“Ahh, the privilege of being one of the elite,” he joked.
Sam laughed as they walked past the line and headed towards the back of the restaurant. Once inside they could hear the hustle and bustle of orders being called out and dishes and pots and pans creating clatter. She told him to watch where he was walking.
“Sometimes, the floor can be a little slick and neither of us are wearing appropriate shoes to be walking in this way. I have no doubt Tonya will fuss at me for this.”
On their way through the kitchen the dishwasher and cooks and prep cooks all hollered at her. She waved as they walked through and Junior noticed one of the cooks giving Sam an admiring eye. When they walked through the swinging doors that separated the kitchen and the dining room he saw the entire place packed with customers; the wait staff were busy.
“Come on, let’s wait over here out of the way,” she told him and motioned for him to follow. “I don’t see Steve so he may have taken the night off or had to run somewhere for something.”
Junior followed Sam until they were at the end of the bar and they sat where they had a clear view of the entire dining room. A moment later one of the bartenders greeted them.
“Junior, this is Tibet. He’s the lead bartender here.”
“How you doing?” Tibet asked and shook Junior’s hand.
“I’m good, thank you,” Junior replied with awe.
Sam couldn’t help giggling at Junior as she watched him. She told Tibet they would take a glass of sweet tea for now. He nodded and smiled at her as he walked away.
“That guy is huge. He should be a bouncer.”
“He used to be, but he got tired of it, from what he told me. He went to school to be a bartender and now he’s been here for a couple of years. The best we have, plus if it’s needed he can use his size to throw someone out, but so far that hasn’t happened.”
A moment later, Tibet set their drinks in front of them and gave Junior a quick, but serious look before he turned away. Junior raised his eyebrows and looked at Sam. By the look on his face she started laughing as she tried to take a sip of her drink and almost spit it on herself.
“What was that look from him for?” he asked nervously.
“Don’t take him serious. He hasn’t said or done anything, but from what I hear from a couple of the waitresses, I think he has feelings for me.”
“Great, that’s comforting.”
Shaking her head, she assured him it meant nothing. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not looking and even if I was I couldn’t be with a giant.”
“Hey, you two!” Tonya’s voice resonated over the sound of customers as she walked over to them. “How did you get in here past me?”
Tonya wrapped her arms around Sam then Junior and smiled. They hugged her back and Junior was thrilled to see another old friend.
“If I tell you, you’ll get mad, so I won’t,” Sam told her with a slight grin.
“You came in the back way, didn’t you? You know Uncle Steve would have a fit over that. It’s a safety risk. Hey, Junior how was your flight?”
Grinning at the two of them, he replied, “It was good, and hey back. How are you? It’s been too long.”
Sitting down at the bar with them she wiped her hair from her face and looked relieved to be sitting.
“I’m good. And tired. Good and tired.”
They all laughed and Tonya asked Tibet to give her a glass of water.
“This is a great place you have here. I’m guessing it’s busy all the time,” Junior told her.
“Thank you, and you’re guessing right. It rarely slows down. That’s part of the reason my uncle needed Sam here. Well, that, and I wanted her here, too. Are you going to order?”
“Yeah,” Sam looked around. “We’ll eat here at the bar. There’s no way we would get a table anytime soon.”
“You know the drill here, girl. Let Tibet know what you want and he’ll give it to the chef. I should go back up front and check on the new hostess I hired. She seems a little confused.”
Tonya walked back up to the hostess stand, leaving Sam and Junior alone. They looked at each other and Sam gazed into his eyes for a moment. She caught herself not wanting to look away, but forced herself to.
They both looked at a menu and wasted a few minutes deciding what they wanted. Sam didn’t actually need to look, but she was trying to keep her mind and her eyes occupied. As her eyes travelled over the pictures and words her mind went to God.
Lord, I need You right now. Please, keep my mind and heart where it needs to be and not where temptation lies.
“I think I’m ready,” Junior announced.
Junior told her what he wanted and she gave Tibet both orders. She knew Tonya would be busy with the new girl for a while so there was no need in waiting. Not if they wanted to eat anytime soon. Tibet wrote down their order and gave it to the chef with the knowledge of who it was for.
***
Junior
Junior asked more about the restaurant and if Sam planned to stay there. He was curious whether she still planned to open her own place one day. At the same time, he had to be honest with himself. He was curious about everything about her, even things he already knew in case anything had changed.
As they waited on their dinner and talked, he thought about what he knew about Sam. He knew she was not only beautiful and intelligent, but she was also funny, outgoing, and energetic. He knew she loved cats and was actually surprised she didn’t have one. Then he remembered Sheeba, the next-door dog and understood why. He knew about her health problems and was happy she was better. He knew the world would be at a loss without her. One of the most important things he knew about her was that she cared about him. She may not have the same feelings for him as he did for her, but he hoped to find out soon.
“…and that’s what I told him.”
He suddenly realized he hadn’t heard what she was telling him and he blushed. He tried to pretend he knew, but failed miserably.
