Page 13 of Here's to Tomorrow

4

Rae

Not sure if I’m unlucky or lucky Clarissa didn’t snag their table first. Lucky sounds good, because at least the likelihood of finding her out in the parking lot with one of them later is smaller, which makes me breathe easier.

I load the tray up with their drinks while Benny eyeballs me from behind the bar. He can tell something’s up, probably because my hands are shaking so badly. I can’t help it. My heart is pounding hard from just beingnearhim. I have no idea how I’m going to serve them all night.

Breathe, Rae. Just breathe.I repeat this over and over and over again until it starts working.

By the time I make it back to their table, my hands are almost steady as I pass out the drinks.

“Were you ready to order or did you need a few minutes? We have a great wing special tonight. Ten cents each for traditional and twenty cents for boneless, all you can eat.” I do my best to put some pep into my speech and clear my voice of the shakiness I’m still feeling.

This time Hudson speaks up. “Uh, I’ll take twenty boneless hot wings, please.”

Eight words. After two whole weeks of thinking about this insanely attractive man almost nonstop, eight words are all I get (because I’msonot counting his request for Dr. Pepper).

Fantasy over.

“Also, I know this might sound weird, but you look familiar. Did you happen to get your car fixed at my shop a couple weeks ago?”

Fantasy back on…kind of.

I’m not sure if he’s just playing dumb or if I’m that forgettable. If he truly doesn’t remember me, I may have to cry later because I don’t think I imagined our connection. Perhaps that’s why he was staring earlier, because he doesn’t remember me and was trying to place me.

Crap. Just play it cool.

“I did. Jacked Up, right? You’re Hudson.” I point to the guy next to him. “And you’re Tucker. Ever get past that level of Mad Maxwell?”

Tucker grins. “I did. How’s your car doing? ’01 red Toyota, was it? Miss Kamden?”

It seems I’ve been focusing on the wrong Jacked Up employee. Tucker just became a whole lot hotter with all his remembering—not that he was bad to look at in the first place with his blond hair, tattoos, and golden eyes. That’s a dangerous combination for some, but not for me. Even though he clearly remembers me, I’m all about Hudson—or at least my head is because Hudson is all I’ve been replaying these past few weeks, not Tucker.

“You’re right, and it’s just Rae.”

“Right. I knew all that,” Hudson puffs out, looking at Tucker with a murderous glare.

Huh, apparently he does remember me. Guess I wasn’t the only one trying to keep my cool.

“If you’re done reminiscing with these two douchebags and want to get to know a real man, I’d be more than happy to help.” The mystery man sticks his hand out. “I’m Tanner, Tucker’s older and sexier brother.” He waggles his eyebrows at me and I have to fight hard not to laugh.

I’m guessing by the huge grin on his face, a smile slipped through.Great.Dude probably thinks I’m interested and I’msonot. He’s more Maura’s type than mine with his buzz-cut hair and big build. I check him over quickly because I know she’s going to be asking about him. I spy a chain around his neck. Dog tags, maybe? Probably. He looks military.

“Hi,” I reply with a tight-lipped semi-smile. “Did you want to take advantage of our Monday wing special tonight?” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I regret them. The wolfish grin he’s wearing is a dead giveaway that Ishouldregret them.

“Oh, sweetheart, there’s a lot I’d like to take advantage of tonight. Cheap wings, cheap beer, and some sexy-as-sin willing waitresses. Know any?”

Called that shit.

“I’m sure there are few floating around here somewhere.”

“I’m sure there are.” He eyes me like I’m one of them. Yeah, no.Bigno.

Ignoring anything else that comes out of his mouth because I’m starting to find this dude annoying, I turn to the other guy I don’t know, the quiet one. “Were you ready to order?”

“Um, yeah, can I get twenty bold traditional wings, please?”

“Sure thing. Tucker, were you ready?”

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