Page 30 of Jesse
My jaw tightened as I watched Jesse. He’d ditched the button-down I gave him, back in his sleeveless shirt.
His tan shoulders were on full display, every move fluid, and that damn dimple still flashed every time he smiled.
I burned another order.
“What the hell is wrong with me?” I muttered, glaring at the food in front of me.
I’d been fine earlier. I had this under control. But now...
I glanced at the line again, at the growing number of impatient faces. My stomach twisted. Maybe the truck really needed two people to run smoothly.
Maybe I couldn’t do this on my own. For the first time, I considered calling Jesse back inside.
I called up the next customer, brushing sweat off my forehead with the back of my wrist. I smiled, relieved to see a familiar face. “Hey, good to see you again.”
The man grinned back. It was the same man from the other day, the one whose order I’d completely botched thanks to Jesse’s distraction.
Somehow, seeing him again eased the tension inside me. Returning customers like him reminded me I wasn’t completely screwing this up. It was a small win, but it felt good.
“Good to be back,” he said, stepping closer to the counter. “You’ve got the best brisket I’ve ever had.”
I straightened a little, pride swelling in my chest. “Glad to hear it. What can I get for you today?”
He gave me his order, a brisket and smashed potatoes with the works, and I made sure to double-check every detail with him.
“You want the spicy drizzle on top, right? And extra cilantro?” I asked.
“Yep, that’s the one,” he said, nodding.
I prepped his order with extra care, making sure every element was just right.
The brisket was perfectly caramelized, the potatoes crisped at the edges, the toppings layered like I was plating for a magazine shoot.
As I was putting the finishing touches on his order, Jesse appeared beside me.
“What are you doing in here?” I asked, irritation slipping into my voice before I could stop it. “I thought you were staying outside.”
He leaned against the counter, his grin wide and infuriatingly smug.
“I noticed you might need some help. Saw a bit of smoke earlier. Everything okay?” Jesse asked.
“It’s fine,” I snapped, bristling. “I can handle it.” I turned back to the grill, flipping the next batch of meat with a little more force than necessary. “Besides, I thought you liked being out there, chatting up the crowd.”
Jesse raised an eyebrow at me, his smile shifting into something that made my skin prickle. I didn’t know what he found so amusing.
I ignored him, focusing on the customer instead. “Sorry, what’s your name again?” I asked the man.
“Aiden,” he replied.
Before I could say more, Jesse jumped in and, with a few quick moves, got Aiden’s order ready and handed it over, flashing that damn dimpled smile.
“Well, Aiden, enjoy your brisket,” Jesse said with a hint of impatience, as if he wanted to send him on his way.
Aiden thanked him and walked off, leaving me standing there with my jaw tight.
“I’ll stay here and work the cashier,” Jesse said.
“Fine,” I muttered, turning back to the grill.
