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It was back to the summery days in Bond Beach.
Little kids screaming in happiness. Waves crashing against the shore. Vendors calling out their Buy Two, Get One Free! sales and lifeguards blowing their whistles at reckless tourists. It almost felt like the old days, where summer had just begun.
"We need a seasonal fruit platter with natural yogurt, table six!" El yelled to the back of the shack, already writing the order of the next customer. "And that'll be berry and banana pancakes for you, miss?"
"Yes, thank you, dear," the old woman smiled at her.
But a day like the old days meant that it was busy, busy, busy. El wiped the sweat off of her forehead, burying her face into the towel before flipping it onto her shoulder.
And met the happiest sight in front of the counter.
"Theo!" she gasped, hand over her mouth."What are you doing here?"
Theo grinned, his blue eyes glinting with mirth. "Hello to you, too," he raised an amused eyebrow. "Thought you might be hungry."
He dangled a paper bag at her, the fried stain on the bottom and the smell of it already confirming El's guesses.
"You got me chicken tacos?" she let out, holding the paper bag as gently as she could like it was a newborn baby.
"I know that as much as you love this place," he said in a low voice, leaning in close, "seafood and salad bowls are something you get bored pretty easily. I just wanted to pass this to you before your break."
El grinned so wide. She wasn't used to people dropping by at work and leaving her alone to continue it. It was usually someone distracting her or someone not visiting at all. Travis hadn't even —
Stop, she thought. Stop comparing them both.
"You're an angel," El gushed, looking up at him. "Thank you."
He smiled. "You don't need to thank me, love."
She freaking loved it when he called her that. El stood on her tiptoes to brush her nose with his, absolutely infatuated with him. Theo let out a low groan from his throat and tipped his head downwards, stealing a kiss on her mouth.
