Elijah (MxM)

Chapter Fourteen

I wanted to call Elijah, talk to him, explain myself better now that I knew what I was feeling, but I realized I didn't even have his number. I couldn't ask Catherine for it, for obvious reasons and I couldn't go over to their apartment, so I had to find some other way to see him. I knew he worked at The Barb on weekdays and Catherine, being the businesswoman she was, was often off somewhere making arrangements for her diner. I didn't know for sure that she'd be gone, but I was willing to take the risk.

It was mid-November, a few weeks before Thanksgiving and the sky was clear and the ground was dry. It was a gloomy, gray day, as the days so often were in Ridge, but it wasn't raining for the first time in weeks. With the cold chill in the air, I could tell the rain ceased to make room for the incoming snow as I walked down the street, pulling my jacket tighter around myself. The Barb was very popular around this time of year, people enjoyed stopping by in their hats and scarves, treating themselves to a hot cup of coffee or tea. I personally went for hot chocolate. I used to spend a lot of time there, reading or listening to music but now it was different. I only came by if I had to for whatever reason. I opened the door, the bell jingling, announcing my arrival. It was jammed in there that day, all of the tables and most of the bar filled. I stuffed my hands in my pockets, my knuckles still wrapped from my previous injury. I approached the counter, seeing a young waitress I had come to know as Bitty, although her name was something else. I guess they called her that because she was tiny and she embraced it, her name tag branded with the nickname. She looked flustered, changing the coffee pots and arguing with an angry customer about the wait. She might've been small but she sure as hell was mighty, shutting down the bullshit before it had a chance to begin. I cleared my throat, making my presence known.

Bitty noticed me, her eyes snapping to mine as she wiped her hands on her discolored apron.

"Hey, Kit. Catherine's not here right now." She said, serving pie to a nearby customer.

"Actually uh, I'm looking for Elijah," I confessed, practically shouting over the noise. "Is he here?"

She gave me a strange look like that was the last thing she had expected me to say. "He's kinda busy right now."

I opened my mouth, stuttering slightly as she turned away from me. "It won't take long."

She made a noise that sounded kind of like a sigh, taking an empty plate from a customer.

"Give me one second." She said, to me or the customer I didn't know. She took off into the kitchen and I was starting to wonder if this was a bad idea. I didn't want to bother Elijah if he was busy. But before I had the chance to walk away he appeared behind the counter, twisting a rag in his hands. He saw me at the other end of the bar, wearing an expression I didn't know how to read. He proceeded toward me until we were across from each other.

"Kit," He said my name like he was out of breath. "What're you doing here?"

"I want to talk. Do you have a minute?" I met his dark gaze.

"Uh," He looked around himself. "Not really."

I blushed, feeling embarrassed. "Oh,"

"Hold on." He turned his head, addressing the waitress. "Bitty! I'm going on break."

She spun to face him. "What? Right now?"

"You'll be fine, I'll be back before you know it." He stepped back, jerking his head towards the kitchen. "Let's go."

I followed him behind the counter and through the kitchen door, witnessing the bustling mess that was the dinner rush. He pushed through, leading me into what seemed to be the stockroom, big boxes stacked on shelves reaching the ceiling. The door swung shut behind us before he turned to look at me. We were quiet for a moment, neither one of us knowing what to say. Clearly, he had expected me to start.