The wait staff were decked out with the men wearing black slacks, a white short-sleeved button-down shirt, red bowtie, and a red-and-white-striped apron. The hats atop their heads were white with red edging and looked like those folded paper ones.
The women were dressed in red one-piece dresses with white Peter Pan collars, the aprons crisp and white. I could see several of them chewing and popping gum as they flitted to tables, dropping off elaborate-looking shakes and platters of burgers and fries.
We put our names on the waitlist and stepped off to the side. The music and conversations were loud, so actually trying to talk to Amelia was next to impossible, not unless I shouted to her, or got intimately close—which I wasn’t opposed to. I actually felt my body hardening at the very thought.
I leaned against the wall and didn’t cross that line. But I couldn’t stop looking at her, and when she’d glance up at me and give me a small, innocent, and shy little smile, it took a hell of a lot of willpower—the kind I didn't even know I had—to not touch her.
I glanced around the restaurant, trying to look anywhere but at Amelia, because I knew it was fucking excessive. I let my eyes scan over the waiting area and saw two guys who were probably a few years younger than me staring openly at Amelia. I narrowed my eyes and ground my teeth, my hackles rising. Straightening off the wall, I shifted closer to her, our arms brushing together lightly. And my focus was trained on those two assholes who were blatantly eye-fucking her.
One of them glanced away from my date to look at me, and I didn’t hide the murderous anger that was no doubt covering my expression. This was more than jealousy. This was me feeling like I needed to stake my fucking claim.
The asshole’s eyes widened, and I pointedly looked at his friend, who was still staring at Amelia. His buddy nudged him, and when they looked at each other, then glanced at me, I bared my teeth.
What am I, some fucking feral beast?
Well, for Amelia, I sure as fuck felt like it. Both their eyes were wide for a moment before they looked away.
Smart.
I wanted to wrap my arm around her and pull Amelia in close, but I kept my hands curled into tight fists at my sides. It was only five minutes we had to wait before we were escorted to our table. I felt my jealousy still front and center, and I was looking at every male in the room and making sure they weren’t looking at her.
Because she’s mine.
We were seated at a two-seater table in the back, one that was a little more secluded. I was thankful for that. I had my back to the wall, which had Amelia seated in front of me, her back to the crowd. I wanted it like that, so she had her full attention on me and so no fuckers could check her out, not without me shooting daggers at them.
I’d never been a jealous man, never felt proprietary toward another person, but with Amelia, I felt all kinds of things that were foreign and strange… and so fucking good and powerful.
“Are you hungry?” I asked, and she nodded.
“Starved.”
I grinned.
“No salad for me,” she teased. “I’m getting the biggest orange-cream milkshake, a Monster Burger, and a double order of fries.” She was looking down at the laminated menu the hostess dropped down for us when we’d been seated. “I already know what is on the menu, but it’s so weird having it in front of me as a customer.” She glanced up at me. “Especially on a date.” Her cheeks turned pink as she blushed and I nearly groaned.
I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms over my chest, my grin still in place, but then this contented sigh left me. The girl of my fucking dreams.
She started looking around. “It’s weird being here when I’m not waiting tables,” she murmured almost idly. “And since I normally work days, I don’t see any of the staff who are here right now.” She looked back at me. “Do you eat here a lot?”
I cleared my throat and shifted on the seat. “A few times.”
That’s a lie. In the beginning, I’d come here in the evenings, hoping to see you.
The waitress came over and cut through the silence that would have descended. She glanced at Amelia and smiled. “Hey, girl.” The waitress’s name tag stated she was Dolly.
“Hey,” Amelia said brightly. “I was just telling Braxton I don’t recognize the staff since I never work at night.” Amelia’s brows lowered. “Are you working an extra shift?”
Dolly nodded. “Yeah. Alex needs a new inhaler, and the prescription price is crazy, so I picked up a few extra shifts this week.”
Amelia’s empathy came through in her expression, and if I didn't want this woman like oxygen in my lungs, I would have just by watching her care about another person’s struggles.
They spoke for a moment longer, then Dolly was grinning at me. “She’s a keeper,” Dolly said and gave Amelia a wink, which in turn had Amelia’s face turning a pretty shade of pink from her embarrassment.
She sure as hell is.
Amelia ordered what she told me she was going to have, and I just had Dolly double it, seeing as that sounded like the perfect fucking meal at a place like this. Once we were alone again, I leaned back against the seat, the vinyl on the back of the chair making this plasticky sound from the movement.
“Tell me about yourself,” she prompted and rested her arms on the table, leaning forward and giving me her undivided attention.
God, I loved her eyes on me. I cleared my throat and said, “What do you want to know?” I’ll tell you anything. Everything. It’s no less than I want to know about you.
“Anything,” she said happily and shrugged. “Tell me about your family to start.”
I smiled. “Well, my dad, Thomas, has been married to my mom, Clementine, for thirty-five years.”
Her eyes widened. “Wow, talk about in it for the long haul.”
I tipped my head back and barked out a genuine laugh. “No doubt.” God, this woman was incredible, and I loved her sense of humor. “We give my dad a hard time, because he’s taken to looking like Santa. Like legit with the white beard and jolly-as-hell attitude.” She was laughing, and the sound covered me… moved through me. It made me feel incredible. “I have two younger brothers. Duke is a tattoo artist, and Charlie runs the grocery store with our dad.”
“That's right. Your family owns the Cherry Street Market Grocery Store.”
“The one and only.” I felt pride in my body and heard it in my voice. I may not work there with the family, but I was proud as hell they’d made something for themselves that was successful.
“And you’re at the fire department?”
I loved the way she sounded so interested, like she saw me as a puzzle she desperately wanted to unravel.
“Sure am. I've been there for the last few years.”
She rested her chin in her hand and smiled. Had I ever seen anything more beautiful? Never. And I never will. She had this faraway look in her eyes, and I was thirsty to know what was going through that pretty head of hers.
“What are you thinking about?”
She was silent for a second, then leaned back in her seat. “I just like talking with you.” She looked down at the table for a second before drawing her eyes back up to look into mine. “I like knowing things about you.” The silence stretched on for a few seconds after she spoke.