at me and then walking back to the office.

Beth walked up next to me and had a weird grin on her face.

“Babe?” she said beside me, almost shocked. “Yeah, you’rejustfriends.”Shesnorted then walked back over to her tables.

Why had he called me that in public?Iknew we’d been staying together, but that was because ofRandall.Wasit because of the sex?MaybeTammywas right and we needed to have a talk.Ididn’t need anything else complicated in my life right now, especially a man.Agood-looking man too.

I cleaned the rest of my tables, closed out at the bar, and said goodbye to everyone asIwalked back to the office.Thedoor was open, soIstepped into the doorway.Wadewas sitting there at his desk writing things down on a piece of paper.Whenhe didn’t look up,Itook the opportunity to study him.Hereally was incredibly handsome.Hehad on a fittedArmygreenT-shirt that showed off his upper arm muscles and some of his tattoos.Hishair looked a little damp, like he’d showered right before he came here but hadn’t dried it all the way.Themuscles in his forearm flexed as he wrote things down, andIstarted to feel myself flush thinking of how good those arms had felt wrapped around me.

“You keep staring at me like that, andI’mgonna take you right there on that couch.Wewon’t make it upstairs.”Wade’scomment startled me out of my thoughts.

His words flowed right through me, making my skin heat up from the inside out.

“Ellie,” he all but growled at me. “Grabyour bag.Let’sgo.”

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