My Sweet Demise (Demise #1) (7 page)

“I don’t.”

“Raina O’Connor. Do you have a crush?” She sounds so accusing I have no choice but to laugh.

“A crush? What am I? Fifteen?”

“Well, I was already sneaking boys in my bedroom at fifteen. You were busy watching old reruns of
Friends
when Mom and Dad were out doing whatever it is they used to do instead of taking care of us. So yeah, you’re at about fifteen.”

“I don’t have a crush on him. I live with him. Aren’t I allowed to be curious about him?”

“Why haven’t you talked about the other roommate?”

“Hanging up now.”

“Wait,” she laughs. “All right. I’ll lay off. But seriously—you’re going to have to grow up eventually. You live your life in a petri dish. What are you worrying about? Remember, mold saves lives.”

“This is you laying off?”

“Just tell me this. Isn’t he the sexiest son of a bitch you’ve ever seen?”

My cheek fills with heat. “Becca.” I exhale. “I’ve never met anyone sexier.”

She screams on the other end. “I knew it!” Calming down, she takes a deep breath. “I am still your big sister and I don’t like you living with them. And especially not with Kent Nicholson. I’ve seen him at parties. He’s filthy. Attractive slutty men do not make good roommates for my innocent baby sister.”

“I’m not innocent.”

“Fine, you’re a prude. Better?”

I stick my tongue out at the phone. “I have to start getting ready for work. I’ll call you later.”

“Later. I love you, Rain. If you need anything call me.”

I try not to choke up. Becca’s all I have, and when she reminds me with her generosity it makes me emotional. “I love you too, Becca. I will. Thank you.”

“And don’t sleep with Kent. I mean it. Don’t fall for his BS.”

“You’re offending me right now.”

“You’re offending me by living with Kent Nicholson.”

“Did you two…?” I let the accusation hang there.

“You’re kidding, right?”

Uh-oh. Now she sounds mad. “Just checking. I gotta go. Love you, Becca. Bye!”

I hang up before she can bite me through the phone. I find my work clothes, a pair of black short shorts and a black polo with
Oblivion
written in purple over my breasts, and get dressed. I sit on the bathroom counter to apply my makeup and do my hair. I don’t have many options when it comes to my hair. Wayne wants it in a ponytail, away from our face and the food. I go all-out tonight for some reason. Eyeliner, mascara, gold and green shadow, and peach lip gloss. I look actually kind of sexy when I finish. I hop down and examine my handy work. I feel stupid picking myself apart. I am who I am. This is my body. Am I Auburn Hair? No. But I’m me, and I’m okay with that.

Grabbing my purse on my way out, I make sure to turn the bottom lock before leaving the apartment. I need to talk to Kent about getting a key. Once I’m in my car, I roll down the window and allow the warm breeze to cool me down as I drive to work. We’re too far from the Florida coast for cool ocean air to penetrate the scorching summer heat. I can feel the lack of breeze in the air.

I pull around back to the employee’s parking lot and prepare myself for another night of being fondled, catcalled, and earning barely enough tips to keep my head above water. Sometimes when I’m not thinking about surviving I wonder if this will be my life forever. Tips and words over my breasts. And then I feel like I’m going to suffocate and decide right now is all I can handle.

I blame my absentee parents for giving me that outlook. If I wasn’t so worried about choosing a path that didn’t lead me to where they ended up then maybe I could focus on my future more. Maybe I could be like Becca and follow my dreams even if my dreams didn’t come true. Instead I don’t dream. I just keep going. For the most part that’s fine. It’s gotten me this far.

Oblivion is already hectic when I arrive. Night shift is a crazy place to be. I stash my purse in the employee break room, clock in for my shift in Wayne’s office, and then grab my apron.

As I enter the kitchen one of the cooks, Joaquin, beams at me.

“Evening, pretty lady. You’re looking good tonight. Perfect timing. Take these wings out to table fifteen.”

