Top Priority

35

Taylor's pov

I did end up getting ready in a fairly quick fashion, and Alex and I left early so we could get Starbucks. I got my favorite, the Mocha Cookie Crumble frappuccino. Alex got the Pink Drink, which has been very popular recently, and decided to celebrate her first time getting it by filming her reaction for a Tiktok.

What was important was that I got to work on time, "Hey!" I shouted at Henry before waving.

"Hey sexy, long time no see!" He squealed, leaving where he was wiping down a table to come give me a hug.

"Is Annelise in the back, I need to talk to her," I asked, and I felt bad when his expression became concerned.

"Yeah, is everything alright?" He asked, letting me go and following me back in the main part of the kitchen.

"I'm putting in my two weeks," I said, giving him a half grin.

Henry's hand covered his mouth, surprised at first before taking it away and pouting, "I don't know whether to cry or hug you and congratulate you,"

"Honestly," I raised my eyebrows at him before turning towards Annelise's office, "I felt the same way with Alex,"

I knocked on the office door, alerting her of my presence as I pushed it open.

"Good morning, Taylor. Welcome back from your trip," Annelise and I never had the tightest bond, but we were respectful of each other. She was a little more reserved than I was, so I never took the time to hang out with her outside of work because I assumed I'd be bored.

"Thank you. Um, I have some news for you," I folded my hands in front of me, not really sure how to approach this subject.

I've never had to put my two weeks notice in before, because the job I had in Texas I got fired from.

She waved her hand, insinuating that I needed to get to the point, "I'm putting in my two weeks notice today," I bit my lip, unsure of how she would react to the news.

"I knew it," Annelise shrugged, "The look on your face when you walked through the door gave it away," She smiled at me, "I'm going to miss having you around here, but thank you for working here for as long as you did,"

Tendergreens workers usually didn't work here long. Alex only worked for about four months before quitting, and the day I started was one of her last days here. Henry has only been here for about eight, and that's about as long as everyone else here.

I've been working here for about three years, ever since I moved to California. So I really felt like an old person compared to everyone else.

"But you still have the next two weeks. So get back out there, girl!" She smiled, shooing me away. I smiled, standing up and scurrying out of her office.

"So," Henry began, scaring me, "Sorry I didn't mean to frighten you," He let out a cute little laugh, "I just wanted to ask you about mister Lover Boy,"

"Oh, you mean Colby?" I asked, trying to hide my smile by walking back out to the kitchen and grabbing my apron, placing the strings around my head and tying them behind my back.

"Duh," He propped himself up on the counter beside me with his elbow, "You spent an entire weekend with him and nobody to distract you. So things obviously had to happen while you were there,"

"That's not entirely true," I pointed out, "We went there with a couple of friends. Plus the guy that owns the town. But uh," I bit my lip, making an fboy face at him, "I gots a mans now,"

"You sound so stupid when you talk like that," Henry laughed, patting my back as I walked out to where a family was patiently waiting with menus.

"Hello, I'm Taylor and I will be serving you today. Can I get you started off with something to drink?" I pulled out my notepad and pen, clicking it a couple of times while the family gave me their order.

I loved families that were respectful, and this family met those expectations. It looked like a younger couple with two kids who couldn't have been over the age of eight, yet they still used their manners without a reminder.

"So a water, a tea and two kids apple juices?" I double checked with the pale, but pretty, blonde woman who I assumed was the mother. She nodded, a smile plastered on her face.

I walked back to the counter, going to the soda machine where all of the beverages were, "Taylor Watson!" I looked over my shoulder to see Henry storming up to me, looking all serious.

A pang of worry shot through me, I've never seen Henry remotely close to annoyed with anyone.

"When were you going to let me congratulate you on getting a boyfriend?" He asked with a sweet smile, and I let out a nerve-relieving laugh.

"I thought you were going to kill me," I said, finsihing filling up the apple juices and putting the lids on them with the bendy straws.

"Me? Kill you? Never," He said sarcastically with his hand over his chest, "I'll let you get back to work. Make sure you tell Miley and Sienna that you put your two weeks in. I know you aren't really close to them but you did teach them how to do shit around here,"

Miley Caddel and Sienna Gomez, two sixteen year old girls who only started working here a couple of months ago. I was responsible for showing them how everything works around here, being the eldest employee here.

They were inseparable, kind of like Alex and I. They had bubbly personalities and were beautiful girls with a bright future ahead of them. Sienna danced on Tiktok like Alex, so they really were like us.

"I'll probably tell them when my shift is over," I said, placing all the drinks on the tray and walking back out into the seating area.

I placed the drinks in their proper spot and took their orders without food. The day seemed to fly by once the place became packed, and I was going back and forth between multiple tables in my section.

"Heading out soon?" Henry asked as I grabbed a new tray after I accidentally spilled a kid's glass of milk on it.

"Yeah, I got to clock out and then Colby is picking me up," I said, typing away on the computer to clock out.

"Aw what a sweet man," He gushed, and I swear to god I had to remind myself he had a fiance or else I'd think he was serious.

"That's just how he is," I said with a shrug, taking off my apron and hanging it on the hook, "He should be here by now, my shift ended almost ten minutes ago,"

I had this odd feeling, like something was wrong. I didn't express my concerns to Henry, instead I reassured myself that it was just because Colby never picked me up from work before.

"See you later!" I called, walking out the back door of the restaurant and walking up to the front. I sat on the bench in front of the building, waiting for Colby's Corolla to come into the parking lot. I couldn't text him and see where he was since I didn't have my phone and didn't know his number.

I began biting my nails when the parking lot was basically empty, the only cars were the last workers and a couple families finishing up meals inside. He definitely knew where I worked because I put the address in his phone on the way back from Cerro Gordo when we originally started talking about him picking me up.

So I waited, watching the lights from the intersection to change colors. My worry soon turned to anger, and I realized that he probably wouldn't be picking me up.

And I couldn't walk to his house because I didn't know the way there. I only knew how to get to my apartment and then hopefully Alex was home so I could Uber or have her drop me off.

I stood up, crossing my arms and walking across the parking lot.

And I walked down the street, beginning my nearly three mile walk home.