"So," Julie began, "I have a question, and I was going to ask

Aaron, but since you're nicer to me and you seem to know what you're doing here, I was hoping I could just ask you instead."

Leigh chuckled, reaching across the table to put the liner down. "Sure."

"Well, I got this other job—part-time, just a weekend gig, but I'm not going to be able to work on weekends, and… Aaron never really…talks to me, so I don't know who to talk to about the schedule.”

For some reason, Leigh looked a little surprised. "Oh. Wow, Aaron…really doesn't tell you anything, does he?"

That made Julie flush a little, but she shook her head. "Not really."

Leigh's smile turned a little sympathetic as she glanced at Julie long enough to take two sets of silverware, then she said, "Well, Aaron makes the schedule, sweetie. I mean, I could tell him for you if you really wanted me to, but… Aaron's the boss, this is his restaurant, so since you're staying in his living room right now, it might be best if you told him yourself."

Julie stood there stupidly as Leigh put on her Barbie-smile and went to greet the customers who had just walked in.

Aaron owned The Lofthouse Café?

Well, that explained a lot, she thought, feeling a little dumb.

However, she didn't have much time to stand there thinking about it, because three more tables full of people filed in after the first couple, and she and Leigh were the only waitresses there at the time, so she was immediately busy.

Aaron came in for the last half hour of her shift, and of course when he got there he went to the kitchen and wasn't heard from again until she was clocking out, at which point he finally came out, barely sparing her a glance as he took his apron off, hung it up and went over to say something to Leigh. Julie occupied herself with taking her money out of her apron and counting the change out on the counter so she could exchange it for cash.

She heard an unfamiliar sound when she hit 1 dollar and 87 cents that broke her concentration, causing her to look up.

Aaron was laughing. She had suspected it was possible, but she had yet to witness it, and whatever Leigh had said to him made him laugh. Julie stared, transfixed, as Aaron's face relaxed into a devastating smile, and for the first time since she had moved in with him, she remembered that he was handsome.

And unlike Matt, his teeth weren't crooked—they were as perfect as could be.

Honestly, she wished she could find something else to blame the slightly breathless feeling she had as she saw Aaron truly happy for once, but all she could come up with was surprise. Always seeing Aaron grumpy and sullen wasn't the most attractive thing she could think of, but seeing him smile…

Then his gaze landed on Julie's face, and instantly his smile waned, then quickly disappeared altogether. He turned back to Leigh then, and continued whatever conversation they had been having.

For the third time in two days, Julie felt rejection seep into her soul, and she found herself wondering what it must be like to be someone Aaron didn't hate—someone like Leigh. Somebody who could make him smile, make him laugh…

She also felt inexplicably sad that she was apparently such a terrible person that just a mere glimpse of her could completely ruin his happiness.

"Are you clocking in or out?" a voice asked, knocking her out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" she asked stupidly, looking at the woman speaking to her.

Debbie, the kind of crabby middle-aged waitress.

Sighing impatiently, Debbie said, "In or out?"

"Out," Julie responded, her brain processing what she was being asked.

Debbie rolled her eyes and clocked in. "Good. I know he gives Leigh any shift she wants, but it would be ridiculous to have three girls here tonight—none of us would make any money," she muttered as she walked away, fastening her apron around her waist.

Of course no one would make a comment like that before she asked Leigh who made the schedule.

Sighing, Julie recounted her change, then she went up to the register and had Leigh change out her two dollars in change for paper money. She had only made 48 bucks and 38 cents that night. That sure wasn't going to help her buy diapers and pay tuition.

Fortunately, she would get a paycheck for being there hourly, too, so that would be good. Unfortunately, she was a waitress, so it would amount to peanuts.

Deciding not to worry about it, Julie said goodbye to everyone and got a response only from Leigh, then she headed back to Aaron's unwelcoming apartment.

---

Tags: Sam Mariano Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net