“Oh, I see. I agree,” he told her absentmindedly.
Sam looked at him with an expression that said she knew he had no idea what she was talking about.
“Do you have any idea what I said?”
It was obvious he had been busted, and had a look of guilt written all over his face. He had to grin hoping she wouldn’t get mad.
“No, I’m sorry. My head was filled with a bunch of other things at the same time. What was it you said?”
“Never mind. It’s not important.” She pursed her lips and tried to play coy. He took her seriously and felt bad by being distracted.
“Oh, come on Sam. I said I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you,” he pleaded.
Sam looked at him sideways and burst out into laughter, jabbing him in his arm.
“Gotcha! I was playing you!”
Junior was caught off guard and it took him a second to gather his senses. Once he did he started laughing along with her. Pointing a finger at her they enjoyed their moment. Again, they both caught themselves gazing into each other’s eyes. It seemed like time stood still even for only a few seconds. Then Tibet interrupted the moment by setting their plates in front of them.
Shaking their heads, they both thanked him and again Junior saw the giant of a man was giving him a stern look with squinted eyes. Sam giggled to herself and gently smacked Junior on his arm.
“Eat your food,” she told him.
“He makes me nervous.”
“He’s a gentle giant.”
“That’s not what you told me earlier.”
They ate their dinner and halfway through, Tonya made it back over to them, apologizing. She talked for a total of two minutes and had to leave again. Sam knew she would be right there with her the next day and appreciated her time off with Junior. Hopefully, they would be able to get through the evening without a hitch.
Later, after they got back to Sam’s place, she and Junior were sitting on the porch admiring the way the sky looked. Clear of clouds and
full of bright stars made them appreciate the beauty. It was impossible not to. A few people were still on the beach and could barely be heard over the sound of the ocean. Neither Sam nor Junior were talking; they were simply enjoying the time together with a cool glass of wine.
Breathing deeply and wanting more from the night before they both went to bed, Junior looked over at her. He was stunned by how beautiful she was. He noticed her hair was longer, her skin was tanned, and it seemed she had more freckles on her cheeks. She felt his gaze on her and turned and smiled at him.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing. I was only looking. It’s been a long time and I missed you is all.”
Grinning, she asked, “You want to take a walk on the beach?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I like that idea.”
Leaving her sandals on the porch and setting her glass on the table, she stood and motioned for him to follow her. Together, they walked between the trees and onto the short path from the bungalow to the sand. Looking behind her she smiled at him, making his heart jump in his chest. It is a perfect night for a walk with the woman you love. Too bad she didn’t feel the same way.
They slowly moved past her neighbor’s house and heard Sheeba whining. They looked over and could see her watching them from the screened in back porch. Continuing on their way they walked closer to the water, not speaking at first. Sam wrapped her arms around herself and Junior slid his hands in his pockets. He knew where they would go if he didn’t, and he wasn’t sure it was the right time yet.
As they got closer to the water the sand became more damp, and Junior slid his sandals off and carried them. Swinging them from one hand he enjoyed feeling the sand on the bottom of his feet.
“It feels great walking out here with you,” she softly told him. “I was thinking about this when we were sitting on the porch not saying anything.”
Doing his best not to get his expectations high, he replied, “It’s a great idea. I’m liking it, too.”
Taking a deep breath, she jumped forward and asked him a question that had been on her mind. “What’s your expectations from being here, Junior?”
Surprised by her question and for being so forward, he wasn’t sure how to respond.
“What do you mean? I’m on vacation. We haven’t seen each other in over a year and I wanted to see you and this is a gorgeous place to visit. I had hoped you would want me to come down.”
She stopped walking and looked up at him. His heart beat rapidly in his chest and he believed if it was any harder she would be able to hear it.
“I do want you here, I…I’m confused I guess.”
Sam’s eyes lowered and her focus shifted to the sand between the two of them and he tried to think of what to do. What he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and hold her. What he needed to do was kiss her deeply and tell her again how much he loved her. But what he did was tell her she had nothing to worry about. They were only friends after all. She nodded and gave a small smile before they started walking again. Nothing more was said as they walked. They took in the night as best they could with what they were both struggling with in their hearts.
Chapter Three
The rhythmic sound of rain disturbed Junior from his deep sleep. At first, he thought the waves were more intense than usual. When he opened his eyes the room revealed a thick blackness. The horrendous downpour outside became obvious. He raised up from the couch and rubbed his eyes. It didn’t help him to see better. Instead it caused tiny dancing stars cross his vision. He thought it was still early, but wasn’t sure of what time it was. Besides the obvious storm, all was quiet in the house. He thought Sam was still sleeping.
Sitting still and closing his eyes again, thoughts of the previous evening crossed his sleepy brain. He remembered the walk on the beach with Sam and the conversation they had. It wasn’t much, but the words were what mattered. His heart clenched at those words and at her expression when he said them.
They were only friends after all.
