It’s him. The guy from the pool. He works here. Seriously? I should have figured.
In any case, I am a little stunned by the sight in front of me. I may have noticed him in his board shorts earlier, but this is a little different. I’m seeing more, but less, and I need to stop staring.
“Good evening, ladies,” he says.
Lea giggles again. She can’t control herself, and Noa is literally right here. She could at least try to act less like a teenage girl who’s standing in front of a mostly naked, good-looking guy.
“No … right?” he asks.
“My name isn’t ‘No,’” I respond while taking another long drink of the sight he’s forcing me to take in. Despite my normal ability to remain unaffected by men talking to me, I’ve suddenly forgotten how to breathe. It’s a good thing I already responded to his question.
“Oh, I see. Well, I’m Denver, in case you forgot,” he says, reaching his hand out to me.
“That’s right! I forgot you two met this morning. This troublemaker over here … ” Noa says as he slaps his hands down on Denver’s shoulders. “Ladies, Denver is officially my newest—”
“Man bun?” I ask.
Noa clears his throat. “Sure, sis. We’ll go with that if it gets you any closer to smiling instead of snarling,” Noa says.
“I’m not your sis, and when I am, I will still only be your in-law,” I inform him.
“Please don’t start tonight, you two,” Lea follows. “I want this to be a good night.”
“Then you shouldn’t have tricked me into coming here,” I reply.
“Lea, I told you not to do that,” Noa interrupts. “You know I can’t afford to have any drama in the restaurant, babe.”
“Drama?” Lea responds with haste. I give it two seconds before steam is pouring out of her ears.
“I didn’t mean drama, drama, I just meant—”
“That I embarrass you, right?” Lea replies.
For the love of God. “Leave him alone, Lea.”
“Leave him alone?” Lea snaps at me. “You can’t be serious. You’ve been attacking me for the last hour, and now you’re telling me to leave my fiancé alone?”
“Attacking her?” Noa asks me.
“No! No one was attacking anyone. She’s being dramatic,” I emphasize with a wide-eyed glare.
“Ladies, ladies,” Denver cuts in.
“What?” Lea snaps at him. Geez. She doesn’t even know the guy. I guess she’s now snapping at anyone when she feels the need.
Denver looks a little taken aback and reaches out for my elbow, tugging me to the side—away from Lea and Noa. With fury running through my blood, I allow Denver to pull me away, but only because I know what will happen if I don’t walk away on my own. As much as I don’t agree with Noa’s choice in restaurant themes, I don’t want to hurt his business either, especially after he just proposed to take care of Lea for the rest of her life.
By the time my feet stop moving and my cold stare is broken from the sight of Lea and Noa, I realize I’ve been taken to the other side of this locker room or whatever it is. “I’m sorry, I know I don’t know you at all, and you’re probably not too fond of me after this morning, but I figured you needed to breathe for a minute. I have a younger sister, Brielle, and I’ve had to be dragged away too. They’re like these little red ants. You think they’re just tiny and harmless, then they bite you like a motherfucker.”
His analogy makes me snort. “That’s exactly how I would classify Lea.” I’m talking to this guy like I wasn’t put off by his little flirty game this morning.
“Sorry you had to see that,” I tell him. “I didn’t want to come tonight and—” I start to say.
“Would it make you feel better if I tell you I was tricked into coming here tonight too?” he asks.
He leans against the wall we’re next to, folding his arms and crossing one foot in front of the other. Aside from the teeny tiny black shorts he has painted on, he looks like a sculpted body model for a painting class—possibly one that might be studying Greek gods. “How come you didn’t know you were coming here? You’re a waiter, aren’t you?”
“Noa told me he had a job for me. I’ve seen some shit in my day, but let me tell ya something. I did not imagine he’d be taking me to a place like this to work.” He’s seen some shit in his day? That’s right, he’s a Marine. Noa mentioned that part.
“So, you didn’t voluntarily choose to walk around in uncomfortable underwear all night while serving food?”
