Page 96 of Absolute Certainty
Except, a barely there smile rose across his lips as he saw her, and he gestured her over to where he stood.
“Hey, you two,” he started. “It’s been a shit show today. I’ll have your orders in a sec, don’t bother going to the register.”
Christian tried to argue.
“Bud, I’m serious. The registers are acting up, and the baristas are all irritated. It’d be much easier if I just put it on my tab.”
“When are you off?” Sahar asked.
Jay poured her drink into the to-go cup. “In an hour, but I don’t even know if I could leave if we’re still in this mess, so we’ll see.”
Christian gave him a sympathetic glance. “Shit, sorry, man.”
While letting the tea bag seep in, Jay signaled with his finger for them to wait a second. He quickly strode to the back somewhere and returned with a brown paper bag. He handed it to her—the Rice Krispies,she assumed.
“You’re the best,” Sahar added, a huge smile on her face.
It prompted his mouth to twitch upward.
He then placed Christian’s cup into another for an extra layer of heat protection before giving it to him. How the man could drink hot tea when the world was on fire was the real mystery here.
Sahar took her drink next. “Thanks a million. Godspeed.”
Jay nodded sincerely and walked over to another barista.
Okay, universe, when I said I was nervous to see him, I didn’t mean for you to meddle and make sure he has such a hectic day that he’s barely a functioning human.
“I don’t know how anyone has the patience to work in customer service,” Christian said as they were out the door.
Sahar shook her head, knowingly. “Jesus, right? It takes a special kind of human. I feel like I’d throw drinks across the wall and then run out crying.”
Come to think of it, Jay’s position at the coffee shop should’ve served as proof to Sahar that the man’s patience was far more enduring than even her own.If he could manage this level of chaos every day, couldn’t he deal with her?But he hated his job. She’d never want him to hateher. She also didn’t want to be someone who was synonymous with chaos.
Her mind dove straight into a spiral again.
Not watching where she was going, she almost tripped over a small pothole, the heel of her white Veja trainers stopping the fall. Her ankle stung emphatically when she twisted her foot to step out.
What the hell was happening today?
“You good over there?” Christian asked.
“Bloody fucking pothole,” she cursed.
He moved closer, holding the back of her elbow to help steady her.
One step, then another—oh, hell, the pain grew far more pronounced. Christian let her go when she straightened herself.
Okay, okay, you’re fine. You just need to sit for a bit.This had to happen on the day when Jenny, their physical therapist, was out?
They walked the remaining short steps to the theatre, signed in, and went into their respective dressing rooms.
Willa was already in her seat, applying eye shadow. “Hi!”
Sahar smiled and slowly sat down on her chair. “Hi, babe.”
“You alright?” Willa asked.
Sahar nodded. “My ankle is being a little bitch, but nothing out of the ordinary.”
