Page 21 of IOU

Okay, now Boss’s tone seems like he’s trying to make me feel bad. It’s working.

I stand from the table, grab his empty tea glass, and go to the refrigerator and pour him some more. He’s going to need it after this story.

“Taylor was giving me a hard time,” I admit with a soft shrug. “She had Tucker take all the good tipping tables and left me with the high school kids and some of the frat guys. You know those guys never leave a tip.”

Luke flashes me a sad look, but Bostic’s stare never wavers.

“I know that wasn’t a good reason to take out my frustrations on a customer.” It was supposed to be my table, but Tucker changed my zone at the last minute. “But Tucker had warned me off their tables, and I had enough drama already, but the guy kept insisting I take his food back and heat it.”

If I hadn’t been in such a pissy mood, I would have stopped to appreciate his glacier blue eyes—and I’m not talking about the pretty, light, icy color like you find above the water’s surface, warning you of impending doom. No. I’m talking about the dark menacing glacier that sits just below the surface, waiting to destroy the next unsuspecting victim. He was frighteningly beautiful, the slight twitch of his lips luring you in as his next breath destroyed you. And I fell epically for his bait.

“Why couldn’t you have just taken his food and heated it? Would it have been that bad?”

I finish pouring Bostic’s tea and make my way back to the table, setting it down harder than necessary. “Don’t start making sense, Boss. I can’t take it.” I suck in a deep breath and take a seat. “All I’m saying is I didn’t want any more trouble. I simply wanted to get Tucker, but he started doing this thing with his mouth.”

Luke makes a noise, turning around. “What kind of thing? Like something kinky?”

It’s the first time I’ve smiled all night. I turn, touching my finger to the corner of my lip. “No. It was like this twitch. Like he was mocking me or something.” I think back to the man with the thick head of hair that looked mussed and wild as if he got out of the shower and dried it with a towel and didn’t bother taking a comb to it. Right. His lip thing. “It was as if he was trying to get a reaction out of me.”

Luke cocks his head to the side. “Like he wanted to piss you off?”

I nod. “Yes. Exactly. I’m telling you, he wanted me to be mean to him.”

The groan that comes out of Bostic is low enough that I can ignore. “I’m sure that wasn’t the case.”

I shrug. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see this guy. He wanted a reaction, so I gave it to him.”

“What did Tucker say afterward?”

Eh. That’s where the night went even more downhill.

“He screamed that I had lost my mind, and I had no idea who I was fucking with.” I shrug. “Apparently, the guy is someone Tucker likes to kiss ass to because he comped their meal and spent a while talking to them before they left.”

“Did the guy look upset when he left?” This was from nosy Luke.

“Not really. His friend passed Tucker a card as they were leaving.” I shrug. “He didn’t even eat his new steak.” Not that I can blame him, but why not take it home?

“Are you going to lose your job?”

I make a face. “I hope not. All Tucker said when he returned was that I better be grateful he still cared about me.”

I pretend to gag.

My no-nonsense fire-savior doesn’t let me down. “So, you aren’t fired?”

“No, Boss.” I smile. “Not yet. Your girl will get to see another payday.”

“What do you think he meant by—”

I can’t discuss this anymore. “I don’t know, Boss Hog, but let’s just call it a win and move on.”

He frowns at my new nickname. “Were you able to find anywhere to stay tonight?”

Lie. Just lie. It’s for his own good.

“Ye—”

Those dark, beady eyes narrow at my fidgeting hands. “Yeeeaaah,” I drawl. “That would be a negative, Captain. I tried really hard, but no one had any available space.” And they are all twattastic, but I don’t need to tell Bostic that. He probably already knows, being the closest fire station to the college.

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