LOVESTRUCK ━ lip gallagher¹

03 | douglas

★

"PEACH COBBLER?" AMARA ASKED, holding out the dessert and handing it to the older woman who raised a hand. She smiled as she set the plate down and gently placed the second dish onto the table. "Enjoy. I'll bring your check out in just a minute."

"Thank you," the customer replied, and Amara forced out a smile again before turning on her heel. She made her way to her next table, not making it two feet from her previous one before her phone rang from her pocket.

"Lip," she brought it up to her ear. "You better either be dying or pregnant. I'm at work."

"You'll never guess what I just did," he sounded completely breathless, and Amara tapped the table with a smile trying to hide her suspicion.

"I'll be with you in a minute," she turned and walked towards the back room. "What did you do?"

"I just smashed like six windows on some cars."

She groaned. "Lip."

"It felt good, you know? Letting out all that pent up anger."

"I'm sure there are other ways to get your anger out than vandalism," she shook her head and peered out the door. "Couldn't have texted me this?"

"Wanted you to hear my voice one last time before I went to prison."

"You're not funny," she rolled her eyes. "And don't do anything like that again, jackass. You've already been to jail once. Don't fuck up your future."

"Jesus," he scoffed. "You sound like Fiona."

Amara refrained from scoffing, sensing a fight. "Look, I don't have time for this. Stop fucking around, Lip."

"No, no. Tell me what else I shouldn't do to fuck up my future which is already looking pretty shit right about now, and you're the know it all. Tell me."

"Don't be a dick," she shot, fixing her skirt. "Just because things are hard now doesn't mean they won't get better. You could've risked everything you've worked so hard for today just because you were angry. Don't let it happen again."

"You know what-"

"No, I don't," she cut him off. "And I'm sick of your smartass remarks when I'm only trying to help. Pull your head out of your ass and listen to me for once in your life. Think before you act or it'll cost you. Just because you escaped today doesn't mean you'll slip away that easily again in the future. Take up boxing or some shit, not smashing car windows."

"Amara-"

"Bye, Lip. I have work to do."

She flipped her phone shut and stuffed it into her pocket before closing her eyes in attempt to control her expression. She swung open the door and stepped into the restaurant once more and headed to handle her table.

"Hi, so sorry for the wait, what can I get for you-"

"Amara?" She froze and looked up from her server book, eyes landing on none other than James Lewis. Immediately her heart rate sped up and she took a step back. Her mind raced as she remembered everything from that summer, how he'd brought her to a fancy restaurant for their third date, offering her a proposition and asking for her hand in marriage. The chaos that followed after she'd thrown a punch in his face and broke his nose. Everything. "Wow, it's been what, like, two years?"

"Not long enough," she managed through a dry throat.

"Surprised to see you."

She took a breath to calm herself. "Why, because I'm working in an uptown restaurant without having to sleep my way through?"