Admiring him for being persistent, I decide to agree. What do I have to lose?
“Okay. I’ll see you at three.”
His smile warms his whole face. With his blonde hair and blue eyes, Kyle is a huge hit with the ladies.
After ten o’clock the kitchen closes and a DJ starts to play more upbeat music. I stay busy taking drink orders until after two in the morning when it finally starts to slow down. A few die-hards hang around until the bartender rings a bell, announcing that we’ll be closing.
The last ten minutes drag out endlessly, and it feels as if my toes are being ground to mince in the heels.
When the last customer gets up to leave, I head to the restroom. Once inside, I kick off the shoes and groan as I curl my toes into the tiles.
“It’s heavenly, right?” One of the other waitresses says as she’s busy buttoning her shirt.
I nod before I walk over to my locker and take my bag from it. I get dressed fast, then spend a minute washing my hands a couple of times. I shuck the heels in my locker and hang my apron on its peg.
All I want to do is go home and sleep, but I’ve already agreed to the date with Kyle.
As I leave the restroom, Kyle straightens from where he was leaning against the wall.
“Hey, beautiful,” he murmurs as he takes a step closer to me. Without the heels on, I only reach him by his shoulder. His eyes wander over my face, then he surprises me when he says, “You look tired. How about I take a rain check on breakfast, and instead I give you a ride home?”
The first thought that pops into my mind is that I don’t want Kyle to see where I live. He’s used to only having the best in life.
He must see the hesitation on my face, because he quickly adds, “I know where you live, Evie. I’ve seen your personnel file.”
“You’ve looked at my file?” I ask, frowning.
He laughs nervously, just realizing how stalkerish it sounds.
“I looked at it because I’m taking over for six months. I’ll admit that I might have stared way too long at the photo on your application.”
His honesty makes me feel better, and I smile to set him at ease.
“So, can I give you a ride home?” he asks again, giving me a hopeful look.
“Sure,” I relent. It will save me the cab fee.
“Let’s go,” he says, and when he takes hold of my hand, I quickly glance around us. I don’t want any of the other staff to see that I’m leaving with Kyle. They’ll think I’m sleeping with the boss’ son for an ulterior motive.
When we reach his car, he opens the passenger door for me. I get in and instantly I feel intimidated by all the wealth. You can smell the leather.
When Kyle climbs in behind the wheel, he smiles at me before starting the car. For the first few minutes, we drive in silence. It’s comfortable and puts me at ease.
“I’ve wanted to ask you out for a while now,” Kyle says when he stops at a red light.
Surprised, I glance at him, not knowing what to say.
“Just to be clear, I don’t care that you work for my father. I’d like a chance to date you.”
He’s so straightforward that it’s actually refreshing. There are no secrets for me to try and figure out.
When I still keep quiet, he glances at me before pulling away as the light turns green.
“I guess I’m asking if you’ll date me, Evie?”
Finally, I find my voice, “I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking.”
A playful smile spreads across his face as he reaches for my hand.