We play like this all the time. He’s married and happy and I’m single and apparently a prude according to Becca. “I was thinking about you.”

He winks at me and taps the order bell. “Get your cute ass out there before my food gets cold.”

I take the order of wings and go through the swinging doors to the main floor. Waitresses flit around the room like hummingbirds. I pass Sophie, the girl I’m tapping out, and she beams at me.

“Ready to go?” I ask.

“You have no idea. The lunch crowd was
crazy
today. I can’t wait to get out of here, go home, and have a glass of wine. Good luck,” she adds, rubbing in the start of my all-night shift. “You’ve got tables six through twenty tonight. Gen called in sick.”

I groan. “Again?”

Double the tables on a night like this meant a headache and a half.

“Again,” she says, as annoyed as me. “Have a good night.”

“I’ll try.”

I approach table fifteen and deposit their wings. “Hi, fellas. I’ll be taking over Sophie’s tables. Is there anything I can get y’all?” I spy their beers and crab dip. They’ll be here for a while. “How about a refill on those beers? They’re looking a little low.”

“House beer,” one of them informs me, sliding his slimy gaze over my legs.

“Coming right up.” I keep the revulsion out of my tone.

I dip behind the bar, grab two fresh ice-cold mugs, and fill them to the top with the beer on tap tonight. I make sure the tops are foaming when I bring them back to their table.

Table ten needs to order and table seventeen gives me a hard time about the menu. For hours I am a frenzied mess. Everyone needs something at all times. Beer, food, checks, and refills. My lower back starts to hurt around ten.

“Take a break,” Wayne orders, tapping on my shoulder. “Sorry about Gen calling in sick. I’m thinking about letting her go, so get used to this craziness until I can hire another waitress.”

I refrain from groaning. “Thanks, Wayne.”

“I’ve got your tables for fifteen minutes.”

“Got it.”

The waitresses here are known for stretching out their breaks and lunches. I’ve never had the balls to risk my paycheck. I sit down in the break room and put my feet up on a chair, rubbing the kinks out of my lower back. When my time is up I despondently reenter the chaos that is Oblivion. I approach the hostess stand to check on my tables, and as I do Kennedy and Henley, two other waitresses, are talking in hushed tones.

“He hasn’t been here all summer.”

“Did he get hotter?” Henley fans herself with a menu.

“Is that even possible? And look at his friends. They’re yummy too.”

“I heard he hooked up with Gen. She said he was a beast in bed.”

I follow their line of sight, interested in the beast, and my heart stills. Kent, Jake, Zeke, and two other guys I haven’t met are in the waiting area.

“I’ve got them,” I tell Kennedy and Henley, grabbing five menus. “Put them on table ten.”

“You sure?” Henley eyes me uncertainly. “You know who he is, right?”

“Yes.” What’s with that look? I can handle him. “I live with him.”

Their jaws drop.

As I approach Kent and his friends, I prepare myself. He isn’t like most men to me. He seems to extract strange, unwarranted reactions.

He spots me before anyone else, giving me a little private nod.

He looks so good tonight. His shirt is tight and dark blue, hugging his biceps and gripping his abdomen. He’s done his hair for once, leaving the fair mess tamed and styled. He takes me in as well, his gaze traveling over my face, my legs, and the words over my breasts.

“Hey,” I greet him, smiling shyly.

His smile is easy and crooked. “You’re kind of cute in your uniform.”

I dismiss the thought that I tried to be and quickly shield my body with the menus. “I thought I was supposed to be doing the flirting. Tips don’t make themselves, you know.”

“You flirt with men for tips?” He frowns, looking around the restaurant as if he can spot which ones.

“No, not particularly. I’m not good at it,” I admit.

“That’s because you don’t have to flirt. Men should be groveling to get your attention. Don’t settle for anything less.” Seeming to snap out of it, he chuckles and then runs a hand down his face. “We should practice that.”

“Flirting?”

“Yo, it’s Kent’s roommate,” Jake says, thankfully interrupting us.