He closes his eyes and shakes his head. “No, ma’am.”
I cover my mouth, trying to stop the laughter bubbling in my throat. “You should tell him no, if you’re uncomfortable,” I tell him, trying to offer advice but realizing I sound ridiculous. I’m sure he knows how to say no.
“I’m not uncomfortable. I think it’s dumb, but honestly, I need a job, and I’m brand new to the area, so who knows how long it might take me to find something else. I have a daughter to take care of, you know?”
My ovaries just got a case of the butterflies. Totally normal. “You’re a good dad,” I tell him, without really thinking because I don’t actually know what kind of dad he is. I don’t know him at all, but hey, he’s doing what he has to for her, so that’s got to be something.
“I try,” he says quietly.
“They’re quiet,” I tell him. “At least, they stopped arguing.” I take a couple of steps away from Wonder Buns and peek around the corner, then quickly regret doing so.
“You don’t know of another exit, do you?” I ask Denver.
“I could name a few ‘exits’ at this current moment, but if you’re planning to walk through one of them, no, I haven’t seen another exit yet. I’ve only been in this room for a total of thirty minutes, and inside this bun joint for thirty-one minutes, so your guess is as good as mine.”
“Well, as much as I’d like to watch the romp around the corner, I’m going to look for another way out,” I tell him. Lea has never been shy about public displays of affection, and I’ve never been shy about expressing my distaste for PDA, but I don’t want to start another argument, so it’s best to run.
“I’ll follow you,” Denver says.
I stop myself from saying anything sarcastic because I wouldn’t want to stay in there if I were him, though I’m not sure I’d be ready to start prancing around outside the locker room in skin-tight boy shorts either.
With a glance around the area, I spot another door in the opposite corner and head for what I hope is the exit. Thankfully, it opens and takes us into the kitchen, which must have a connecting door to the restaurant. “Well, this has gone from uncomfortable to unsanitary really quickly,” Denver says from behind me.
“You don’t wear shoes while you’re waiting tables?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I hadn’t had enough time to figure that part out yet, but I’m guessing shoes are probably something I should consider.”
The cooks are too busy to notice us walking through, which is a good thing since I shouldn’t be back here. The door is easy to spot, and I speed up to make my way back out into the restaurant where I spot some of the hotel’s pool staff. Thank goodness.
“Uh,” Denver says as the kitchen door flings backward.
I turn around. “What’s the matter?” Besides the fact that you’re mostly naked and people are staring at you.
“I just had a thought,” he says.
Don’t say anything stupid. “What’s that?”
“What if I get too excited about this job tonight?” He asks so softly, I almost didn’t hear him. But I heard him. There’s a smirk poking into one corner of his lips, but his question is sort of—really—out of line for just meeting me.
Regardless, I won’t let him think he has any type of effect on me. I place my hand on his hard-as-stone chest, feeling the smooth beats of his heart that instantaneously grow quicker and stronger. If a touch is making his pulse race, I can understand his concern. I’m just glad I
have a lined bra on, or he might notice the sudden heat rushing through my body too. “Wonder Buns, the only suggestion I have for you is to keep your excitement on the down-low and to remain at ease.”
Denver clears his throat. “Wonder Buns? Wow, coming from the girl whose name is No. You should watch it.”
“My name is Kai, in case you missed Noa snarling it like an angry cat earlier. Not ‘No.’ I just say that a lot. It’s a good thing to keep in mind,” I say with a wink, then smile and wave with my fingers as I leave him standing on full display.
Chapter Seven
Denver
My first thought while standing out in the middle of a restaurant nearly naked is what Aya would think if she saw me right now. She’s not old enough to understand that people will go to extreme efforts for money sometimes, but after being called her “hero” since she was old enough to speak, I feel like I’m undoing everything good I’ve ever done by flashing my goods around in hopes of tips. This isn’t me. Though, I suppose I’d look similar on a European beach, as Noa nicely put it.
