Today, I clearly had nothing left to lose.
ALY
The restaurant was packed.
Literally every seat, including all six at the raw bar, was taken – and from what I could tell, my guests were all happy and satisfied.
And normally I’d be thrilled by that.
But right now, I was desperately wishing for everyone to just leave, because unless my anxious mind had imagined it, Emmett’s truck had just turned into our lot.
“Shit,” I hissed, my hands shaking as I put in the order for my regulars at the bar. Hannah had called out this morning with a fever, which meant the tiny restaurant was way understaffed. Evie was drowning in double the paperwork in the office, and I was alone on the floor. With one hand still putting in orders, I used my free one to grab my phone out of my apron and send a text.
ME: MAYDAY pretty sure Emmett is here please come outside so we can switch spots
Evie and I had loosely planned for this moment after I’d come in with all my packed bags. If and when Emmett came, we’d switch posts and she’d insist that I hadn’t come in to work. We’d gone over that.
But we hadn’t gone over the part where she might not answer her cell since she was busy pleading on the phone with the New York State Liquor Authority about our expiring license.
Crap. I could just see her getting so worked up in the office that she’d completely forgotten about her phone. After calling to no avail, I opted for a second text.
ME: Evie!!!!! Come outside please!!!!
I hit send with my thumb but before it could even deliver, I heard our door chime sound off louder than usual. The air hitched in my throat and I froze, simply staring ahead at my computer screen and praying to God that it was someone else who’d just walked in.
But then I heard my regulars at the bar start to whisper.
“Holy shit, Quinn. Do you see that?”
“Girl, I saw that out the window. That’s the babe who owns Blue Harbor.”
Fuck.
“Lord, he is gah-orgeous. I would let him do filthy, filthy thing to – ”
“Shh! He’s coming to the bar.”
I heard Quinn’s hiss just as my peripherals processed the tall figure suddenly standing right in front of me.
Emmett. Obviously.
He stood there in front of the computer I was on, and I didn’t have to look up to know that he was pissed. I didn’t have to look up to know that every seat at the raw bar was hawking me as Emmett stood there – towering, silent and rigid as he waited for me to acknowledge him.
Fuck, fuck, shit, fuck.
I breathed deep as I finished putting in the order. With all my guests watching, I did my best to gather myself before looking up.
But the second I did, the storm of emotions hit me like a punch to the gut.
I was prepared for his anger, but I wasn’t prepared for the simultaneous hurt in his eyes. I wasn’t prepared for the pleading look that twist
ed his gorgeous features as he stood still in the middle of my bustling restaurant, silently asking me why the hell I’d packed my things this morning.
I was already breathless from two seconds of looking at him, but with a glance at my guests, I still tried my best to look professional.
“Can I help you?” I asked, my voice cracking in the process.
Emmett narrowed his eyes for a second. “Really?” he finally said, keeping his stare pinned so mercilessly on me that I felt my knees go weak.