Carter's

Chapter 1 : Food Makes Everything Better, Even Hot, Moody Guys

Emma's P.O.V.:

"Hello, ma'am. Welcome to Carter's! I'm Emma. How may I be of service to you?", I warmly greet my fifth customer tonight who was sitting beside the window, the fifth table from the door.

She's a stunning middle-aged lady who gives me a genuine smile, probably the first one I have received today. "Can you give me a couple of minutes? My son is going to be here soon. I'd like to order with him."

"Yeah, sure! Let me know when you're ready." I walk away to serve the next table. Friday nights are always busy at Carter's. There is a lot of hustle and bustle around me - excited chatter, clinking of glasses, clattering of plates.

It's one of those restaurants that has a homey vibe to it. The booths are made up of wooden tables and red colored sofas. It's dimly lit and slow jazz music is softly playing in the background. The food though, that's the best part.

This place is like a second home to me, my dad owns it, after all. I just help out at times when we are low on staff or it's a busy night. Tonight, it's both.

I go over to another table. "Hello, sir. Welcome to Carter's! I'm Emma. How may I be of service to you?" I say cheerfully to the old man sitting. He smiles, greets me and asks me for a cappuccino. "Make it extremely hot please."

"Of course, anything else, sir?" He shakes his head. "Your coffee will arrive soon," and with that, I leave.
I make my way over to the kitchen. Suddenly, the bell above the door rings, signalling that someone has just entered. I look up and see a guy about my age entering.

Holy. Mother. Of. God.

I stop everything I am doing and just stare at him. He is absolutely gorgeous. He has messy light brown hair that looks so soft, I just want to run my hands through it. His skin has a light tan and he has really beautiful brown eyes.

The boy is wearing a white button up shirt with rolled up sleeves that show off his muscular arms. Black slacks hug his hips snugly and a tie of the same colour hangs loosely around his neck.

He has a little stubble around his chin that makes him look really sexy. The scowl is on his face is probably the only flaw in his entire existence. Okay, too quick to judge, but he is so bloody hot, I could die. He looks tired. He must've had a long day.

I bet he's here for Andrea. She has a new guy coming to visit her every week. But he walks right past me and over to the lady I am serving. The one who was waiting for her son.

Oh crap. Don't tell me he's her son.

He sits down in the chair opposite hers without even looking at her, let alone greet her or smile at her. The lady looks up from the menu, noticing her son has arrived. She grins at him and tries to start a conversation but he blatantly ignores her, refusing to even acknowledge her presence.

I am snapped out of my reverie when I hear a customer asking me for their food. I pick the warm plate of pasta up, and deliver it to their table, then proceed to walk over to the mother and her aggrieved son. 

"Have you decided what you would like to eat?"

The lady looks up. "What would you recommend?"

"The steak here is amazing. You'll love it!" I say.

"Well, then I'll have the steak. Carter?"

Is his name Carter? That's ironic. My surname is Carter, hence the name of the restaurant. The boy - who has a name now - doesn't respond. He just continues to look through the menu.

Um, rude. His mother smiles at me, a little embarrassed.

I give her a reassuring look. "Can you give him a minute?" she says. "Sure", I reply, and with that, I walk away.