Waiting Tables

Chapter 13 - After Work Shenanigans

It had been a long day for Ashton.

He liked working doubles because it meant he got more money and every penny counted, but it was exhausting. He had been having a bad week, not sleeping well, and he was working all the time. He just needed a break.

"Here's your check, just let me know when you're ready, all right, sweetheart?" he winked at the young man sitting at the table, hiding a smirk when the boy blushed and lowered his gaze to the floor. His other friends laughed at his reaction. Ashton loved playing with straight men. They were so easy to rile up.

"Ash, I'm seating you again," Chloe told him as she walked past. Ashton sighed. He'd been hoping he was done for the night, praying that no one else would enter the pub and he could go home and crawl into bed. (He didn't hope he'd sleep, he figured that just like that rest of the week, he'd lie awake and stare at the ceiling, but he'd found peace in that.) But lying there in the dark was definitely better than being on his feet, busting his ass.

"Okay, be right there," he peeked around the wall to see who it was. If it was any other day, he might have felt a little bit of excitement at the fact that Luke and that blonde Irish kid were walking to his table, but not today. Today had been too long and he was too numb to everything.

He brought two waters to the table before forcing a small smile and greeting them.

"Ashton! How are ya, mate?" Niall greeted him with a wave coupled with a boisterous grin. "Lukey here won't stop talking about ya, I had to come back and say hi to my favorite server ever, didn't I?" he asked, even though no one had said anything yet. He leaned a little closer to Luke, still speaking loud enough for anyone to hear, and giving Ashton a side eye before continuing, "He is just as cute as you said, Luke, I can see why you're—"

"That's enough, Niall," He boomed, causing Ashton's knees to go weak but Niall to not even flinch.

"You'll excuse him, Ash, he's in a pissy mood because we have another deal to close!" The Irish man sang, laughing obnoxiously and tilting his head fondly in Luke's scowling direction. Ashton had no idea how Niall was so unaffected by Luke's dominance. It did something for the brunette.

Ashton remembered when Luke acted the same cold way the first time they met and he was dealing with business, but how different he was when they were alone. It was strange how quickly he could flip between personalities, but if that was what worked for him, Ashton didn't mind.

"Yes, so let's order so we can finish business," Luke bit out. He glanced at Ashton, a small smile gracing his face for a moment. "Thanks for the water, I'll have the grilled chicken panini and he'll have the chicken tenders."

Niall pouted.

"Luuuuuuuuu," he whined, drawing out his name. "You said you'd stop ordering for meeeeee,"

Luke closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.

"And mozzarella sticks."

Niall brightened immediately.

"You're payin, too," he shrugged, grinning at the server and handing him the menus they hadn't even opened. "What he said is perfect, darlin'. Thank you!"

With a nod of his head, Ashton walked away to put in the orders. What a whirlwind of a last table. He decided to finish up his side work while their order cooked. Once it was ready, he brought it out, finding Luke in the same dark mood as he was earlier. They clearly hadn't finished business.

He set the plates down, telling them to let him know if they needed anything. As he walked away, a hand grabbed his wrist. He panicked, pulling away and looking with wide eyes at the innocent looking blonde sitting at the table.