Page 45 of Pucking Matt
Our next shift together is the same thing.
“Hi, Matt,” she calls out as I walk past her to clock in.
“Hi, Amby.”
She asks, “Do you want to take orders or make the food?”
“I’d rather work behind the scenes.”
We stay in our own lanes, and she offers help when there are no customers. But other than that, it’s pretty uneventful.
The next shift is the same thing.
“Hi, Matt,” she says right as I walk through the door.
I run a hand through my hair and gawk at her. But she can’t keep the stare. There’s no challenge, no anger, and no hatred in her eyes.
“Hey, Amby.”
After I clock in, she asks, “Did you just get off of practice?”
I nod. “Yeah.” How observant of her. “Did you just get off of work?”
“Yeah.”
That’s the most we speak about anything that doesn’t involve sandwiches.
“Hi,” she greets me as I walk behind the counter.
“Amby,” I say, and then clock in.
I’m officially done with training. Amber and I are now equals in the workplace. Even though I briefly mentioned I’m no longer training, she still offers help like I am. I accept her help when needed, and we work silently side by side. But as we get deeper into this shift, it’s pretty quiet in here. I think there’s only been a couple of customers. It’s dead today.
“So,” I offer to start a conversation first. “It must’ve been exciting every time I walked through that door.”
She looks at the front door and says, “I wouldn’t call it that.”
I clap my hands together. “Then what would you call it?”
“Stalking.”
I snort, laughing. “You’re being far too nice to your stalker lately.”
“We work together. I can’t be rude.”
I nod, finally understanding. “So, you want to be?”
She doesn’t say anything.
I continue, “Here, I was thinking that you’re actually not that bad.”
She’s leaning against the counter with her arms crossed. Her hair is in a messy bun and the apron hugs her curves in ways I wish it wouldn’t. She murmurs, “You have the wrong impression.”
I smile because there she is. The real Amber she’s been shoving behind her professionalism.
I say, “I consider myself lucky that this place doesn’t have stairs.”
“You won’t ever drop that, will you?” she says.
