First and Goal (Moving the Chains #1) (41 page)

Oh, thank God.

“You said there were three things. What’s the third?”

Damn, I was hoping she forgot about that part. I can already hear the lecture before it even begins.

“She…might think I’m into someone else too.” I wince and brace for the hurricane.

“Robert? Why would she think that?” Her eerie calm is a sure clue she’s straight-up pissed and disappointed.

“Jeremy told her so. Well, not in so many words, but that’s what she believes.”

“And you didn’t have the balls to set her straight? Real nice, Robert.”

I’m honestly surprised she’s not giving me a bigger guilt trip. But when she breaks out my full name, I know I’m in deep.

“Listen, I’m trying to go slowly and gently because of Hinton. I don’t wanna scare her off.”

“You need to just tell her and let it be her decision. If you needed proof that she likes you, then she gave it to you today. You owe it to her to put yourself out there and tell her how you feel.”

“I know. Alex is taking me to the diner. He’ll be here at two. I’m just gonna sit there all day until she has a minute and lay it out there.”

She stands up, helping my leg down off the coffee table. “Really?”

“I’m gonna try.” Oh my God. I’m actually going to try.

She laughs, hugs me, and rubs my back as she steadies me up the stairs. “No. No more trying. Just tell her. She wouldn’t have been here today if she didn’t feel
something
for you, honey.”

I run my hands through my hair when we reach the top, and she steps away. It doesn’t feel the same as Evie’s slender fingers moving through the strands. “I just know I have to do this right, Ma. I can’t screw this up anymore. I don’t know who this other guy is, or how much she really does still like him. I don’t wanna scare her off after what happened with Hinton last year.” I pause when we enter the kitchen. “I just know I need her, Mom. I need her in my life, whatever way she’ll agree to. If it’s only as friends, then…I, I’ll take it.”

I shrug at her, not knowing what else to say. It's all true.

“Friends is better than nothing, sweetie. But I think you’ll be surprised. Now go get ready.” She shoots me a knowing smirk. I haven’t cared so much about my appearance since Evie started dating someone who wasn’t me.

T
he first two hours of my shift have been steady, but not necessarily hectic for a Saturday. Being insanely busy until the wee hours of the morning would be preferable to sitting at home in my room, second guessing what I did this morning before coming into work. Try as I might to push the thoughts out of my mind, I can’t stop myself from replaying those few precious seconds in my head over and over. Like some sick, twisted movie.

Film noir, my favorite genre.

I’m torn between hating myself and hating him. I definitely hate her.

Rob and Alex stroll in around three. Margie sits them in their usual booth. In my section. The urge to throw up becomes overwhelming. I convince myself that it’s because the Advil I took this morning when I woke up is wearing off, resulting in the feeling of my uterus attempting to twist itself into a pretzel. Thankfully, they both have their noses in their assigned Lit books. Conversation will hopefully be minimal.

If someone had told me at the beginning of the year that Alex Fossoway and Rob Falls would be sitting in this diner, reading for hours on a Saturday afternoon, I would have laughed my ass off. And then called them fucking liars.

Every time I check on them, Alex puts his book down and trades off giving me or Rob weird looks. Rob only communicates in grunts, seemingly lost in the world of Melville. Except for when I deliver their lunches and am met with a mumbled, “Thanks, babe.”

My first instinct is to blush, then punch him. But I chalk it up to the pain meds. I certainly don’t want to draw any more attention to it when Alex starts choking on his drink. I can explain Rob’s weird behavior because of the pain pills, but Alex is a different story. I’ve been trying to ignore him as much as possible.

All of my tables are good, so I’m standing in the kitchen with my eyes closed and my hands pushing in from my waist to relieve the pain.

Margie comes up beside me. “Evie, why don’t you go take a break while we’re still in the pre-dinner lull?”

“You can come back here in the kitchen and hang out with me if you want.” CJ sends me a wink and pats the stool beside the grill.

I move to immediately head to the safety of CJ and his antics, in no hurry to return to the awkward bizarro world that is the dining room today.

“Go sit with Rob and Alex,” Margie says with a stern tone of voice. She nudges me towards the door. “I’ll check on the rest of your tables and not seat anyone in your sections for a bit.”

So much for avoiding the elephant in the room. I cast a pitiful last glance back in CJ’s direction. Margie practically shoves me through the swinging doors.

I plop down beside Rob, but neither of them seems to register my presence. I put my head down across my folded arms on the table and concentrate on deep breathing to kill a building wave of nausea. From my period. Yes. Not because I’m nervous or uncomfortable with the hulking presence next to me. Definitely not because of that.

I jump when Rob starts rubbing my back, but then relax into his touch as his fingers knead into the tense muscles at my shoulders. I seriously cannot resist his magical hands. He must have sold his soul to Satan for that ability or something. It’s unnatural.

“What’s the matter, my girl?” he mumbles, still reading.

I’m losing this battle. I can feel it with every touch. Damn Margie. CJ could probably do this same thing for hours and not make me feel so utterly braindead like Rob can in less than five minutes.

