Off the Menu

Chapter One: That Doesn’t Count! - Cole

I flipped through the vinyls in front of me, tattooed fingers pausing on one every now and then. Though it was less about actually considering the album and more because I was distracted by the bookseller nearby. She was standing at a table display with another one of her coworkers. It must have been a slow day because they didn’t really seem to be working as much as they were reading the descriptions on the back of the books and giggling about them. I couldn’t help looking at her, admiring the way her dark curls bounced when she laughed. There was a book in her hands, the front of it facing me, but even with my glasses, I couldn’t read the fancy script from here. “It sounds interesting, but I don’t think I could read that kind of book when the love interest has the same name as my little brother.”

Her coworker laughed too, “Trust me, you’re missing out.”

I watched as she replaced the book on top of its stack, shaking her head. “I think I’ll be okay.” She reached up, pulling a curl free from her earring it had tangled in.

Her hands dropped to her sides and she looked in my direction. No, not just in my direction. At me. In that moment, I realized I had stopped flipping through the vinyls a while ago. My breath hitched, my heart pounding as I wondered if she realized I’d been staring at her. Her head tilted slightly and the eye contact was undeniable. I quickly lowered my gaze to the Childish Gambino record my fingers rested on, and used one hand to push my glasses back up my nose. Her conversation with her coworker resumed and I sucked in a deep breath. I felt like I was sixteen and had just been caught smoking. My heart raced as I tried to settle my nerves. Of course, it was that moment I was startled by the alarm on my phone going off. I jumped slightly, almost knocking some of the records off the shelf. I took another deep breath in an attempt to calm myself and took my phone out of my pocket to silence the alarm. My break was over and I had to head back over to Stella Cucina. Perfect timing.

“Have a nice day,” her voice was cheery as she called to me, watching me make my exit.

I managed a smile as I nodded slightly in her direction. I was trying to keep my cool, but I could feel the warmth in my face, and I knew it wasn’t simply because it was hot out. “Thanks, you too,” I swallowed, repositioning my glasses on my face again as I pushed the door open.

I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the heat of the sun wash over me as I stepped outside. “You f*****g i***t,” I muttered to myself, stopping to light a cigarette before crossing the parking lot to head back over to Stella Cucina.

~*~

“Was she there today?” my brother, Riley, asked when he noticed me trying to clock in. I only glanced at him, not answering the question. Unfortunately, he took my evasiveness as a yes. “Let me guess, you still didn’t talk to her?” he continued.

“Where’s Eli?” I asked, looking past him to see if our manager was within sight anywhere in the kitchen. “I need him to clock me in.”

Riley ignored me though, and continued to press. “You didn’t. What are you so scared of?”

“I’m not scared, and I did talk to her.”

Riley didn’t even try to hide his disbelief. “Really?” His nose scrunched, blue eyes drilling into me from behind his glasses.

I glared at Riley before backing away from him to follow Eli to the walk in. “We did talk, she told me to have a nice day.” I grabbed a grape, popping it into my mouth, grinning as I turned around.

“That doesn’t count, Cole!” Riley called after me.