Page 13 of A Dark Duet

We grab a pen and order pad and head out to take the orders before customers start to complain. I reach the first booth and stop. So does Brie when we spot Jace and Jason sitting, scanning the menu. Brie notices and places her hand on my arm.

“Don’t worry. We can handle it,” I whisper so no one can hear me.

I can hear her nervous exhale. “Okay,” she whispers back.

I walk up to them, and Brie starts on the second booth of men. You can see they all play for the Ravens and are here together.

They both look up and Jace, as always, with his snarky comments, says, “Well, well. Look who’s here and works at the diner. You girls are very busy.” He looks back at Brie, acknowledging us both.

Jason drops the menu and looks surprised to see me standing in front of him, waiting.

“What can we get you?” I ask, trying to ignore his comments. He smiles and the guys in the booth are waiting for him to continue.

“How about letting Jason and I take you and Brie out tonight?” he says.

My face gets serious, and I look at both of them. “No, thank you. Are you going to order, or should I take the next table down until you decide?” I ask.

Jason looks up with hopeful eyes. “I’m sorry about Jace. He just isn’t good at expressing himself,” he says.

I look at him with a straight face. “Then you should keep better company because he’s a total jerk.”

Jason elbows Jace to stop. “Look, we’re sorry for everything that happened before. I want to just say one thing and I will order.”

I tap my foot, waiting with an eyebrow raised. “Okay. What is it?” I ask.

Brie stops writing the other guy’s orders and looks up. The diner kind of got quieter, probably people rubbernecking to see what is going on over here. I have my back turned to the other two booths, so I can’t see for sure if they are listening.

“Remember the last time we went horseback riding on your favorite two horses, and we stopped by the tree at your parents’ farm?”

I frown at the memory of the most beautiful horses my father had on the farm. The sadness clearly written on my face as he looks at me.

Unshed tears instantly fill my eyes as the memory of my childhood home being sold to the highest bidder to pay off all the creditors my parents owed. He notices my instant sadness and inhales deeply.

He continues as I stay silent, “I want to let you know that I have never forgotten that day. That part was genuine and I’m sorry if you thought for one second it wasn’t. I am also sorry about your loss. If there is anything you ever need, I will be there for you Giselle, always.”

I look into his handsome face, into his green eyes, and I see the sincerity there, the honesty in his words. When I was a teenager yearning for a first love, hoping to find it, he never said the words that a girl longs to hear.

He let me think all this time that my first kiss was a joke, a mistake. I cried myself to sleep that night, feeling unwanted and undesired by a boy I found attractive. I stay silent as he looks at me and his eyes soften.

He looks older than when I last saw him, but in a more attractive way; not a boy, but a very attractive man with a nice body that can fill out a T-shirt like it’s no one’s business. It’s a shame to think he kissed me for a fifty-dollar bet. It was a long time ago.

“Okay. So, what can I get you both?” I feigned indifference because it’s the only armor I possess.

He smiles, knowing I believe him.“Can we get the traditional breakfast and orange juice?” he asks.

I write it down. “It will be out shortly.”

I turn to leave and notice Brie is taking the order of the third booth and I slow down as I notice who is sitting in the fourth booth with his manager, Nate “The Reaper” Phoenix. He looks up and down at me in my uniform with a smirk. Great.

I walk up to the table and repeat the same, “What can I get you both?” I ask.

Nate looks at my name tag and then at my face. Probably noticing I gave him my real name, or maybe I look different in a uniform.

I look at his manager. He smiles. “Hello, my name is Jaden, and you have already met Nate. He’s a big deal in MMA.”

“Hi,” I say.

I smile, but he notices it doesn’t quite reach my eyes. I look over at Nate, including him in what I’m about to say. He looks at me and then looks away, staring at Jaden.

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