Page 12 of Only You

The shock of seeing Andrew again left her with a heavy feeling in her stomach, but she needed to get over it.

“Sorry,” Ana said as she and Julie returned to their station a short while later.

“Don’t worry. We all have our moments. I had to serve a famous South African film star when I first started. I had to lock my knees and hope I could keep the drool inside my mouth as I took his order.”

Relaxing, Ana laughed. Julie’s aim at making her feel better was working, and Ana fell into a routine. They quickly covered all their tables in double time as Julie trusted Ana to fly solo.

It was ten-thirty when Ana heard a voice to her left.

“Excuse me?”

Ana spun around to find herself being beckoned over by Andrew’s companion. Ana looked around to see if Julie was about, but she was nowhere to be seen. Plastering a smile on her face, she approached their table, her skin tingling with discomfort.

“Hi,” Andrew’s companion said. “Can we order some coffee?”

“Of course, Sir.” Ana kept her eyes fixed on the man speaking. “What can I get you?”

“Andrew?” the companion asked.

Before Ana could stop herself, she turned to take his order. Her eyes locked on his. A look of shock passed over his face, and she watched him swallow.

“Santana?” he croaked.

Ana froze before fumbling with her order pad as it slipped from her fingers. Julie was at her side instantly, having returned to the floor from wherever she had disappeared.

“Is everything okay here?” she asked with a chirpy voice and saccharine smile.

It was Andrew’s dining companion who spoke up. Andrew and Ana seemed to have gone into shock as they stared at each other.

“Yes, it seems like my dining companion knows your friend,” he said, chuckling. “Andrew, what coffee would you like?”

Ana watched as Andrew shook himself out of his trance. “A cappuccino, please,” he answered, his eyes never leaving Ana’s.

“I’ll have an Americano,” Andrew’s companion said.

Ana looked down as she scribbled their drinks order, her heart racing. She was about to back away when Andrew’s hand came up and grabbed hers. Ana froze again, heat radiating up her arm where his hand touched hers. Unable to stop herself, her eyes returned to his.

“It is Santana?” he asked.

Ana smiled. “It’s Ana now. It’s good to see you, Andrew.”

Andrew was about to say more, but his dining companion interrupted him, asking, “Santana? As in Eva’s sister?”

Ana did not wait around, using his distraction to escape.

“What the hell happened?” Julie said, grabbing hold of Ana’s arm and pulling her out of sight of any customers.

Heat infused her face. Ana dropped her pad on the side and patted her inflamed cheeks.

Oh my god, what had just happened?

Julie stared at her, then took pity. “It’s okay, I’ve got the coffees,” she said, giving Ana a conspiratorial wink.

Julie was true to her word and set Ana dealing with customers as far away from Andrew’s table as possible. Ana watched Andrew leave, ignoring how he looked over as they reached the door. His dining partner touched Andrew’s arm, saying something that had Andrew nodding before they had both walked out of the door. Ana felt her body sag in relief, the tension leaving her body.

What were the chances?

She finished up the last tables with Julie and saw out their final customers. Tips had been amazing. Four times what Ana was used to. When they finished cleaning down and laying up for the following day’s lunch, Julie guided Ana back to the staff room, where the other girls were buzzing.

---