Part 8 (1/2)

CHAPTER SEVEN.

Good afternoon, Jori,” Sawyer called as she strolled through the kitchen door.

”Hi there,” Jori said, not looking up from the Bartlett-pear torte she was making.

As the weeks pa.s.sed, Sawyer had started hanging out in the kitchen on her breaks. She would drink a cup of coffee and drool over that day's dessert. Sawyer talked while she worked, and she rather liked the running commentary on whatever had Sawyer's attention that day.

Jori watched her pa.s.s through the kitchen picking up orders, often scowling or looking irritated. But by the time she pulled a stool close to Jori, she was smiling, relaxed, and chatting away.

At fi rst Jori had tried to keep up her end of the conversation and ended up distracted from her work. But she soon fi gured out that Sawyer liked to talk and didn't require more than the occasional remark to let her know Jori was still listening. Jori fell easily into the rhythm of her speech and responded when she sensed the expectant lull.

She smiled to herself as Sawyer talked about a movie that she, Matt, and Davis had rented the night before. Behind Sawyer, servers pa.s.sed through the kitchen and called out orders. Brady and Chuck spoke to each other in the shorthand they'd developed * 73 *

over the years, plating food and setting it on the counter to be picked up.

”Have you seen it?”

She quickly recalled the name of the movie Sawyer had been talking about. ”Yeah.” Surprisingly, she'd enjoyed Johnny Depp as an eccentric pirate.

”Well, the sequel just came out on DVD. Davis rented it, if you'd like to come over tonight and watch with us.”

”That sounds fun. I'd like to run home and change fi rst.”

”Great. I'll give you directions before we leave.”

”Okay.”

”Good. Well, I have to get back to my tables.”

”Sawyer, service,” Brady said as he slid three entrees onto the counter.

”Duty calls,” she said with a sigh. She loaded the plates on a tray, then shoved open the swinging door.

Jori worked steadily through the dinner rush, barely taking time to look up when another server came to pick up desserts or shouted a new order. But every time she glanced up to fi nd Sawyer standing in front of her, she felt a thrill at the thought of spending time with her after they closed. She hadn't known she would agree to the invitation until she was already saying the words. But now she looked forward to the end of her s.h.i.+ft.

She had just pa.s.sed a large order to one of the new waitresses and returned her attention to the orders still pending. When she heard a loud crash, she jerked her head up to see a waitress standing amid a scattering of broken plates and ruined desserts.

The slender redhead had been working at Drake's for only a week and evidently had little or no prior experience.

Erica and Sawyer burst through the kitchen door at the same time. Sawyer rushed over and stooped to help the woman clean * 74 *

up the mess. While she brushed broken bits into a dustpan, she smiled and talked with the waitress. Warmth infused Sawyer's murmuring voice and the waitress's eyes barely left her face. Her trilling laughter in response to something Sawyer said grated on Jori's nerves.

Erica crossed to Jori's counter. ”Jori, I need-”

”Yeah, I've got it.” Irritated, she began to fi ll the lost orders again.

”You okay?” Erica asked quietly.

”Has she ever waited tables before?” When Jori jerked a plate from under the counter and set it down with such force that she nearly broke it, she took a deep breath and forced herself to be gentler with the next one.

”I don't think so. She's trying to work her way through college, and I wanted to give her a break.” Erica clearly hadn't expected Jori's burst of temper. ”She dropped a tray, Jori. It happens. With or without experience.”

”I know.” With some effort, she reined in her frustration, only to have it fl are up again when she heard the waitress giggle at something Sawyer said.

”Is anything wrong?”

”I admit the girl is cute. But she's barely legal. Does Sawyer have to fl irt with every female in range?”

Erica laughed. ”That? That isn't Sawyer fl irting. She's just being Sawyer. Our father says Sawyer has never met anyone who after ten minutes is still a stranger.”

”So, what? She's just being friendly?”

”Yes.” Erica glanced at her, looking oddly disappointed.

”Now, the way she looks at you-that's fl irting.”

”What makes you think so?”

”There's something in her eyes, and in her voice, when she talks to you.”

As Jori pushed the new desserts across the counter, Sawyer came over to load up the tray. ”Thanks,” she said with a wink.

* 75 *

Jori watched as she handed the tray to the smiling waitress, then picked up her own entrees and followed her to the dining room. There's something in her eyes. The warmth Jori had felt when Sawyer winked at her supplanted the tension in Erica's voice. Sawyer naturally hummed with energy, and being the singular focus of that energy was a powerful feeling.

Sawyer stood inside her apartment door and smoothed her hands over the front of her T-s.h.i.+rt. The doorbell rang for the second time, and she realized Jori was waiting in the hallway while she was worried about looking good in a T-s.h.i.+rt and track pants. It was just a casual night with friends. She had absolutely no reason to be this nervous. Jori was defi nitely not thinking of this as a date. Besides, she hadn't been this nervous about a woman since high school.

She took a deep breath and opened the door.

”Hi,” she said, wondering if she imagined the tremor in her voice.

Jori smiled. ”I picked up some wine. You don't have to open it tonight, but I didn't want to show up empty-handed.”

”Thank you.” Sawyer took the bottle and read the label.

”It's s.h.i.+raz. I thought you'd like it because it's fruity and spicy with a hint of mocha.”

”Fruity and spicy? You're right. That does sound like me.”

Jori had changed into blue jeans and a light pink polo that clung to her. The gold clover was once again nestled against the base of her throat, and Sawyer wanted to press her mouth to the skin there. When she realized she was staring and rudely leaving Jori standing in the breezeway, she fl ushed and moved aside.

”Come in. The guys are in here.”