A Taste of You

15: Do You Need A Refill?

When I arrive at the restaurant, Ronnie and Mateo are already there.

"Good afternoon, colleagues!" I greet them cheerily.

"Oooo, Alise is singing like a bird in the springtime. Someone had a nice couple of days off, didn't she?" Ronnie observes.

I'm wearing my new hat and I'm happy because it's hiding the blush creeping over my face. A pounding averts our attention to Mateo's station. He pauses and looks up, his expression flat. "Sorry, getting the air out of this dough."

Ronnie rolls her eyes and helps me unpack my crates. She drops her voice low. "So any follow-up from Ethan?"

"Uh, huh. Maybe we could do drinks after work tonight? I shouldn't let it distract me while I have work to do here." I say in a hushed tone.

Ronnie squeals loudly and Mateo's eyes dart to us. I can see he is irritated. Ronnie ignores him. "I can't wait to hear the scoop. Give me a teaser. Tell me, is he good in bed?"

"Ronnie!"

Mateo growls. "Will you two shut it? Some of us are trying to work over here."

Ronnie flips on the radio we keep out during prep and blares it, staring Mateo down. I decide to leave them to their antics and get myself ready for the day. I drop my bags off in my office and slip on my apron.

A curl has fallen loose from my braid and I stick my hand into my apron pocket in hopes of finding a stray bobbypin. My fingers wrap around something round instead and I instantly remember what it is...the engagement ring.

I finger the ring without taking it out. I flip it onto my ring finger and start to wiggle it further up. I imagine myself wearing it while shopping at the market, getting compliments and congratulatory comments from my regular vendors. I imagine it glinting in the stadium lights as I sit watching a game next to him. I imagine it slippery with sweat as I make love to Ethan. I imagine him kissing it in the afterglow.

I'm lost in these thoughts when I hear a loud knock on my door, snapping me out of it. I quickly push the ring off my finger and pull my hands out of my pocket before turning around. Mateo is standing there, looking furious. "You need to get her under control!"

"Who? Ronnie? You two always work this out between yourselves." I say, trying to stay neutral.

"Well apparently you got her all fired up over whatever you two were whispering about. Did you tell her about us?" He accuses me.

"About our outing?" I ask.

Mateo is not impressed. "It was a date, Alise. Call it what it was. A fucking date."

"Mateo, calm down. No I didn't tell Ronnie about our date." I respond calmly.

"Then you told her about that pompous asshole you saw yesterday. Why does she seem to think you screwed him, Alise?" His voice is carrying as it rises with anger. I step around him and shut the office door. I return to behind my desk and sit down, gesturing for him to do the same. He refuses. "I'm fine. Answer my question."

"Because she's Ronnie. If she knew you and I went out, she'd assume we were screwing, too." I downplay Ronnie's eagerness.

He relaxes a little, but I know I need to nip this in the bud. His temper is getting out of hand because of his jealousy. And just like Ethan, he deserves to know where he stands with me.

"Mateo, we need to talk. This is part of the reason why you and I can't date." I say forcing myself to meet his eyes, which flare with anger.

"I don't get you, Alise. We were doing just fine until your friend broke up with his girlfriend. Are you the reason they broke up?" He accuses.