It all comes down to money, though. I need to give that little girl everything she deserves. It was the reason for my optional discharge from the Marines. It’s all about her, but I’m torn on what defines success here.
“Bro, are you the new guy?” someone shouts from across the restaurant.
That would be me. I scan the area, looking for who’s shouting, but it’s hard to miss him. I didn’t think it was possible, but his shorts might be tighter than mine, and that thing ain’t real.
I give him a nod to acknowledge I heard him as I head in his direction. “Yeah, I’m the new guy,” I say, shooting out my hand to shake his.
With a firm shake, a smile, and waves to the table of women in front of him. “Denver, right?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’m Denver.”
“Ladies, this is Denver. He’ll be your waiter for this evening. As I mentioned on the way in, I’m Danko, and we’re here to make sure you have a great night, so here are a few menus.” Danko hands the middle-age women enough menus to go around the table. He turns around and grabs a basket of peanuts from the table behind me, and I already know how this is going to go. “Is anyone allergic to peanuts?”
Seriously? Lame. “Because if you are, we’re not racist here, and we can find something else for you to munch on instead,” I add in. How the hell can you wear speedo shorts and not at least make jokes while doing so? Otherwise, what’s the point?
“Wooooooot! My man has a sense of humor. You are in for a treat tonight. Just make sure you stick around for the eight o’clock, mid-evening entertainment,” Danko adds in before slapping me on the back and walking away.
Mid-evening entertainment. They better have separate help for that shit.
“No one is allergic to nuts at this table,” the red-headed tourist says. “But do you know if they’re the salty kind?”
“I do believe these are the salty kind, miss. It’s the best treat to develop a thirst. Am I right?” A round of giggles echoes around the semi-circle table. “I’ll be back in just a moment to take your drink order.”
I head toward the bar to find out what’s on tap and if there are any specials, since I’ve had zero training or any type of introduction, and I’m a little scared to go back into the locker room for the moment. As I approach the bar, I notice a woman bartending, which I find particularly odd for this type of restaurant, though I’m guessing if she filled out an application, Noa couldn’t discriminate either. Laws and such. “Hey, uh—”
“New guy, right?” she asks.
“Denver,” I say, reaching my hand out.
“Lani,” she replies, taking my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m just wondering if you can tell me what’s on tap and if we have any specials. Noa didn’t quite fill me in yet.” I’m looking over the bar at the taps, trying to see what’s available, but she quickly sputters them out in alphabetical order and hands me a drink special menu. I jot down the beers and copy the list of specials.
“Thanks for writing them down. It makes my job easier than having to repeat myself twenty times in one shift.”
Sounds like Noa has some winners working here, or that’s why this position was open. Either way, efficiency is always better. “No one likes a pest,” I tell her.
“Exactly.” She places a few drinks up on the bar. “Would you mind taking these to the VIP table over there in the corner?”
I look over my shoulder at the ‘VIP’ table, spotting the hotel staff I recognize from earlier today … Kai and all. Fucking fabulous. “Sure thing, Lani.”
“Denver,” she says before turning away with the drinks. “Thanks for not being a douche. You’re the first one not to say something stupid within five minutes of working here.”
I feel like her comment should shock me, but it doesn’t. Any guy who volunteers for this position is looking for ass, plain and simple. “My pleasure.”
This is going to suck. This is going to suck. This is going to suck.
Lani dropped a slip with the drinks so I know what’s what. If I just stick to the job, maybe I won’t get any comments. “I have two Bottom Barrel Stouts, a Rear Peach Mojito, and a Rump Punch.” Whoever named the drinks has a sense of humor at least.
“I got the Rump Punch,” Kai says with a raised brow.
“I have the mojito,” the other girl, who I believe works at the hotel’s cabana cafe, says.
“Okay, and I take it the two stouts go to the two studs,” I say, placing the beers down.
“Dude, no. Just no. We’re here for Noa, not the entertainment,” one of the two guys says.
