Heiress to Waitress Page 10

  Chapter 9

  My chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath. My head leaned back against the seat as my heart decelerated to normal.

  The car continued to weave through the afternoon traffic towards Oak Church Street. Wiping my brow, I straightened up in my seat. I glanced at Ryan Hargrove, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. The breeze blowing in through the open window blew the dark strands of hair around his face. He was there again. Just when I was starting to feel like in a scary nightmare where no matter how much I ran, my destination would always seem unreachable, he appeared.

  “How did you know I needed a lift?” I asked.

  He gave me a fleeting glance before turning his attention to the traffic in front. “I was at the auditorium.”

  “And you knew I had to get to the tea shop?” I asked with wonder in my voice as the car drove through the right streets.

  “I guessed. Isn’t this the place you come to each afternoon?”

  “Yeah.”

  The car halted in front of Bramble’s glass-fronted tea shop. I checked my watch. It was only six past four P.M. I had made it amazingly well in time, thanks to the speeding car.

  “Thank you so much,” I said in a low voice. “For saving the day again.”

  He smiled, his blue eyes sparkling. “You’re welcome.”

  My heart raced as his face lighted up. Heat warmed my cheeks as I helplessly stared up at him, unable to break eye contact.

  “Aren’t you getting late?” he asked with a confused look.

  “Oh…yeah,” I mumbled, suddenly getting back to reality. I fumbled around to reach my bag on the floor and climbed out of the car.

  Opening the glass doors, I entered the busy café and was greeted by the heavenly fragrance of freshly baked pastries. Jeanne and Dorothy carried loaded trays and weaved their way through the full tables. I swallowed, readying myself for my first day. I headed inside and headed towards the swinging doors that led inside the shop.

  I went into Bramble’s office first. She was at her laptop as usual.

  “Hello,” I said, peering in.

  “Hey, Olivia,” she said, looking up. “Ready to start your shift?”

  “Yeah. Where can I change?”

  “There’s a locker room further down the hall,” she said, pointing with her pen. “But before you go, there are some things I want to go through with you first. Have a seat.”

  I took the seat opposite hers.

  Putting her laptop aside, she fixed her attention at me. “Since, it is your first day, limit yourself to one table at a time. “Take the order, deliver it and linger around to see if the table needs any help. Concentrate on one at a time today. Get used to doing that for a few days and then it will get easier to cover multiple tables.”

  “Right,” I said, slightly relieved. “This would definitely allow me to learn without mixing orders up and creating chaos.” It was one of the things that made me most anxious about the job.

  “When you are greeting the customer, make sure to relate the special for the day. It is strawberry cheesecake cake today,” she added as I opened my mouth to ask.

  “Right.”

  “Most customers order our Yogi Chai. If a new customer asks for your suggestion, recommend that.”

  I nodded.

  “Good luck, then,” said Bramble, her jeweled spectacles flashing white.

  I was about to get up to leave when the door to Bramble’s office swung open.

  “There you are, Olivia,” said Jeanne, her eyes lit up in excitement.

  “What-”

  “Hurry and get changed,” she said, gesturing at me to hasten. “That cute boy is back. The one you served the other day. Says he wants you to take his order.”

  “Which boy?” said Bramble, pushing her glasses up her nose.

  “Come watch. It’s so sweet of him to be asking for her. You must have made an impression on him, Olivia,” said Jeanne with a broad smile. “Does he go to your school?”

  I sputtered, not sure how much to tell them about Ryan Hargrove, the stalker. “I think he may,” I said, stammering. My cheeks warmed under their combined scrutiny.

  “Hurry up, Olivia. We don’t keep customers waiting here. We are to ensure their comfort and satisfaction. That is what keeps them coming back,” lectured Bramble.

  I stood up from my seat and hurried towards the direction Bramble had pointed earlier. A white door stood at the end of the corridor. It had a sign with bold black letters declaring ‘Restroom and Changing Room.’ Pushing through it, I entered a long rectangular room with steel lockers on both sides. There were benches lining the sides of the room.

