Page 19 of Waiting on Life
When the bus pulled up, I stood. With a deep breath, I boarded, then took a seat near the middle. It was only a fifteen-minute drive to work, and in that time, I came up with no less than a dozen scenarios trying to justify what I’d witnessed. It had to be that I was seeing what I wanted, and not what really happened. It took a bit, but I convinced myself I was reading too much into the situation.
The bus came to a stop a block north of No Angels, and I got off, turning to head to my first real day of work, where I wouldn’t have anyone watching me over my shoulder. I had a mix of emotions about that, because if I screwed up…. No, I couldn’t think about that. I would go in, do my job well, and get home without any issues. At least I hoped.
Though the pavement was still wet, the day had turned nice, with temperatures in the upper sixties and a slight breeze coming in from the lake, but there were more storm clouds rolling in, and the sky to the east was becoming a dark, hazy blue that reminded me of… I swallowed. I had to get Toby out of my head, because if I couldn’t pull it together, I was likely to say something that would get me fired, punched, or make it so I lost a friend. None of which appealed to me.
When I got to the bar, I pulled the door open and stepped inside. There were only a few people in the place now, likely those who’d gotten off work not long ago. They were an incongruous bunch. There were as many bikers in leather as there were guys in business suits. Later in the evening, it would be all bikers and bangers, but it was nice to see that Toby’s work was paying dividends and attracting a varied clientele.
“Hey, Scott,” I called.
He looked up and flashed a grin. He was a cute guy, with his layered blond hair, award-winning smile, and eyes that reminded me of jade, the way they were dark but also had even darker flecks in them.
“Hey, how’s it going? Ready for the first big day without the boss looking over your shoulder?”
He snickered, and I knew he was teasing. I didn’t know what happened, but I knew Scott worshipped the ground Toby walked on. I’d never seen anyone work so hard to impress another person. Maybe he had a crush on Toby too. I mean, who wouldn’t?
“I’m a little nervous,” I admitted.
“It’ll be fine. You’re smart and know what you’re doing.”
The praise was nice. “Thanks.”
I got to work setting up my station with extra glassware, some plates, silverware, napkins, and condiments. I cleared a few tables and carried the dishes to the back where the cook would wash them later. I said hey to Andre, the cook. He gave me a gap-toothed smile and a wave.
“Scott, is there anything I can do for you?”
“Nope, I’m good. I got ice right before you got here, and it’s slow now so I’ve been keeping up with doing the dishes. If you want to eat, now’s the time.”
I knew I should, but my stomach was in knots, worrying about Toby. I mean, I’d taken him breakfast. Why? Was that something friends did for each other? I mean, I would do it for my friends, but what about straight guys? Did they do that for each other? What was Toby thinking? Had I already messed up, then compounded the mistake by rushing out?
“You’re awfully deep in thought,” rumbled a voice near my ear.
I whirled around. “What are you doing here?” I demanded.
Toby’s dark eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me? I believe I’m the manager here, so where else would I be?”
My words had been harsh and I knew it, so I tried to dial it back. “That’s not what I meant. It’s your day off—why are you here?”
He went to an open table, then gestured to a chair across from him. Was he going to fire me? Shit, I’d fire me.
“Sit down, Kyle.” He gave a half smile. “Please.”
I did as he directed. “Look, I’m sorry for—”
“Why did you run out? I told you I’d drive you in. I was looking forward to having a nice conversation. Believe it or not, Waldo isn’t known for his witty repartee. The only things he knows how to say are ‘love me,’ ‘feed me,’ and ‘stop touching me and feed me again.’ I didn’t realize how much I needed human interaction until the other day when you made me the sandwich. Let me guess, that was vegan too, right?”
I nodded, unsure I could form words.
“Did I do something wrong? Is that why you left?”
“What? No! It wasn’t anything. I just needed to get to work.”
“Hey, Toby. What are you doing here?” Scott called out as he came in from the kitchen.
“Why is everyone asking me that? My bar, so I can come in whenever I want. Is there a problem with that?”
Scott paled. “No, I’m sorry.” He averted his gaze, but I saw the sheen of tears. I wanted to kick Toby. Instead, I glowered at him. He peered at me intently.
“Problem?”