My only answer is a moan. I’m incapable of rational thought, clearly.

“Hey, Alex? Still got that bottle of ibuprofen in your car?” This is the most lucid Rob has sounded all day.

“Yeah, why?”

“Go get it.”

“What?” he whines like a child. “Why? She’s not
my
girlfriend.”

Well, in fact, I’m no one’s girlfriend.

“Don’t be a douche. Just go get it.”

I hear Alex get up and walk off with a huff. I turn my head to stare at Rob. He’s truly behaving so weird today. He’s still reading, oblivious to anything going on around him. His fingers never stop working on me.

“Doesn’t he know?” My voice sounds hoarse, like I’ve been sleeping for hours.

Rob suspends his reading for a moment, turning to look at me with gentle eyes. “Know what?”

“About Dream Girl?” This is exactly why I’m always telling him to cool it with me. If his best friend mistakes me for his girlfriend, what’s she supposed to think? Although, I guess me kissing him isn’t really good motivation for him to back off with our friendship. Especially if she isn’t responding to his advances. Guys like Rob undoubtedly have needs. Even if he wouldn’t force himself on someone, he’s been waiting so long. The fact that he’s constantly turning down sex probably has him that much more desperate for it.

He gives me his signature smirk, but there’s something in his eyes that isn’t mischievous at all. “Yeah. He knows.”

He goes back to reading his book. I wonder if his fingers are getting tired yet. He could do this for hours, and it still wouldn’t be enough.

“You know Jeremy spilled to Alyssa, who then told Jess, right?” I study his face for any tell as his hand stills on my back.

“Did they tell you?” His voice betrays the careful neutrality of his expression. He sounds…afraid. Maybe our friendship is important to him too. Maybe, like me, he realizes that once he reaches his goal, we won’t be spending time together anymore.

“No. I didn’t want to know. Remember how I told you I was pissed last night because I didn’t think she cared that you got hurt?”

He snorts and opens his mouth to say something. But, Alex comes strolling towards the booth, and throws the bottle of pills at my head. Rob catches it without looking up before it hits me. Impressive. I grasp at it like the lifeline it is for me to get through the rest of this shift. Since I don’t have a drink of my own, I pull Rob’s over, swallowing down the pills with a gulp of pop. Carbonation and ibuprofen are a disgusting combination.

“Thank you,” I breathe to Alex.

He looks at me and just shakes his head, brandishing a very Rob-like smirk. “Yeah, you owe me.”

“Okay. Name your price.”

Rob laughs to himself, probably remembering the phrase from the bonfire.

“Take chuckles, here, home. I gotta bail.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me. “Hot date tonight.”

“Eva, darling, who are your friends?” I look up to see Jackson, one of my regulars, standing beside the table with Margie. She exchanges frowns with Rob as he plants his hand possessively on my shoulder.

“Sorry, sweetie. He requested you even though I told him you were
on break
.” Clearly Margie likes him about as much as Rob.

I’m not sure why everyone is against this poor, lonely guy. Their tension towards him is thick, so I offer him a bright smile. “That’s okay. I was just getting up anyway. I’ll be there in a second, Jackson.”

“Thanks, angel.” He and Margie walk away to another booth.

Rob and Alex look at each other knowingly.

“Who’s the chump?” Alex seems to have suddenly forgotten his rush to leave.

I shake off Rob’s grip and stand up, stretching my back. God, I hope the Advil kicks in soon.

“Oh, he’s angel’s best customer.” Rob bats his eyelashes, looking like an absolute idiot. As if the mocking tone of voice isn’t already doing it for him.

“Stop it. What’s the matter with you two? He’s just a harmless, lonely guy. His wife died of cancer last year, and he hates to be home alone. Honestly, I don’t think he’ll ever get over her and move on with his life. I feel bad for him, and you both should too. You assholes hang out here all the time, taking up this booth for hours while I lose tips. Why can’t he do the same without everyone acting like he’s some kind of serial killer? At least he tips me really well. He just wants company.”

Alex laughs obnoxiously, shaking his head at me. “Yeah, that’s not the only thing he wants.”

“You know what? You’re disgusting, and you clearly didn’t hear a word I just said. Get out of here, you two.” I look at Alex while pointing to Rob. “And take him with you.”

“No. I’m not going anywhere.” His voice and posture scream petulant child. “If he can sit here for hours, undressing you with his eyes, then I can too.”

“Why don’t you save that for Dream Girl and quit annoying the shit out of me?”

I’m in a piss poor mood and would love nothing more than to scream at them both, but I have a job to do. I turn towards the kitchen to fetch their check and Jackson’s usual coffee. When I return to their table with the bill, the only thing I find is Rob’s backpack and his book and phone still on the table. Great. In his drug-induced haze and Alex’s hurry, he left them behind. Now I’ll have to drop them off at his house on my way home.

I’m bent over, packing his things into his backpack, when a familiar touch lands on the small of my back. “What are you doing with my stuff?”

Jumping up and around, I’m met with Rob’s solid chest. “I thought you left with Alex and forgot your things.”