Is that all they would ever be? Is that all she truly wanted? Even if it wasn’t him, would she never want to love again? He didn’t want to be only friends, and the idea of that possibility caused frustration. He was in love with her, but he knew he might have to accept that friends might be all they would ever be. That would be a painful process for him.
His best friend came to mind. Chris, Sam’s deceased husband who she was still madly in love with and devoted to. Junior missed Chris, and in some ways, was also jealous that he had had the honor of Sam’s love. Since his best friend’s death, Junior knew she had struggled with healing and still hurt from it. He felt like a jerk for wanting to be with her, but he couldn’t control what his heart told him. He couldn’t control his soul. Maybe he should go home and leave her alone. Confused and unsure of what he should do, he felt like punching the cushions he sat on. He felt like going for a walk, but the thought of walking in a storm didn’t appeal to him.
He thought about checking on her to see if she was okay or making breakfast to surprise her. He tiptoed through the house and peeked into her room. Even in the dim light, he could see her bed was empty and was surprised to see she was gone. She must have had to go in early, but he couldn’t believe he didn’t hear her. He must have been more tired than he realized.
With the knowledge he was alone in the house and not knowing how long she had to work, he didn’t know what he would do for the day. He wished he would have thought to ask her before they went to bed what time she would be getting off work. It was raining rather hard so the beach was not an option. He didn’t have a car to go anywhere, although he could call a cab if he had to. Frustrated, he thought about going back to sleep so he wouldn’t have to think or feel. A deep depression began to settle on his heart.
“This blows,” he grumbled to himself.
***
Sam
Sam eased herself into a booth at her break and let out a heavy sigh. She was struggling with everything and it was wearing her nerves raw. Most likely those of everyone else around her, too. She was dropping things and getting orders wrong. She was forgetful. You would think she hadn’t a clue on what to do in a kitchen at all if you didn’t know her. She didn’t feel as if she knew herself. Thankfully, it wasn’t busy because of the dreary weather, but the rain was draining her. It was bringing her mood down to go along with everything else.
Steve walked up to her earlier asking if she was okay. His concern was obvious. She had been cleaning her area after making fresh bean salad and placing it in the walk-in cooler.
“I’m fine,” she lied to him. “I’m just having an off day. I’m sorry.”
She hated lying to her boss. He was more than a boss to her. He had become a dear friend since she had started working for him. She rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath.
God, please get me through this. I need Your help.
A moment later she heard a glass being set on the table and she opened her eyes to see Tonya sitting across from her. She could read the worry on Tonya’s face, too.
“So, you going to tell me what’s wrong or am I going to have to drag it out of you?” Tonya asked her with a slight grin.
Shrugging her shoulders, Sam answered, “I’m okay. I’m a little tired and having an off day.”
“Hmmm, so I’m going to have to drag it out of you, I see. Should I start the guessing game, then?”
“I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“Because of who was in the house with you?”
“Don’t be silly. Junior was in the living room on the couch. He had nothing to do with it.”
“I thought you didn’t like to lie.”
Normally, Sam wouldn’t get irritated with Tonya’s bluntness, but it was starting to get on her nerves and she had to catch herself before speaking. Closing her eyes, she breathed and thought before saying another word.
“Okay, maybe him being here had something to do with it, but it’s not what you think.”
“I�
��m not thinking anything like you think I’m thinking. I’m thinking you aren’t dealing with certain feelings that need to be dealt with.”
“That may be the case, but honey, right now isn’t the time or the place for me to talk about it.”
Tonya waited to see if Sam would say anything else. After a minute, she eased up.
“Sam, I love you. We are more like family than being born from the same mother. I know you. I’m sorry, but I can tell when something isn’t right. You know I’m here for you. It isn’t your heart, is it?”
Shaking her head, Sam said, “No, I feel fine. I went to the doctor last week and everything checked out great. I’m doing everything I’m supposed to do.”
“You need a few days off. You are working too hard,” Tonya suggested, sounding more concerned than before.
“Okay, Mom,” Sam sighed. “Maybe, I do. I don’t know.”
“Yes, I think you do. I’m the boss and your best friend, so after today I will make sure I’ll get your shifts covered for the rest of the week. You aren’t allowed back here until next Monday.”
As soon as those words left her mouth and before Sam could object Tonya left the table. Sam watched her walk into the back, more than likely to tell Steve.
“This is just great,” she mumbled to herself. “Exactly what I don’t need. More time alone with Junior and our emotions.”
She felt guilty for feeling that way. She truly did care a great deal for her friend. If she was completely honest with herself, she would be able to admit how she was feeling. She would be able to properly deal with the fact that seeing him lying on the couch when she got up made her feel things she didn’t want to feel about another man. No matter how much she would like to be held and kissed and loved again, she wasn’t ready. She wasn’t ready for that pain again and thinking about Junior in that way scared her. Her desire for him terrified her.
God, please get me through this day, and if you don’t mind, please let me know what I’m supposed to do.
When Never Again Happens (Never Again Series Book 2) Page 2