  I walked inside. Most of the lockers had keys hanging from them. The ones that didn’t have a key were locked. There was a bathroom there too. With no one in the room, I changed out of my clothes without any hesitation and donned my uniform and apron. Like they taught me yesterday, I gathered up my blond tresses and tied it in a tight ponytail. After reapplying some tinted lip gloss, I was ready to tackle serving Ryan Hargrove.

  As I walked through the swinging doors that led into the dining area, I found Bramble standing with Margo at the counter. Jeanne was back to taking orders and watching me from the corner of her eyes. Then, there was Ryan Hargrove himself. A crooked smile came to his lips when he saw me striding towards him.

  I was already annoyed with him and my colleagues making a big thing out of this. Biting the inside of my cheek, I forced myself to smile at him.

  “Welcome to Bramble Wood’s Royal Tea Shop,” I said, feigning cheerfulness. “Today’s special is the strawberry cheesecake.”

  “What’s your favorite, Olivia?” asked Ryan Hargrove, his face looking like he was genuinely interested in my choice.

  Deciding to remain professional despite him trying to throw me off, I said, “All the desserts here are very good, but today’s special is the strawberry cheesecake.”

  “Fine. Bring me the cheesecake,” he said.

  The humor faded away from his face as he turned away from me. Suddenly, I felt coldness erupting in my chest. Now, I wanted him to start joking again, but he didn’t seem to want to change his mood.

  “Would you like some tea with that?” I asked.

  “Do you care what I want?” he asked, his cold, hard blue eyes fixing on me. “I asked for your favorite and you recited the specials menu.”

  I faltered. “I didn’t mean-”

  “Get me the specials, then,” he said, turning away.

  “Errr…so a strawberry cheesecake and a Yogi Chai?”

  He didn’t answer but merely lifted a shoulder. I turned towards the pastry counter where Margo and Bramble were watching me with interest. This was going to be a long shift.

  I strode back to the kitchen to place the orders. It was a relief to escape from Ryan Hargrove’s presence in the dining hall. With Judith, it was rather peaceful. The only sounds here were the gentle sounds of gurgling water and the occasional hiss from a kettle spout. The elderly woman kept adding a variety of dry herbs and spices to the kettle while I waited for the tea to finish brewing.

  When Judith placed a brightly colored clay teapot on the counter, I placed it on a large tray. It was heavy to carry. A plate with a generous slice of strawberry cheesecake stood at Nicole’s counter. Picking that up, I headed towards the dining area. My progress was slow with a loaded tray. Doing my best not to collide with any of the tables or the other servers, I made my way to Ryan Hargrove’s table.

  “Your order’s ready,” I said, placing the teapot and cups in front of him.

  “Have you eaten anything yet, Olivia?” he asked, halting me in the process of placing the dish with the cheesecake.

  I looked at him. His eyes were not cold. They were anxious.

  “I had lunch at school,” I said, straightening up. There was a juice box in my bag that I’d saved from lunch that day, but didn’t have an opportunity to drink yet.

  I was about to move away, but his hand came to grasp
mine. A jolt ran through my arm from the place he’d touched me. His hands felt very warm against my skin.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, flustered. “People are watching!”

  His grip loosened and I was able to draw my hand away, but my heart pounded as a warm blush spread to my neck.

  “You should eat something,” he said. “You will fall ill if you skip meals and work hard at the same time.”

  I paused. He said that in such a kind, thoughtful way. “I will,” I said, turning away to hide the grin that was threatening to form on my lips. A flash of light made me look towards the pastry counter. Bramble still stood there, eyeing me closely.

  Now that Ryan Hargrove had his meal to occupy him for some time, I fled through the swinging doors to reach the kitchen. I should have really hung back in the dining area to check if he needed anything else, but there was only so much I could handle. My emotions ran their own way every time he was near me. Along with the weight of Bramble and others staring at me, my nerves were stretched to their limit.

