Kickstart My Heart (Burgers and Brew Crue #1) - Lacey Black Page 0,37

a wave, which she returns, and then she’s gone.

I spend the next two hours serving drinks and retrieving burger orders. When I glance in the dining room, I see it almost filled to capacity. Several of the pub tables and barstools over here are filled with the after-work crowd, some eating food and others just looking for a few drinks and to unwind.

It’s just after six when I catch movement in the hallway and see Mallory and Lizzie. My feet carry me toward them a moment later, those waiting for drinks second fiddle to greeting them. “Hey,” I say when I approach.

“Walk!” Lizzie hollers, letting go of her mom’s hand and jumping into my arms.

“How’s my favorite little girl? Are you hungry?” She nods, glancing around at the bar. “I have the perfect table for you,” I add, leading them toward a pub table toward the back of the room, yet in the perfect line of sight for me to watch them. “How’s this?”

Lizzie points to the booster seat already strapped to the chair.

“Pretty confident we were coming, huh?” Mallory teases, noticing the seat prepared for her daughter.

I shrug. “I had hoped,” I reply, placing Lizzie in the booster and strapping her in. “And look at this,” I add, pulling the coloring book and crayons off one of the other chairs.

Her green eyes light up with delight as she squeals, reaching for the colors.

“Thank you,” Mallory says, taking the seat right next to her child.

“I’ll go get drinks. What would you like?”

“Water is fine,” she replies, glancing down at Lizzie. “And chocolate milk for her.”

“Yay!” Lizzie exclaims, already scribbling across the picture of a dragon. “Chocy milk!”

“Coming right up,” I tell them, heading back behind the bar. I quickly make the two drink orders for the dining room and slide a refill for one of the bar patrons across the hardwood. Then I grab a glass and fill it with ice water and make the best chocolate milk I can in a lidded cup from the restaurant.

I’m just making my way back to their table when I hear, “Drinking heavy tonight, I see?”

I scowl at Jameson and walk right by him. “One chocolate milk for my Lou.”

She looks up with those big green eyes and smiles at me, so much joy lighting up her sweet little face. I’m pretty sure she just stole my heart. “Tank you, Walk. I wove chocy milk.”

“You’re welcome. Now, what are you gonna eat for dinner? Grilled cheese and fries?”

“Yes, pwease!” she replies enthusiastically, as she goes back to her coloring.

“And you?” I ask, as Mallory scans the menu card. “You don’t have that memorized yet?” I tease, tapping her in the arm with my pen.

“I do,” she insists, sliding the menu back into the rack in the center of the table. “I just wanted to try something different than the basic burger.”

“Want my recommendation?” I ask, leaning against the table and shifting so I’m a little closer. Out of the corner of my eye, I see one of the servers heading for my bar, so I know my time is limited. When Mallory nods, I tell her, “Strip and Go Naked.”

Her eyes widen. “W-what?”

I lean in, my face damn close to her own. I know if I were to move just so, my lips would align with hers. Holding her gaze, I restate, “Strip and Go Naked. It’s one of my top three favorite burgers, assuming you don’t mind avocado.”

“I don’t mind,” she whispers, her warm breath tickling my lips.

“Hmmm,” I murmur, devouring those lips with my eyes. Fuck, I want to kiss her so damn bad right now. “I wouldn’t mind that either.”

“Walker,” the server hollers from the bar, grabbing my attention.

Sighing, I stand up straight and take a step back. “I’ll be back with your food,” I say, noticing how her gaze is zeroed in on my own lips still.

There’s an extra hitch in my step as I head back to my bar to complete their order. I hold up a finger to the server to let her know I’ll be there in a second and stop at the computer to key in Mallory and Lizzie’s dinners. When they’re set, I finally head over and make the drink order.

For fifteen minutes, I fill drinks, and take another burger order from Eddie, a regular weeknight patron, all while keeping one eye on the pub table in back. I catch Mallory watching me several times. I know this because I’m watching her. She hasn’t