Page 43 of Promise Me Nothing
“That sounds awesome. Do you want to start it tomorrow? I was thinking about going to the pier to apply at a few different places for a summer job, but other than that I won’t have anything else going on.”
“I have plans in the evening with some friends.”
I nod, trying to hide my disappointment. The last thing I want to do is become some sort of burden for Lucas. But at the same time, he seems like a guy who might not have as much space in his life for new people as I’d assumed. And my entire reason for coming here was to spend time with him.
“Okay. Well, we can find another night then. Thanks again for inviting me. It was fun spending time with you.”
Lucas raps twice on the doorframe with his knuckles. “Night, Hannah.”
“Night.”
I shift my position back to get comfortable and open my book back up. Sienna was really into fantasy novels, and gave me the first in an apocalyptic series to read. Hopefully I’ll be able to borrow Lucas’ library card or something to get the next ones, because this baby isreallygood.
But even though I want to spend time enveloped in this story, I realize that the entire chapter I read before Lucas showed up at my door is basically white noise. I retained nothing.
All I’d been able to think about was what happened at the yacht club.
The confusion still sits unsettled on my chest. How did we get from the playful banter about asking me out for drinks, to the relaxed conversation about San Francisco, to Wyatt storming out the door, not looking back?
I feel like I’m missing something.
Something important.
Something you’d only be able to understand if you live here. If youbelonghere. Which I don’t.
I sigh, deciding to give up on reading for the night. Reaching over, I set it on the night stand and flick off the lights, hoping that tomorrow is a more fruitful day.
I don’t know exactly how I got here.
Okay, that’s not entirely true. I can remember the bunny trail of events that led to me sitting here now, at Harbor’s, surrounded by people I don’t know, and wishing I was somewhere else.
But the truth is, I don’t understand why I’m here.
“If you want a job for the summer, you start right now.”
That’s what Lucas’ friend Hamish told me when I showed up at Bennie’s at the Pier this morning to ask about waitressing.
I’m pretty sure my eyes about fell out of my head, but I’m smart enough not to look a gift horse in the mouth. I’d grabbed the apron from the counter and wrapped it around my waist.
“Just gimme a shirt and I’m ready.”
Hamish had smiled at me. “I’m gonna like you. I can already tell.”
And that’s how I’d found myself waitressing at Bennie’s, learning the menu and POS system on the fly, trying to keep track of which tables were what numbers, and keeping myself from being barreled over as I carried a huge plate of food up the stairs to the rooftop deck.
The place was packed for my entire shift, which wasn’t surprising, considering it was a Sunday afternoon, the restaurant sits right on the pier in a beach town, and the menu contains a range of food, along with craft beer and a full bar.
The clientele at Bennie’s is eclectic, ranging from couples dressed nicely on a date, to families with whiney kids with sand in their hair, all the way to a handful of surfers who embody beach culture to the extreme.
The one consistent? The food looks damn delicious.
When I’d been a customer on Friday evening with Lucas, I ordered a burger, just asking for what looked like a cheaper item on the menu. But getting familiar with the dishes served made my mouth start to water.
My day today was incredibly long, and my feet were aching. But as my very first shift came to an end, I’d been invited by a group of servers to go out for a drink.
Which is where I am now.
Harbor’s is a bar near the yacht club. Close enough for us to walk from work but far enough away that I quickly regretted my decision to join in when I realized I’d need to walk back to Bennie’s to get my bike and then ride back to Lucas’ house once we were done.
