Sin (Just This Once 3)

He tugs his phone from his jacket pocket when it chimes. “I’ll order two since I know you won’t turn down a chance to sample your product.”

I don’t say another word as Rocco’s fingers skim over the screen of his phone. Instead, I turn and head straight toward our server.

“What is it, sir?” he nervously asks when I near where he’s standing close to the entrance to the kitchen. “Chef Monroe told me about your complimentary dessert. I’ll bring it out as soon as it’s ready.”

“Sure.” I lean in closer to him, lowering my voice. “A couple just left that table. I’m wondering if you served them.”

“Which table?” He eyes the area behind me.

I turn back to see that the table is now occupied by two young women. I raise my hand in the air and point directly at them. “It’s that table. There was a woman with brown hair and a man in a blue suit sitting there a few minutes ago.”

He nods vigorously. “Oh, right. Yes. I took care of their needs.”

I shake my head at his awkward choice of words. “You didn’t catch their names, did you?”

His expression morphs into confusion. “Why? I’m only supposed to introduce myself to the guests. It’s up to them if they introduce themselves to me.”

“I take it that means no?”

“No,” he answers back.

“Did he pay with a credit card?” I have no right to ask this kid anything, but curiosity is driving me. If he gives me a name, I can track down the couple and see for myself if she was indeed the woman I met two months ago.

“Cash.” He shakes his head from side-to-side. “Even if he did pay by credit card, it’s not like I could tell you his name. Privacy laws and all.”

“Understood.” I reach into the inner pocket of my suit jacket and pull out my wallet. I thumb through it before I slide out a hundred dollar bill. “I’ll tip you at the table, but here’s something extra for your trouble.”

His gaze falls to the bill before he scoops it up in his palm. “Thanks, Jeremy.”

Seeing as how I never introduced myself to him, I raise both brows. “How do you know my name?”

“Your friend, Rocco, called you Jeremy when I dropped off your appetizers.” He gestures in the direction Rocco is sitting.

“Did the black-haired man happen to mention the beautiful brunette’s name?”

He furrows his brow while his thumb slides over the folded bill in his palm. “I can’t recall.”

For fuck’s sake . I’m being taken for hundreds because of my irrational need to know the name of a woman who may not even be the angel I spent the night with in Vegas.

I hand over another hundred because I’m already in too deep to bow out now.

“I didn’t catch her name, but his is Roland.”

“Roland,” I repeat back.

“I’m glad I could be of service, “ he adds as he gazes down at my money.

I almost reach forward to grab it from his greasy hand. “You were no help at all.”

“I’ll check on that dessert for you, Jeremy.”

I shoot him a look before he walks into the kitchen leaving me with the first name of a man I already dislike. Roland may be headed home with the woman who has been haunting my every dream for the past eight weeks.

If he is, he’s the luckiest son-of-a-bitch on the planet.

Chapter 12

Linny