Page 37 of The Legend (Rivers Wilde 2)

I point to the girl at the other end. “She’s taking those. She’ll be here in a minute.”

“I want you to take it. I don’t understand why you can’t.”

“Joni,” Remi says in a low warning voice.

“No, really. I’d like to know why you can’t write calamari down on your little pad and then put the order in when you get back there.” She raises her voice and I feel the eyes of the rest of their party on me.

“Joni, she’s only taking drinks,” Remi says.

“I can speak for myself,” I say quietly. It’s humiliating enough without him rushing to my rescue.

I look Joni in her maliciously gleeful, dark blue eyes and wonder why she seems to dislike me so much. She’s the one sitting next to Remi.

I’m the one serving him.

I want to shove my little pad down her throat. But, I like this job and the extra money means I can save faster.

Eyes on the prize, Kal.

“You’re right. I’ll put it in.” I scribble it down, smile and leave without taking Remi’s order.

I walk away with my back as straight as possible.

“Kal, wait,” Remi calls after me. I turn around and see him striding after me, his face a mask of determination. I pick up the pace, rip the drink order off my pad and drop it on the bar as I zoom past. I’m heading for the safety of the door marked Employee Only.

I press the four-digit code and slam it shut right in his stupidly gorgeous, scarily determined face.

I sit there for five minutes, collecting my thoughts, catching my breath, and praying for the serenity not to throw her drink in her face when I deliver it to the table.

It doesn’t matter if he’s here with her. I told him I just wanted to be friends. Who cares if I can’t remember why now? He obviously took me seriously. She’s more his type, anyway.

The breakroom door opens and I jump up out of the chair and sigh in relief when it’s one of the servers.

“Is there a guy waiting out there?” I ask as she walks past me.

“Nope,” she says and opens her locker.

“Thanks,” I say and hurry out. As soon as the door closes behind me, he steps out from the shadows. My heart leaps into my throat and I glare back at the door. “That liar.”

“I paid her ten bucks,” he says and shrugs unapologetically.

“She shouldn’t have done that. You could have been my stalker, for all she knows,” I hiss.

“We went to school together. She knows I’m harmless.”

“So basically, she doesn’t know you at all.”

“Why are you mad at me?” he asks.

“You disappeared on me. You stopped coming to the store just because I only wanted to be friends.” I step around him.

I’m already at the bar and trying to figure out which of the trays of drinks are my order when he comes to stand beside me.

He wraps one of his big, warm hands around my bicep and turns me to face him.

“Kalilah.” He puts a finger under my chin and lifts my face so I have to look into those dark eyes.

“There’s no fucking way that could ever be true. I wouldn’t do that.” His voice is low and quiet. His eyes soft, but intent on mine.

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