BAD REP(33)

I had finally returned to Barton's a few nights later.  I was both glad and disappointed that Jordan wasn't scheduled to work.  At least I was off the hook with trying to act normal around him.  I'd like to shelf that awkwardness for another time, thank you.  To the rest of the world, I was Maysie happy-go-lucky, sweet-as-pie, Ardin.  No sense in anyone getting wind of how close I had been to becoming Jordan's road kill.

Though, for all my bravado, I couldn't get the image of him out of my head.  The way he had looked at me as he told me I was all he could think about.  I couldn't stop the yearning to give into him and everything his eyes had promised.

But as the days passed and Olivia's arrival loomed large, I tried to put my desires out of my mind.  Because when it came down to it, it didn't matter what I wanted in all of this.  Jordan was with Olivia.  Case closed.

It was a Thursday evening, almost a week since my kiss with Jordan and I was clocking in at Barton's.  I hadn't realized I was just standing there, staring at the clock until I heard him come up behind me.  “You alright there, Mays?”  Jordan asked.  I peered at him over my shoulder and wanted to puke on his Adidas sneakers.  He smiled at me and I couldn't summon the strength to smile back.

“I'm fine,” I mumbled and made room for him to clock into the computer.  He looked at me with an unreadable expression but didn't say anything else.  It was obvious we were all done with talking.

I stood there another moment, waiting to see if he would say anything more.  When he didn't, I suppressed a sigh and went into the dining area.

My shift passed quickly enough.  Before I knew it, the clock read 6:30 and I already had $70 in my pocket.  Cold, hard cash was a great way of forgetting about an aching heart.

I was hanging out at the hostess station during a lull in my tables.  Normally I would have been by the bar with Jaz, who was continuing her endless flirtation with Jordan.  But I couldn't face all of that.  So instead I hid out with Laura, the sixteen year old hostess, as she folded up kids' menus.

“Maysie Ardin!  I didn't know you worked here now!”  I looked toward the door that had just opened and my stomach dropped to my feet.  Olivia Peer walked in with Milla and Tabby, another sorority sister.  Olivia gave me a quick hug and I felt worse than something you scrape off the bottom of your shoe.  Well, hello guilt.  I had missed you.

“Yep, just started this summer,” I told her.  Olivia gave me a big smile and I hated myself even more for lusting after her boyfriend.  Olivia glowed with a golden tan.  Her long legs accentuated by her minuscule jean skirt.  She was one of those girls blessed with a tiny waist and huge boobs, which were currently on display in a low cut tank top.  Her long black hair hung perfectly brushed to the middle of her back and her big blue eyes sparkled as she scanned the restaurant until she found what she was looking for.

Or more specifically, who she was looking for.  And the way her entire face lit up as she saw Jordan made me want to crawl into a hole and die.  Olivia looked at me again, the happiness emanating from her made me want to gag.

“It was good to see you, Mays.  Don't forget about the rush meeting tomorrow.  Our first event is in three weeks so we need to start planning.”  She gave me another hug and then hurried to the bar.  I watched, like the masochist that I am, as she squealed Jordan's name.  I tried not to stare as he smiled at her, a little stiffly I thought (though that was probably wishful thinking) and came around the bar to see her.

I finally had to look away as Olivia leaned up on her tip toes to kiss him.  Ugh, I did not need to see that.  I turned to give my other sisters a hug.  Milla seemed to be looking at me a little oddly but I ignored it.  Milla looked at everyone oddly.

“When did Olivia get back?” I asked in what I hoped was a light tone.  Tabby flicked her hair off of her shoulder and shrugged.

“Only like an hour ago.  But she had to get down here to see Jordan.  They're so cute it's disgusting.”  Even I could hear the jealousy in Tabby's voice and I followed her eyes back to the reunited couple.

God I hated how great they looked together.  Olivia was the perfect height for him.  The top of her head fitting perfectly underneath his chin.  You'd have to be an idiot to not see how much she loved him.  I couldn't look at Jordan's face.  Scared to see the same expression mirrored in his eyes as he looked at his girlfriend.