On His Face - Tabatha Kiss Page 0,21

silently stare at her.

She smirks. “Now that’s what’s up.”

I have no words.

“Crap,” I say, sitting up. “What time is it?”

“I dunno,” she says, reaching for her mug. “It’s still Friday night to me.”

I push up out of the chair, taking my towel with me. “I have to get to work, too,” I say.

“Work?” she asks. “I thought you were off this weekend.”

“I was, but I’m covering a shift to save up a little more to pay off my car.”

Jenna opens her mouth.

“No,” I say, stopping her with a smile. “I don’t need a loan. Thanks, but no thanks.”

“The offer stands forever, you know that.”

I nod before walking off down the hall.

“Remember!” she shouts at me. “Sweet, delicious karma!”

I chuckle as I close my door and quickly check to make sure my work uniform is hanging on the back. My sketchbook sits on my desk, open to my latest attempt at Drew. I reach for my comb beside it and hover here for a moment. His eyes, solemn and downturn. His cheekbones, sharp and shaded. His lips, sweet and delicious as karma.

As much fun as it would be to go full Jenna on this situation, I don’t think it’s the right thing to do. Sure, Seth has never been the greatest brother, but something about that karma just feels so… petty.

It was a one-time thing.

The only path forward is to forget this week ever happened and move on with my life.

I close the sketchbook and get ready for work.

Chapter 12

Heidi

“Order up! BLT no mayo!”

I spin away from the register and stride toward the kitchen window. By this point in my shift, I mostly run on auto-pilot. Take an order, put it in. Deliver order, get a refill. Grab the check. Repeat. We’re not too busy this morning, which is a good thing considering most of my brain power has gone to reliving that kiss repeatedly.

You taste too good.

Heaven help me.

I grab the BLT and swing my way over to table twelve. “Here you go,” I say to the woman as I set it down. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No, honey, I’m good,” she says, barely looking up from her Kindle. Must be a delightful book. “Thanks.”

“Enjoy your meal.”

Rinse. Repeat.

Honestly, I’m glad that kiss was a one-time thing. If it weren’t, then I’d have to live through shift after shift with Drew’s tongue on my mind. I can’t even imagine what that would be like. To have to live my life knowing I could leap on his face anytime I wanted to? I’d never even go to class. I’d be homeless and broke just knowing he’d be there every time I turned around.

One-time thing was the right decision.

“You’ve got a couple cuties at table three, Heidi.”

I smile at Brandy the hostess as she glides past me. “I’m on it,” I tell her with a smile.

She hums, teasing me as I grab two menus and hustle toward the tables near the left of the entrance.

“Hey, little sister!”

I snap to attention a few feet away from table three.

“Seth!” I say in surprise. He looks as shocked as I do, along with the second cutie across from him in the booth.

Drew.

“Hey,” I say.

Seth gestures around. “You work here?”

“Uh...” I step up to the table, helplessly focused on Drew. “Yeah. I started a few weeks back.”

“Awesome. We love this place.”

I tear my eyes away from Drew. “Oh, yeah?”

“We come here every morning after a party for pancakes. It’s our tradition.”

Drew nods. “We call it post-party pancakes.”

I chuckle. “Something like that just names itself, doesn’t it?” I look at my order pad. “So, you guys want the triple stack?”

“Yes, please!” Seth says. “Bacon and scrambled eggs on mine.”

I jot it down. “All right.”

“Turkey bacon and egg whites for me, please,” Drew says.

Seth sighs. “Dammit. Okay, fine.”

Drew raises his hands in defense. “Hey, I said nothing.”

“No, no. You guilted me into it.” Seth points at my order pad. “Make mine egg whites, too, but I’m keeping the bacon.”

“Freshman fifteen happens to juniors, too, man...” Drew teases. “All I’m going to say.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I laugh as I make the correction. “You guys spend a lot of time together, huh?”

“Well, Heidi,” Seth begins, “when two men love each other very, very much—”

“Stop,” Drew says.

I bite my lip, smothering my laugh. “It all makes sense now.”

“Love unrequited,” Seth says, faking tears. “Cuts like a knife...”

Drew exhales slowly as he looks at me for help. “And coffee, please.”

“Yes! All the coffee you have!” Seth straightens up, proud and happy. “We had two