  “You shouldn’t be lingering here,” said Nicole, the pastry chef as she rolled croissants into their characteristic shape. “You should be out there.”

  I released a long breath. She was right. Bramble might just be there to see how I was performing. Hiding in the kitchen was not an option when I was still trying to prove that I could do the job.

  I went outside again. Ryan Hargrove was scooping up the last remains of his cheesecake. Thinking it was the best time to ask him if he needed anything else, I walked up to him.

  “Would you like something else?” I asked, taking away the empty plate.

  “I want something more filling than a cheesecake. What sandwiches have they got?” he asked.

  “You can choose from a good selection,” I said, picking up the menu and flicking it to the last page. “Here,” I said, handing it to him.

  After a minute of consideration, he said, “Get me and yourself the loaded deli sandwich.”

  “I can’t eat here. I am working,” I said. “I will just get yours.”

  “I will pay for it. You can eat in the kitchen if you have to.”

  “No. It will look unprofessional.”

  “You’re just a high school kid. No one expects you to be professional.”

  I scowled at him.

  “Is everything okay?” said a voice behind. It was Jeanne, looking between the two of us.

  “I was just telling her to buy herself a sandwich. My treat. But she won’t listen,” said Ryan Hargrove in a voice that made me look like the unreasonable party.

  “That’s sweet of you,” said Jeanne. “Are you guys in the same class or something?”

  “Not all classes,” said Ryan Hargrove, flashing a bright smile. “So, can you please make her eat and bring me a sandwich too?”

  “Of course,” said Jeanne, smiling back.

  I stood there, trying to find my jaw that was somewhere on the floor. She was eating right out of his hand!

  “What’s your name?” she asked.

  “Ryan Hargrove,” he said.

  “Sweet,” said Jeanne as she turned towards me. “Get his order, Olivia and eat. Bramble won’t mind if you took five minutes since you started your shift a little earlier.”

  “Right,” I mumbled, walking away.

  I went into the kitchen to give Nicole the order for the sandwiches. Waiting in that part of the shop was difficult. Everything smelled so good here. My stomach groaned loudly. I felt an abrupt wave of gratitude because I’d be eating soon. Thank you, Ryan Hargrove, you stubborn, stubborn boy! A giggle escaped me.

  “What’s funny?” asked Nicole, narrowing her eyes at me.

  “Nothing. Just thinking,” I replied.

  “Order’s up!” she said, putting out two plates of fat sandwiches. There were three layers of bread to hold the thick meat fillings.

  “Thanks,” I muttered. I picked one of the plates on my tray.

  “Take them both together,” called Nicole behind me.

  “That’s mine,” I said, walking out of the kitchen.

  When Ryan Hargrove saw me, his eyebrows rose in a silent question. “Mine is ready too.”

  “Good,” he said, shifting his elbows from the table so I could place the plate in front of him.

  “Thank you. I was hungry,” I muttered.

  He grinned at me. The kind of smile that lit up his face and made warmth spread through me. And there it was…my heart racing again.

  “Enjoy your meal. I’ll go devour mine,” I said, stepping away.

  I went back to the kitchen for my sandwich and wolfed it down in the privacy of the locker room. It didn’t take me long to eat the meaty sandwich, smothered with mustard and some kind of creamy, delectable sauce.

  Ryan Hargrove remained at his table until the end of my shift. Since he never got up to leave, I was stuck with serving him the entire time. Bramble and the others laughed about it and exchanged looks, while I served or talked to him each time. I wished they would stop because it embarrassed me even more.

  At the end of the shift, I had not made anything in tips.

  “If you don’t makeup to eight dollars an hour, Bramble will cover the difference,” said Jeanne, patting my shoulders. “Besides, a free sandwich is kind of like a tip.”

  “I suppose,” I said, my shoulders drooping with disappointment.

  It was close to eight P.M when I left the tea shop. Ryan Hargrove was leaning against the pole of a street lamp, looking directly at me. This time, I felt annoyed at him. He came towards me.

