Twisted Perfection (Rosemary Beach #5)(17)

She bounded out the door and I was stuck there looking out toward the dining room. I wasn’t ready to face Grant or any of them just yet. Last night was still too fresh.

I wanted to run again. I had to stop this. I grabbed my tray and pitcher of ice water and made my way out to them. Thad, Grant, and Jace were all talking and not paying any attention to me approaching Good.

Grant’s eyes lifted to meet my gaze and he smiled that slow sexy smirk thing he had going on. “I’m real glad to see you here this morning,” he replied.

He knew. Crap. Did they all know?

“It’s my job,” I replied. “What can I get y’all to drink?”

“You sure make that uniform look good,” Thad replied leaning forward with his gaze on my chest and not my face.

“Shut up,” Grant said and shot him a disgusted look. “I want some coffee, black.”

“Coffee for me too but I need two creams and a sugar,” Jace replied.

“A tall glass of milk,” Thad said.

“Put it in a damn bottle because he’s acting like he needs one,” Jace said, rolling his eyes.

“I’ll be a baby if she wants me to, a big ‘ol titty baby,” Thad replied with a wink.

“You’re an ass.” Jace shook his head.

I didn’t wait for any more comments. I headed back to the kitchen to fix their drinks. I was positive that Thad was not someone I wanted to mess around with. He was cute but I had a feeling he could get annoying.

When I got back out to their table Woods had joined them. I kept my smile polite and served the other guys their drinks.

“Mr. Kerrington, what can I get for you sir?”

I managed to look at him as I asked but I didn’t miss Grant’s eyebrows shooting up.

“Coffee black, please.” He barely glanced at me as he said it and went back to talking to Jace.

“Are the rest of you ready to order?”

Grant leaned forward and I was thankful to have someone to focus my eyes on. I felt silly trying not to look in Woods’ direction.

“I don’t know about them but I’m starving,” he replied. “Bring me a burger; medium, loaded, and have Juan put that special sauce on it.”

“Same thing for me,” Thad piped up.

I forced my attention in the direction of Jace and Woods. Jace looked at me. “Bethy made me a late breakfast so I’m good with the coffee.”

The thought of looking at Woods made my stomach hurt. I hated feeling awkward around him now. But he was my boss. So, I held my fake smile and looked his way. “And for you?”

Woods finally met my gaze but only briefly. “Nothing thanks, I have a lunch date.”

With his fiancée, no doubt. I nodded and headed for the kitchen.

“I so want to tap that,” Thad said as I walked away.

“Shut up,” Grant snapped.

When I brought Woods coffee I managed to get away without any more interaction with him.

Jimmy sauntered in and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Jimmy, I will give you half my tips today if you change sections with me right now.”

Jimmy cocked one of his perfectly plucked eyebrows and stared at me like I was crazy. “Girl, I’m not taking half your tips. What’s wrong with the section you’re in?”

I didn’t want to tell him about Woods. I thought about it a second then said, “Those guys make me nervous and I don’t like waiting on Mr. Kerrington. Please,” I finished with a final plea.

He rolled his eyes and tied on his apron. “Fine. We can change sides but I got one through seven. You get eight through fourteen. You’re still new and need to earn more tables.”

I nodded. “Of course, thank you.”

“I think I’m gonna like you. About time Woods hired another server I like working with.”

His praise was nice. I liked feeling as if I fit in.





Woods



I stood at my office window and watched as Della’s red car drove away. I could lie to myself and say it was a coincidence that I came to look out the window the same time she was leaving. But I knew her schedule. I knew her shift was over and pathetically I came here to watch her get in her car and leave. I had gotten very little sleep worrying that she would leave without a word after last night.

When I had walked into the clubhouse today and she’d come walking up to me calling me Mr. Kerrington and making sure she still had a job I was so damn relieved I hadn’t been able to properly apologize to her before she was walking off.

Then I’d decided it was for the best. No need for us to keep pretending there could be more to this. She was cutting me out and I needed to let her do it. For both our sakes. It was the best way to keep me from caving and begging her for something I couldn’t have.

The door opened behind me without a knock and I didn’t have to look to see who it was. Only one person would walk into my office without a knock first.

“Hello, Dad,” I said without turning around to look at him. I’d idolized him from the time I was a kid. Now, a part of me hated him.

“Woods. I came to make sure plans were still firmly in place for tonight. Howard and Samantha will be here tonight. They’re planning on this announcement. Letting Howard Greystone down isn’t something I intend to do.”