Mine for the Year

Chapter 29

I showed up to work 5 minutes early, because Damon's house was much closer to the restaurant than mine. Despite only having gotten two hours of sleep, I felt better than I had in a long time.

My feelings of euphoria lasted for over a week, not even being brought down by the pervy customers. Ash and Matt could tell something had changed too, even though I didn't tell them that I saw Damon again. I knew they wouldn't approve, but I needed it.

It had now been a month since Damon and I ended. I had gotten curious glances from people, but no one brave enough to ask. I had been hiding out well enough from the paparazzi, unsure of what Damon would want to tell them.

We were a server short today because Maria had called in sick. Jenna was taking a LONG smoke break out in the back, so it was just me and Allie. I got lucky today because my side wasn't as busy as hers. I finished helping the last of my tables when Allie came up to me with a weird look.

"Hey, can you help me with a few of my tables, I'm up to the neck with customers right now."

She wouldn't make eye contact with me, but I just waved it off. She was probably just exhausted. "Yeah, give me a sec. I was just about to offer anyway."

"Great! Can you take tables 11 and 17. Party of four and party of two." I gave her a weird look, but agreed. I started with 11.

"Hi, I'm Olivia, I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you?" I finally looked up from my notepad and smiled at them. It was a family with the cutest little baby.

They ordered pretty quickly and I went to drop off their order in the back. I started filling out the easy stuff for my second table as I walked up to them.

"Hey Olivia, can you take this to the back?" I gave Jenna a bewildered look as she passed a stack of dirty dishes to me before heading out for yet another smoke break. How has she not been fired yet?

Putting the dirty dishes in the sink, I finished writing the basics on the order card. "Hi I'm Olivia, and I'll be your server for the night. What can I start you guys off with?"

"Liv." The customer responded. I closed my eyes and jerked away from the table, dropping my notepad in the process. I opened my eyes to come face to face with his startling gray ones.

I remembered that he had come with someone else, they were marked as party of 2 by Allie. I looked away from them, picking up my notepad. I couldn't face him if he had brought a date here. So soon after we had just ended.

Again, I had to remind myself it was never actually real. At least to him.

"Liv, where are you going?" He asked, standing up to come closer to me. I had to walk away right now. I would tell Allie to take this table back, and I'd take another one from her.

"We just want to talk," someone added on.

I whipped my head around. "Gabe?" I asked incredulously. At least he wasn't here with a girl.

"Hey, doll," he grinned at me.

Damon clenched his jaw. "We need to talk."

I nodded nervously. This was Damon, I knew he wasn't going to leave unless I talked to him. "My shift ends in half an hour. Until then, can I get you guys anything?"

Gabe spoke first. "I'll take a beer." I nodded and turned to Damon.

"Just water," he said, his dark eyes following me. I smiled a little, glad that he was keeping his promise about no alcohol.

He smiled back, rubbing my hand that was on the table. I looked down to pull my hand away, but I stopped when I saw it. He was still wearing his engagement ring.

"You're still wearing it," I gave him a suspicious look. What was he doing?

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "I never took it off." I pulled away from him, flustered. Not responding, I went to go help my other tables.

I came back with their drinks and went to help the other tables I had. It took me 10 minutes to get back to their table and get them their food.

I walked away from their table, peeking back only to see Damon already staring at me. I was jolted out of my reverie when I felt a man cup my butt. I jerked away from him, but that didn't stop his leering eyes.

"Hey baby girl, let me know if you want a good time once you're done here," he winked at me as his friends guffawed.

I felt a protective arm around my waist. "I suggest you apologize to her," Damon said calmly. He looked calm on the outside, but I could tell he wasn't by the slight ticking of his jaw.

"I think the pretty lady likes it," he winked at me.

His jaw clenched tightly and I knew he was a second away from killing the guy. "My fiancé wants nothing to do with you." I decided it would be in everyone's best interests if I didn't protest the fiancé part right now.

"I'm sure she doesn't mind. After all, in that outfit, she's asking for it." I felt my jaw drop. How dare he? These uniforms were mandatory. It wasn't like I enjoyed parading around in a tight skirt and low top.

Damon got dangerously still. Then he finally spoke. "Either you leave a very generous tip and get the fuck out right now OR I beat the shit out of you right here and call my lawyers." He laughed dangerously, reminding me of who he was to everyone else. "They would have a field day with you. A dirtbag like you being charged for sexual assault."

The man's eyes widened as he sized up Damon. He tried to hide the fear in his eyes as he turned to his cronies. "Come on guys, let's go." They threw a few crumpled bills on the table and walked out, nervously looking back every few seconds.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked me, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

The whole restaurant had pretty much gone silent at this point, staring at the two of us. I nodded up at him, taking a subtle whiff of his cologne.

"My shift is basically over now," I mumbled to him and Gabe.

"Grab your stuff, we'll wait for you over here."

I quickly went over to the server who had just clocked in and told her everything she needed to know. I made my final rounds to all the tables, ending at Gabe and Damon's.

"Do you want me to pack your food up for you?" I asked, feeling a little shy. They nodded and I did that while they paid the bill. My eyes widened at the $100 tip they had left.

I narrowed my eyes at them. "You both know this is too much. You didn't even order more than $50 worth of food."

Gabe groaned. "Liv hurry the fuck up. We just want to get out of here right now." I rolled my eyes at him before grabbing my things and meeting them out front.