Drunken Miracles

Cars Weren't Built For Sexual Tension

Running through the mall to get to work before her boss decided to fire her ass, Taylor was panting when she finally reached the groovy cafe she had worked in for the past year. If she was late again then she was sure George was going to fire her, and she really, really needed the money. Her family wasn't poor, not by any means, but she had grown up with her parents teaching her how to be independent, so she knew how to cope in the real world.

Most of the time, she prided herself on her independence, but the moment she swung the staff room door open to the small cafe, she wished she'd been born filthy rich.

"Where the hell have you been?" George yelled, his greying hair looking thinner by the day, the vein in the middle of his forehead throbbing quite noticeably.

"Sorry, I got caught up with school-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses! Just get out there and get working. I'm docking the ten minutes you missed."

Taylor rolled her eyes, watching him walk away. Why ask where she had been when he didn't want to know?

"Men," she muttered, getting changed into her work uniform, which was black slacks and a black shirt with the cafe's logo on the left breast. Pulling her strawberry blonde hair into a messy ponytail, Taylor grabbed a notepad and pen, said hi to Tammy the coffee woman, and instantly started taking orders from customers.

Three hours later, and she was about ready to smack the next college guy who tried groping her inappropriately. She stood behind the counter with Tammy, counting the tips for the night when another six college people walked in.

"You want me to take them?" Tammy asked, and Taylor saw the sympathy on her face. Taylor sighed, smiling at her warmly.

"No, there my last table anyway. I hope they don't try anything." She grumbled, and Tammy laughed.

"If I was a college boy, I'd definitely try something on you. You're hot, sweetie." Tammy winked, and Taylor rolled her eyes.

"And your purple." Taylor heard Tammy's laughter as she walked towards the group slowly. Putting on a bright smile, she pulled her notepad and pen out, clicking it repeatedly.

"Hi, what can I get you guys tonight?"

They grinned at her, and she caught the eye of one of the guys who sent chills down her spine. And not the Nate Presleys chills, either. The bad kind.

"What are you offering?"

Taylor took a deep breath through her nose, and kept her expression cheerful. She read off the list of specials, and the creepy one lent forward.

"I wasn't meaning food, you know."

Taylor felt her smile falter. "I'm sorry, but this is a cafe, not a strip club. You want a lap dance, you go to Peachy's. It's about a block away." Taylor replied, and his friends looked like they wanted to laugh. He glared at them, then at Taylor. 

"I'll get the BLT."

"Good choice." Taylor said, writing the rest of the orders down and taking them back to the kitchen where the staff processed her order. Once she got the food out to the group of guys, Taylor went out to the staff room and got changed back into her jeans and white v neck tee shirt, before pulling on her jacket and grabbing her purse.

"I'm off, Tammy." She called, and the woman blew her a kiss. Taylor stepped out into the dark, cool air, her breath coming out in little white puffs.

She really needed to get a car.

Pushing forward, she started walking down the road, her house about five blocks away. Because of the darkness and the chill, Taylor pulled her jacket more tightly around her and started walking faster. Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her.