The Hazards of Skinny Dipping

Chapter Thirteen

Two hours later, I was halfway through the book. I was also ridiculously hungry. I texted Reed to see what he wanted for dinner. I was starting to get used to how things worked at Al's. I worked with Reed until eight or nine when a few other employees came in. I basically did nothing and got paid. All in all, it was a good system. Reed said he'd eat anything, so I picked up burritos on my way back.

"I hope you like chicken queso." I handed Reed the bag.

"Love it. Good choice, Annie."

"Would you please stop calling me that?" I unwrapped my burrito. Smelling it the whole walk over had been torture enough.

"Does it really bother you?"

"Yes. I keep thinking you don't know my name or something."

"I know your name, Juliet."

I used a napkin to wipe up a few drops of hot sauce that had spilled onto the countertop. "Good."

"How about if I call you Oakley? Does that bother you?"

"Not really. At least it's not another girl's name."

We'd just finished dinner when Justin and Danny walked in. Those guys seemed to work every night, which made sense because they only worked four or five hour shifts. They were the ones who usually made the pizzas. I took the orders and brought the food out to people if they didn't want to stand around and wait.

I didn't expect such a large crowd on a Wednesday night. I knew Thursdays were big, but the middle of the week? I recognized a lot of the people from around campus, but it was different seeing everyone in going-out clothes and obviously drunk. By ten o'clock, I was exhausted. Of course, that's when Dylan and his friends decided to walk in.

"Oh no," I groaned when I noticed them maneuvering through the crowds.

"What's wrong?" Reed asked. "Oh, great."

"You really don't like him, do you?"

"Look who's talking. You're sleeping with him, and you aren't happy to see him."

Obviously Reed was right. I was sleeping with Dylan, but it still felt weird to hear him say it so bluntly.

I wanted to run into the kitchen. You'd think I'd no longer be nervous about seeing Dylan—but I was. I still had that same churning stomach reaction. It was always worse when he smiled at me—which he did the moment he saw me.

I was ringing up a couple of girls from my biology class and tried to ignore the way Dylan watched me. I closed the register, and it was Dylan's turn. He wasn't alone. A whole group of his brothers and some pledges stood nearby. There were also a handful of girls, including Tally. I guessed Gregg must have invited her.

Tally waved. "Hey, looking good, roomie."

"Ha, thanks. What can I get you?"

"We need a few pitchers and maybe three pepperoni pizzas," Ryan ordered.

"How many's a few?"

Dylan played with a plastic display on the counter. "Make it four."

"Four it is." I rang them up. "That will be forty-eight sixty."

Dylan put down a fifty. "It doesn't leave much for a tip, but I'll tip you later."

My stomach did a summersault and not in a good way. Was it normal to have that reaction to the thought of having sex with the guy you were dating? Probably not.

"Don't worry about it."

Dylan didn't move.

"I need to keep helping people." I forced a smile.