Chapter 8: After Hours
1955 Words
By seven-thirty that evening, Eliana had finally changed out of her office clothes.
The black trousers and cream blouse were folded neatly over the back of her chair while she stood in front of the small mirror in the restaurant’s staff room, tying her apron around her waist.
Her feet were already complaining.
She ignored them.
“Tell me you’re not smiling.”
Eliana looked at Hayden through the mirror.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m tired.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
Hayden leaned against the doorframe, arms folded.
“You’ve been smiling all afternoon.”
Eliana adjusted the knot of her apron.
“Maybe I’m happy.”
“Because of work?”
“Yes.”
Hayden stared at her.
“You’ve officially become boring.”
Eliana laughed.
“You’re the one who asked me to cover your shift.”
“I asked you to cover my shift because I have a life.”
“And I apparently don’t?”
“Exactly.”
Eliana shook her head.
Hayden grinned.
“So, how’s the scary CEO?”
Eliana’s hands stopped for half a second.
“Who?”
“Your boss.”
“He’s not scary.”
Hayden’s expression said she didn’t believe her.
“Yesterday you called him impossible.”
“He is.”
“And today?”
“Still impossible.”
“But?”
Eliana picked up her tray.
“No but.”
Hayden followed her out.
“There’s definitely a but.”
“There isn’t.”
“Fine.”
Hayden smiled innocently.
“I’m sure you’ll tell me when there is.”
Eliana rolled her eyes.
She wasn’t going to tell Hayden anything.
Especially not about the strange way Scott had looked at her when she’d walked out of the office the previous evening.
It meant nothing.
He was her boss.
That was all.
She had accepted the job because of Mr. Eliot’s request.
Nothing else.
She reminded herself of that as she stepped onto the restaurant floor.
The restaurant was busy.
Friday evenings usually were.
The soft music disappeared beneath conversations, laughter and the occasional clatter of cutlery against plates.
Eliana moved between tables with practiced ease.
She knew which customers preferred quiet corners.
Which regular ordered without looking at the menu.
Which businessman liked his coffee before dessert.
Which couple needed another ten minutes before anyone approached their table.
She liked this version of her life.
There were no spreadsheets.
No meetings.
No unexpected schedule changes.
No CEO standing over her desk asking why she had moved a meeting by five minutes.
Just food, people and work she understood.
At least until the front door opened.
Eliana was carrying two glasses of water when she heard Hayden whisper from behind the counter.
“Oh, no.”
She glanced over.
“What?”
Hayden’s eyes were fixed on the entrance.
Eliana followed her gaze.
And stopped.
Scott Eliot had just walked into the restaurant.
He wasn’t wearing the suit from earlier.
His tie was gone, his sleeves were rolled to his forearms, and the expensive jacket he’d worn that morning had been replaced with a dark shirt.
He looked different.
Less like the man who owned every room he entered.
More like a man who had simply decided he wanted dinner.
Eliana immediately turned away.
No.
Absolutely not.
She had spent the entire day with him.
She did not need to spend her evening with him too.
“Do you know him?” Hayden whispered.
“No.”
The lie came too quickly.
Hayden frowned.
“You looked terrified.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
“I was surprised.”
“By a customer?”
“Just take these.”
Eliana pushed the glasses toward her.
Hayden looked at the glasses.
Then at Scott.
Then back at Eliana.
“Interesting.”
“Hayden.”
“Fine.”
She walked away laughing under her breath.
Eliana exhaled.
She hoped Scott wouldn’t notice her.
That hope lasted approximately twelve seconds.
“Excuse me.”
She froze.
His voice was unmistakable.
She turned slowly.
Scott was standing in front of her.
“Table for one?”
His eyes moved over her face.
There was recognition.
But not enough.
“You work here?”
Eliana nodded.
“Yes.”
He glanced around.
“I didn’t know your father owned this place.”
She frowned.
“My father?”
Scott gave her a confused look.
“Mr. Eliot.”
Understanding dawned.
She had forgotten that he knew this was his father’s restaurant.
“He’s not my father.”
Scott’s eyebrows lifted.
“I thought—”
“No.”
She gave him a polite smile.
“Table for one?”
He studied her for another second.
Then nodded.
“Sure.”
She picked up a menu.
“Follow me.”
As she walked ahead, she could feel his gaze on her back.
She told herself not to care.
It was probably just because he was trying to figure out where he’d seen her before.
Nothing more.
Scott took a seat near the window.
Eliana handed him the menu.
“Would you like something to drink?”
“Coffee.”
She almost smiled.
“Black?”
He looked at her.
“You guessed.”
“I guessed.”
“And if I wanted something else?”
“I’d bring you something else.”
Scott leaned back.
“You’re not very talkative.”
“I’m working.”
“You talk more like this to every customer?.”
Eliana’s fingers tightened around the edge of the menu.
“No I don’t . Just to customers that matters”
“And here?”
She looked at him.
“Here, you’re a customer and your satisfaction is the restaurant’s priority .”
Something about the answer amused him.
“I like that.”
“Good.”
She turned.
“Wait.”
She stopped.