  “Ready to go home?” he asked.

  “I am walking home,” I said in an offhand manner.

  “I can drive,” he said, walking beside me.

  I stopped and faced him. “No. This is really getting out of hand now. I work here,” I said pointing at the dimly lit tea shop. “You can’t come here every day. People notice these things.”

  “Did anyone say something to you?”

  “Well…no. But it’s weird. Also, if I am stuck serving you, I won’t make any money from tips,” I said, folding my arms in front of my chest.

  “Is that what this is about? I can pay you if you want,” he said, putting his hand inside his jacket.

  “Please, Ryan. Stop!” I cried, lunging forward to catch a hold of his hand.

  It was a moment later I realized how close we stood together. His eyes gazed into mine and for a second, I was lost into their depths, too entranced to move. Being so near him, I caught a whiff of his lemony perfume.

  Coming out of the trance, I stepped back and muttered a low “Sorry.” Then, looking up at him, I said, “Please, just understand that I work here for real. It’s not a game.”

  “I am not playing any games, Olivia,” he said in a low voice. “You’re interesting.” Turning away, he said, “Wait here. I’ll get the car.”

  I was in a mind to stride off, showing him how much I didn’t need a ride. However, the cold and deserted street stole away my resolve. I really needed a bike, but with the way I was getting paid, I doubted it would be anytime soon.

  The sound of tires on asphalt broke me out of my thoughts. Ryan Hargrove brought his car to a standstill beside me. Opening the door, I hopped in.

  “I’ve meaning to ask you this all afternoon. Where did you learn to play a bagpipe like that?” he asked as he started the car.

  “I am from Scotland,” I replied shortly.

  He chuckled. “There’s no doubt there. None of the girls could play a bagpipe like that here. Heck, you’d put the men to shame too!”

  I grinned, exhilarated by the praise.

  “Do you play the piano this well, too?”

  “Better than the bagpipes, I hope,” I said. “But the boy from the other school said I couldn’t play something that was already chosen by another team member. So, I went with the bagpipes.”

  “You saved the school from a big embarrassment. They are serious about performing arts at the school here. You could
even say it gets more attention than sports.”

  I couldn’t help but snigger. James would be in for a big shock to discover that.

  “I expect you’ll be the shining star at school tomorrow,” he said. “But, I won’t let you forget about me easily.”

  I glanced at him. His voice had a determined edge to it while he spoke that. Chill spread through my skin. Would he really make trouble for me? The other thing that bothered me was being popular at Knightswood High. I wasn’t keen on telling people who I was and where my family came from. I was still coming to terms with my past and was in no place to explain my circumstances to anyone else.

  “I want to avoid all popularity,” I muttered.

  “That’s strange,” he commented. “Everyone wants to be famous.”

  “I don’t care about being famous. I just want to get through school so I can go to university, study something useful and get a job. Those are the things that are important to me.”

  “And you don’t want people finding things about you,” said Ryan Hargrove.

  His reasoning was spot on, but it still felt uncomfortable to admit it. “Yes.”

  “I understand how you feel. I don’t want people getting close to me for the very same reason.”

  I stared. “What are you doing with me, then? No matter how much I try to avoid you, you are always there!”

  He chuckled softly. “I can’t help myself around you. You’re different.”

  It was the cheesiest and most common compliment in the world, but in my heart I knew it to be the truth. I was different. I was Scottish, not American. I was bred to live life in a social setting where money and power were common commodities. If Father hadn’t died and left us, I would still be at the Academy…

  I looked out of the car’s window to hide the tears that threatened to come rushing to my eyes. The intensity of the pain surprised me. No matter how much I wanted to be a part of Knightswood, my heart belonged in Edinburgh.

  Chapter 10

  The following morning I woke up feeling relaxed since it was Friday. It would just be school that day. A lot of homework and reading had accumulated over my first week at Knightswood High. Before going down for breakfast, I made a quick list of the books I needed for studying that weekend. Taking the piece of paper with me, I knocked on James’s door.