“Roommate Kent’s it’s yo!” Zeke chimes in, grinning at me. “You want to dance later, I’m your man.”

“Where’s your girlfriend?” Kent barks, glaring at Zeke.

Zeke frowns. “Relax, Kent man. I’m kidding.”

“Well, stop. No one thinks it’s funny.”

Kent moves to block Zeke from me as I lead them to their booth. I hand them their menus and then look over my shoulder for Wayne. He’s busy at the register.

“Okay, guys, the first round is on me. Whatever you want.”

“I want a beer, a shot of tequila, and a Swiss mushroom burger with fries,” Kent says. “What time is your lunch?”

“Midnight.”

“Come hang out.”

“I will.”

After I take everyone’s order I bypass the POS system and go to the kitchen myself. “Joaquin?” I give him my most special hopeful face. “I need this order filled. I’ll be back to pick it up in a few.”

He looks it over. “You never ask me for favors. Is it a guy?”

“He’s a guy.”

“You’re cheating on me?” He pouts at me.

“What can I say? You’re married.”

“Fine. I got you, girl. You know that.”

“Thank you, Joaquin.”

“You got it, pretty lady.”

I head to the bar and eye Theodore, the bartender, flirting with a group of girls. He’s preoccupied. I quickly fill six shots and six beers, precariously balancing them all on the way over to the guys’ table. Kent helps me empty the trays. Our fingers brush when we reach for the same shot glass. The small contact makes my breath come faster.

“Have fun,” I tell him.

He makes a face as he takes his shot. “It helps when you flirt to stick your chest out. I don’t know about everyone else, but tits to me are key.”

I roll my eyes and leave, checking on my tables. He’s always such a pig. For the ten minutes I was with Kent and his friends I was sure I was gone forever. My tables are in a sense of disarray without me. When I’m done making sure they’re situated, I duck into the kitchen and get the order for Kent’s table. As I’m approaching I notice a woman chatting with him. He has his arm over the back of the booth as he fingers a strand of her hair. I narrow my eyes.

“That’s cool,” I hear Kent tell her. “You sure he won’t mind if you hang out with me tonight?”

“He’s my boyfriend. Not my daddy.”

“You need a daddy?”

“Why? You want to tell me what to do too?”

He winks at her. “I do enjoy giving orders.”

“Ahem,” I interrupt them. He looks like a pig rolling in the mud. The top bun on his burger falls over when I slam his plate down.

He raises his eyebrows at me. “Just because you’re at work doesn’t mean our arrangement is null and void. Get my friend a shot, would you, Raina?”

I swallow back my anger. Why am I so mad? He’s being himself. I smother my irrational reaction and smile at him. “Of what?”

“Vodka,” she supplies, snuggling against his chest.

“Of course,” I reply tightly. “Enjoy your food. I’ll be back in a few to check on you.”

I put that shot and the rest of their drinks through the ordering system. I never promised to give his dates free anything. For another hour and a half Kent fondles her right in front of everyone. Girls are all over their table. Even Zeke, the bastard, has a girl. I wonder about his girlfriend, and hope she’s having fun wherever she is.

Suddenly purple lights turn on over the bar. Everyone cheers. They know what’s coming. Every night two girls are chosen to dance on top of the bar to whatever song’s on the radio. Shots are free for as long as they’re dancing and tips are welcome. Wayne turns his cheek at this, because some of the men come in here to watch us gyrate in our short shorts and tight black shirts.

Henley puts a bucket for tips in the middle of the bar. Then she grabs the microphone and climbs up.

“It’s that time again. Come on, girls. I need two of you.”

She looks around the room and her eyes land on Samantha, a curvy waitress with wavy black hair. “Get your butt up here, Sam.”

She turns bright red and unwillingly crawls on top of the bar.

Uh-oh. She’s picking us at random tonight. I’ve only done it once when I first started and have managed to avoid doing it ever since. I back up into the crowd, hoping to use them to conceal me.