Out of Sight

Chapter 5

This was the second summer I was able to work for my dad at Green Café. I worked as a hostess during the lunch shifts twice a week to earn money for my own car. My mom’s Honda was great but I wanted something of my own that I knew I earned. SO there I was, the first day of vacation, standing in the front of Green Café, wearing my green dress and name tag.

“Your server will be with you shortly,” I said with a smile.

I walked from table 3 to the hostess stand and leaned against the cherry wood.

I hadn’t spoken to Jamie at all that day, doing my best to ignore her. Why was she mad at me anyway? I hadn’t done a thing to her. She was the one who embarrassed me and crashed my party. But as I thought back, running away from my problems, or rather speed walking away, probably wasn’t the best solution. Megan was right as usual. What was I going to do when Jamie was at KHS with me next year? Ignore her? That’s mature. Way to be the bigger person, Desiree.

I was trying not to dwell on the whole situation, but it was hard to do at the moment. The lunch rush had passed and things were winding down at the restaurant.

Green Café was located on the street next to the pier. My dad bought the property the year before I was born and it was an immediate hit in Kyla. It was a home-style restaurant with a classy twist. The food was delicious but my dad spent so much time cooking at the café that we were rarely graced with his recipes at home. That was one of the main reasons I liked to work here: leftovers. The staff had become family from the chef, John, to my replacement hostess, Taylor.

I checked my watch: only an hour to go.

Go where? I asked myself. Megan was mad at me anyways.

Just as I was about to let out the sigh of all sighs, the bell above the café’s door rang. I looked up to see a family of four walk into the café. I put my hostess with the mostest smile. It was wiped off my face for no reason other than pure shock.

“Desiree?”

A handsome yet familiar face was in front of the hostess stand now.

“Jeremy?” I said back, honestly shocked.

“What are you doing here?” we asked at the same time. We both laughed.

“Jeremy, who is this?” a woman I assumed to be his mother asked, coming closer.

“This is Desiree,” he answered, not really answering at all. He kept his eyes on me as he spoke. His hazel gaze never ceased to captivate me.

“Hi,” I replied with a small wave.

She smiled at me, seeming to be satisfied with our lack of explanation.

“Do you have any seat preferences?” I asked her, getting down to business.

“Anywhere is fine, dear,” she replied sweetly.

I walked them to a nearby table, grabbing four menus off the stand on the way. I sat them and assured that their server would be with them shortly before heading back to my spot in the front.

Before I had time to dwell on Jeremy being here, the door’s bell rang again.

“Des!” Megan called as she barged in. She ran to the hostess stand and embraced me.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” I asked her in disbelief. “I’m the one that’s sorry.”

She pulled away and smiled.

“I was way harsh last night. You were being dumb, yes, but I shouldn’t have been so mean about it.”