Page 116 of Falling For The Boss

As she walked away, I think I heard her mumble that only one person was rowdy.

“That was sweet of you.” Jenny kissed my cheek.

“Just paying it forward. That was Alex’s lost wager on who could eat the most crawfish in a minute.”

A man at a table next to us waved. Jenny’s face reddened, and she sheepishly waved back. “Just so you’re prepared, no one beats Lanie at darts. Ever.”

Two o’clock couldn’t come soon enough.

Chapter Four

Lanie

I slapped Emery’s bill on the bar top and slid my empty tray between the brass rails of the waitress slot. My best friend, bartender Robin Stipple, cocked her head sideways with one brow raised. “What’s that for?”

“Emery Swazay gave this to me. As a tip!” I shook my head before I stacked dirty cups into the dishwasher.

“Poor guy. His fiancé sure took advantage of him.”

Was I the only person in the world to not hear about this scandal? “How’d you find out?”

She pointed at the television on the wall. “I stand under this thing every day. How did you not know?”

“Too busy to watch TV.”

Robin waved the fifty. “Do you need change?”

“That’s the thing. I should give most of it back. Poor guy offered this along with an order for a round of pitchers.” I shook my head. “Who gives a tip before they get their final bill? A snobbish dude, that’s who.”

“Why complain? You need the dough.” Robin stuffed the fifty in my apron pocket and hooked a sliced lime on the rim of a filled glass. “He seems nice to me. I watched him pull out a chair for Sally Johnson.”

“Maybe he was flirting.”

“She’s seventy. I think he was just being polite.” Robin held her fingers together in the shape of a square. “Try not to group all rich guys into the same loser box as your ex.”

“Ugh, he’s so…frosty. But you’re right. I earned this money. Otherwise, I would’ve shoved the bill into his piehole.”

“I’d be frosty too if my fiancé publicly destroyed me.” Robin added four pitchers of beer to my tray. “Go serve the table, which includes handsome-to-die-for Emery Swazay. Once your shift is over, I’ll have a beer waiting for you.”

“Deal.” I lifted the tray and wove between the tables toward the Swazay family. Luckily, Emery was dancing with his sisters. No easy banter necessary.

The place was hopping busy. Pleasant Valley only had two bars, so it was a given both were overcrowded on a Friday night. The evening flew by, and before I knew it, I was delivering my shift’s final drinks, which included the Swazay family.

I circled their table, strategically placing the pitchers. When I neared the end where Emery sat, he stared me down. I imagined pouring the pitcher of beer on top of his head, but instead I placed it where it needed to go. Then on second thought, I filled his empty glass.

Confuse the enemy was my motto.

“Thank you, Lanie.” Emery saying my name caused a ripple to shoot up my spine. His smile made the feeling happen again. “Too bad you left the dumpster so quickly. Missed out on seeing a momma racoon with her two babies.”

“Gertrude, Billy, and Willy? They’re regular diners.” I dropped the printed ticket in front of Rich Dude.

His face fell as though he thought the racoons would be a conversation starter. But just like out by the dumpster, I didn’t want to lower my guard. Emery had sprinkled enough kindness to definitely break my protective shell, so I had to be careful.

“You can pay the woman at the bar.” I pivoted and walked into the kitchen where Robin’s dad, George, stood scraping the grill.

“Did you have a good night in tips?” he asked.

“Always do.” I hung my apron on a hook on the wall.

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