“Where is that bastard anyway?” I ask them.
“We haven’t seen him or Lea,” Kai says with an irritated look on her face. Her elbow is resting on the table, and her hand is smashed up against her cheek, holding her head up. This obviously isn’t her scene, but why is she here if that’s the case? She doesn’t strike me as the type to be told what to do or where to go.
I place the last drink, the Rump Punch, down on a cocktail napkin in front of Kai. “Here you go.”
She glances up at me with a look I can’t decipher. It’s teetering on the edge of sadness and boredom if I had to guess. “Have you had a chance to look at your menus?” I ask the crowd.
“We should probably wait for Lea and Noa,” Kai says, completely monotone.
I squat down beside her as the others continue in their conversation. While squatting down, I feel the stretch of the shorts against my junk, and it adds a quick mental note that I should not squat down—ever again—in these shorts. “You look sort of miserable,” I tell Kai.
“I am sort of miserable,” she replies.
“Why are you miserable?”
“I don’t want to be here gawking at dogs and buns.”
“So, don’t gawk,” I tell her.
“You’re not a native of the islands, are you?” she asks.
“No, ma’am. I’m originally from Dallas, Texas. I was stationed over on Oahu though.”
“I couldn’t place your accent, but now it makes sense.”
“Yup, you don’t easily lose a Southern dialect, I guess.”
“So, if you’re from Texas, why do you have tribal ink all over your chest and arm?” she asks, studying the tattoos covering the right side of my body.
I look down at the artwork, remembering the times I spent in the chair listening to the buzz of the needle. “It’s just something I wanted to do after my daughter was born. Hawaii is a part of me now, and I like the meanings behind the symbols.”
“Interesting,” Kai says with a sigh, but sounding fascinated at the same time—I think. Whatever the case is, she’s made it clear she isn’t interested in me, so I need to remember that. I shouldn’t be interested in anything about her either. We just got here, and I need to get my life on track before thinking about anything or anyone other than Aya.
Just as the conversation between the two of us fizzle
s, Noa and Lea meander out of the locker room, holding hands. Their matching smirks confirm what was happening back there, but still, they casually take seats around the table as they act like no one was waiting for them. “What are you guys getting to eat?” Lea asks.
“His buns,” the other chick at the table mutters.
“You want to eat my buns?” I ask her. I turn around and make a show of pointing to my ass. “Like which part would you start with?”
“Uh,” the girl laughs nervously. “I was kidding, sorry.”
“No worries, I figured the comments came with the job,” I say with a wink. At the same moment, I notice Kai giving me a snarl. “Well, I’m guessing I have other tables to tend to, right Noa?” I place the tray behind my back, crossing my hand over my other wrist. I’m just standing here with my feet spread apart, waiting for orders from him while he tries not to laugh at the sight of me.
“Dude, you really fill the role nicely. I got to hand it to you.”
“I fill the role, or the shorts?” I reply.
Noa shrugs with a cocky smirk. “Both, darling.” He gives me a pucker and wink.
“Boss, would you like to tell me what’s next on my to-do list tonight? I didn’t want to interrupt you in the locker room.”
“Tables ten through twenty are yours tonight.”
“Ten tables at once?” I question. That’s a lot, especially on night one.
“You can handle it,” he tells me. “What do you guys want to eat tonight?”
“Wings,” the guys say.
“I’ll do wings too,” Kai seconds the order.
“Sure, wings,” Lea agrees.
“Talia?” Noa questions. Talia is the one who wants to eat my buns.
“Oh, she’s having my buns for dinner, remember?” I chime in. Talia throws her head back into the seat and covers her face. My job here is done. “Are tables ten through twenty in this section?” I wave at the surrounding tables, assuming this is my zone.
“Yeah, from that pillar over there to this table,” Noa confirms.
“On it, and I’ll be back with my buns on a platter for you, Talia.”
Man Buns Page 6