“What?”
“What do you recommend?”
Eliana looked at the menu.
“The grilled chicken.”
“Everyone says that.”
“Because it’s good.”
“You’ve tried it?”
“Several times.”
Scott closed the menu.
“Then I’ll have that.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
She nodded and walked away.
Scott watched her go.
There was something about her.
He couldn’t explain it.
She wasn’t trying to impress him.
She wasn’t flirting.
She didn’t seem particularly interested in his name, his money or the fact that half the people in the city probably knew who he was.
She was simply doing her job.
And somehow that was refreshing.
When Eliana returned with his coffee, Scott was looking through his phone.
She placed the cup on the table.
“Your coffee.”
He looked up.
“Thanks.”
She turned to leave.
“You’re different here.”
She stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“You seem more relaxed.”
Eliana shrugged.
“I’m not in the office.”
Scott smiled.
“You really don’t like the office.”
“I like my job.”
“That’s not what I said.”
She looked at him.
“You ask too many questions.”
“You answer too few.”
“Then we’re even.”
Scott laughed.
It surprised him.
He couldn’t remember the last time a waitress had made him laugh without trying to.
Eliana walked away.
From across the restaurant, Hayden was watching them.
Eliana caught her eye.
Hayden immediately looked away.
Coward.
Dinner arrived twenty minutes later.
Scott took one bite.
Then another.
He nodded to himself.
She’d been right.
The chicken was good.
He looked toward the kitchen.
Eliana was speaking to another waiter, smiling at something he had said.
Scott found himself watching her.
It wasn’t unusual for him to notice beautiful women.
He did it all the time.
But this felt different.
She wasn’t dressed to attract attention.
She wasn’t trying to be noticed.
And yet his eyes kept returning to her.
His phone buzzed.
Asher: Where are you?
Scott typed.
Scott: At my father’s restaurant.
The reply came almost immediately.
Asher: Why?
Scott looked toward Eliana.
He hesitated before typing.
Scott: Dinner.
Asher: With who?
Scott smirked.
Scott: Nobody.
He put the phone away.
A few minutes later, Eliana came over.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes.”
“Do you need anything?”
“Another coffee.”
She reached for the cup.
“You haven’t finished that one.”
“I know.”
“Then why do you need another?”
Scott looked at her.
“You’re very strict.”
“Occupational hazard.”
She took the cup anyway.
As she walked away, Scott smiled.
He wasn’t sure why.
Later that night, the restaurant began to quiet down.
Eliana wiped down the counter while Hayden counted receipts.
Scott was still at his table.
He had finished dinner nearly twenty minutes ago.
He wasn’t in a hurry to leave.
When Eliana finally approached him, she stopped beside his table.
“Are you waiting for someone?”
“No.”
“Then?”
Scott looked up.
“I was enjoying the coffee.”
“You’ve had three.”
“I like coffee.”
She smiled.
“So I’ve noticed.”
He looked at her for a moment.
“You’re here every evening?”
“Not every evening.”
“What days?”
Eliana laughed softly.
“Why?”
“I was asking.”
“That’s a lot of curiosity for someone who came here for dinner.”
Scott leaned back.
“Maybe I’ll come back.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Good.”
He stood.
Eliana stepped aside.
“Goodnight.”
Scott nodded.
“Goodnight…”
He paused.
“You know, I don’t think I caught your name.”
Eliana hesitated.
“It’s Eliana.”
He repeated it quietly.
“Eliana.”
Something in the way he said her name made her chest tighten.
She ignored it.
“Goodnight, Mr. Eliot.”
His expression changed.
“You know my name?”
She realized her mistake.
She recovered quickly.
“Your father owns the restaurant.”
“Right.”
He smiled.
“Goodnight, Eliana.”
He walked toward the entrance.
Eliana watched him leave.
Only when the door closed did she finally breathe.
Hayden appeared beside her.
“So.”
Eliana sighed.
“No.”
“I haven’t even said anything.”
“I know your face.”
Hayden grinned.
“You like him.”
“I absolutely do not.”
“You were smiling.”
“He was a customer.”
“You don’t smile at all customers like that.”
Eliana turned toward the kitchen.
“I need to finish closing.”
Hayden followed her.
“You’re avoiding the question.”
“No.”
“That’s a yes.”
Eliana laughed despite herself.
“Go home, Hayden.”
Outside, Scott stopped beside his car.
He glanced back at the restaurant.
Through the glass, he could see Eliana moving around the counter.
He frowned.
Something about her felt familiar.
Not her face exactly.
Something else.
The way she organized things.
The way she answered questions.
The little pause before she spoke when she was choosing her words.
He shook the thought away.
Impossible.
His secretary was nothing like this woman.
His secretary was composed, serious and irritatingly determined to challenge everything he said.
This woman was warmer.
Softer.
She smiled more.
They were different.
Completely different.
Scott opened his car door.
Then paused.
For some reason, he smiled.
Maybe he’d come back tomorrow.
He got into the car.
And drove away, unaware that the woman he’d spent the evening thinking about was the same woman who would be sitting behind his desk the following morning.
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