Kickstart My Heart (Burgers and Brew Crue #1) - Lacey Black Page 0,25

around these two, especially when they tease Jameson, who often comes in to help. I’m not sure what hours he keeps, but he seems to be here all the time, especially if he works the evenings.

“Good morning, ladies.” The voice is familiar but not the one I expected. It’s not Jameson, but Walker.

“Hey, Walk!” Marla hollers, rolling silverware and placing them in the tub.

When I turn around, I find Walker’s eyes cast downward. Specifically, on my ass. He must feel my own gaze on him, but when he looks up and realizes I busted him, he doesn’t seem to be embarrassed. In fact, with the faintest grin he gives me, I’d say he rather enjoyed it.

“Morning, Mal,” he says a tad quieter, his voice low and husky.

I shiver.

“Hi,” I squeak in an octave two levels higher than my normal voice.

“You heard the Johnson Group and Precision Ag are both coming in today, right?” Gigi asks Walker, as he leans casually against the servers’ station.

“Numbers told me,” he tells her, his eyes still locked on me. “You ladies need any help in here?”

“Nope, we’re good, but thanks,” she replies, grabbing pitchers and filling them with ice water.

“All right, I’ll let you do your thing. I’ll be ready in the bar when you need me,” he says, slowly pushing off the wall and leaving the restaurant, the scent of his soap lingering in the air.

“Mmmm, Gi, did you see that?” Marla asks.

“Oh, I definitely did.”

“See what?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder to where the two older ladies stand, smiling.

“See that man ogle you as if you were a steak dinner,” Marla states, laughing.

“What? He did not!” I argue, though I know it’s pointless. He really was staring at me like I were a tall glass of water in the hot, summer desert.

Both ladies laugh, at my expense, of course. “Oh, he was,” Gigi confirms. “It was like your butt was stamped with some sort of coded message.”

“Yeah, it said ‘Property of Walker Meyer.’” This from Marla, who is barely able to get the words out before bursting into fits of laughter.

I can feel the heat in my cheeks as I busy myself and avoid their gazes.

“We all set?” Jasper asks from the doorway of the kitchen. This might actually be the first time I’ve seen him outside of his domain.

“We are, Jasper,” Gigi states.

“And the new girl can handle the extra tables?” he asks. The hairs on my neck stand up. No, I don’t think he’s trying to be a jerk, but I believe he’s too busy to bother learning my name. Especially if they go through servers as quickly as I’ve heard. But I guess with that warm greeting, I can see why some don’t stay.

“Her name is Mallory, and yes, she’ll be fine. She’s doing great.” Gigi gives him a look, letting him know she doesn’t appreciate his attitude.

The chef gives her a cheesy grin, before turning his eyes on me. They’re dark, like melted chocolate, with a hint of mischief and knowledge. He seems to take in my appearance from head to toe, but not the way Walker does. No, his eyes on me feel like a caress.

When Jasper returns to my face, he smiles widely and winks. “Don’t mess up, Mallory,” he says before returning to the kitchen.

Gigi sighs. “Ignore him. He’s just trying to get under your skin. He thinks it weeds out the weak ones.” She rolls her eyes.

I stand up tall. “I can handle him.”

Her lips form a wide smile. “Good. Now, we’re getting ready to open. Let’s make sure we’re set.”

The lunch rush is steady, and so are the take-out orders. We’re moving, but all three of us are able to handle it. Gigi took the smaller of the two groups, a work meeting of twelve. Just as they were wrapping up, the bigger party of twenty-two arrived. Marla works on filling water glasses, while I take drink orders. When I have everyone’s written down, she sets out to get soft drinks, and I head to the bar.

“Mal,” Walker croons in a voice as soft as silk. “What can I get you?”

I run through the fourteen drink orders, most of them mixed concoctions. When Walker has the first seven done, he says, “Run these to the table and I’ll have the other seven done in a minute.”

Carefully, I carry the full tray of drinks back to the large party and start distributing them. Once my tray is empty, I return to the bar,