Page 5 of Falling for My Best Friend's Dad
After the last customer left, and the other waiters are gone, I stay behind to clean up the dining place once again. Richard pours himself a glass of wine and sits down at the table closest to the bar. It’s his routine before going home. He either reflects on the day’s operation or plans for the next day’s business. Sometimes he simply looks up news on his phone.
I love this moment of us being alone in the restaurant, and it’s the reason I always stay later than others. I glance at him furtively, like always, to admire him when he isn’t paying attention to me. To my surprise, there’s nothing in front of him on the table. He’s sipping his wine, meditating. When his eyes meet mine, he freezes for a moment before smiling.
I become self-conscious. It looks like he’s watching me. This is unusual. Richard never does that. What’s gotten into him today? I’m curious, but I’m afraid to look up again to confirm. I focus my attention on the tabletops and I wipe them down diligently. But I can’t stop my heart from its frantic beating.
I’m so nervous I don’t remember which tables I’ve cleaned, and I don’t even remember how to arrange the items in the condiment caddy. I spill some salt because my hands shake when I clean the bottle, and then I drop the Tabasco bottle onto the table.
“Shit!” I mutter as I try to catch the bottle before it rolls off the table, knocking off the stack of napkins during my clumsy attempt. They fly off to the chairs and onto the ground.
“Are you okay, Kayla?” Richard asks as he stands up.
“Yes, I am,” I say. “I’m sorry.”
He walks over to me right away, helping me to clean up the mess. “You should go home, Kayla, you look tired.”
“I’m fine, really.” I glance up at him.
He’s frowning, looking concerned. “Would you like to take a day off?”
My eyes widen. “What? Why?”
“You’ve been working seven days a week lately, Kayla. And you’ve got a day job.”
“I’m doing fine, though,” I say frantically, regretting my clumsiness. “I can handle it. But if you don’t need me every day, then I…”
“That isn’t what I mean,” he says with a cordial smile. “I love having you here. I’m planning to hire another full-time server, so you could work fewer hours here if you want. I would prefer hiring you, but your day job is obviously more important to you. ”
My mouth opens for a second before I speak, taking in his words. “Oh, thank you. But I’m fine, really!”
He shakes his head. “You’re a stubborn girl, Kayla.”
His voice is soft, and his blue eyes are piercing. And he smells good. Besides his usual manly scent, I detect the wine’s intoxicating fragrance in his breath. It draws my eyes to his lips and makes me want to lick the smudge of wine off it. My heart beats like a panicky rabbit and my legs wobble. What’s happening to me? It’s not like I haven’t been so close to him.
“I take it as a compliment,” I say in a husky voice that sounds foreign to me and look away from his lips before I do something stupid.
Richard doesn’t move. I bend down nervously to pick up the napkins on the ground, and when I straighten up, I bump into his solid body.
I jerk back in my attempt to avoid him and lose my balance.
He steadies me. “Easy!” he whispers into my ear.
His hands on my arms feel warm. I shudder. We’re so close I hear his forceful heartbeat against my back. I sense his breath tickling the nape of my neck, intoxicating and yet soothing at the same time. I stiffen for a moment until he loosens his grip on me.
When I turn to face him, I can’t bring myself to look up, but I feel the twinkles in his blue eyes from the corner of my eye.
I know if I venture a look into them I’ll melt, and I can’t afford that, not when I’m alone with him.
I can only steal glances at him, not openly indulge in his masculine charm.
“Thanks,” I whisper and rush to the kitchen where I deposit the towel. And then take off my apron, pick up my purse, and say goodbye to him.
“Safe drive!” he says before I get out of the restaurant.
I let out a deep sigh once I buckle up in my car. Jesus. What the hell happened to me? I like Richard, but I always put my emotions in check. I can’t let them out because I can’t have him!
On my way home, I can hardly concentrate on driving. Good thing the traffic is light and I don’t have to pay much attention. My mind is full of Richard. I replay over and over what he did and said to me. His piercing eyes still watch me, his soft voice whispers in my ears, and his manly scent lingers in my nostrils.
What Richard said to me earlier makes my heart race. He would let me work full-time for him if I wanted. It flatters me very much. For years, I’ve taken my job here seriously, because I feel comfortable working at my best friend’s family restaurant, and because I want to impress Richard.
