First Love Isn't Always True Love

Desperate & Alone

That brought a smile to Anna Marie's face. "Well, okay, but no droppin' water balloons out the window."

"Awe, Anna, don't spoil my fun," Kitty whined.

"Hey, if you two are done jabberin', there's work to be done," came the voice of Sarah Stevens, their boss. "Tables 3 and 4 need bussed."

"I'll take care of it, Sarah," Anna Marie said, and got out her supplies.

As she was wiping the second table a man walked in the door. Anna Marie looked up at that moment. He was just like any other guy who frequented the Bar & Grill. He had dark eyes, dark auburn hair, wearing a leather jacket and faded jeans. His hair was a bit messy and disheveled, like he had been on the road for a few days. He walked over and sat down at the table Anna Marie had just cleaned.

He looked at her and smiled. "Hey dere, beautiful."

Anna Marie looked a little flustered as her fidgeted to reach her order pad. "Ummm... what... what can ah get ya?" she asked.

"What you got good t'eat here?" he asked, staring into her green eyes.

"Well, the chili is a house special," she said nervously.

"Dat what you recommend?" he asked touching her hand.

She quickly snatched her hand away, "Ummmm... yeah, ah guess so," she said, pushing her loose hair back.

"Den you get Remy a big bowl a chili and a beer," he said, smiling seductively at her.

"Sure thing," she said, quickly writing it down on her pad. "Anything else?"

"Some nice company," he said, taking her hand again and pulling her close to him.

"Sorry, but ah'm workin'," she said and quickly took off to fill his order. She went back behind the counter and attached the order slip on the spinner. "Ah need a large chili," she called out.

"Hey, Anna, who's the guy?" Kitty whispered to her. "He's cute."

"Ah don't know," she said, lightly smacking her order pad at her friend. "Just another customer."

"The way he was like looking at you," Kitty said.

"Oh, come on. Ah never seen that guy before in mah life."

"Then maybe you should get to know him," Kitty said with a giggle.

"What are ya talkin' about? I just broke up with Cody a few hours ago," she said as she poured the beer. "Ah got no room in ah life for some strange guy. Ah jus' need t'concentrate on school and work, an' ah'll be just fine."

"That is like so boring," Kitty said. "You know the old saying, 'all work and no play makes Anna a dull girl.'"

"Oh, Kitty, please," Anna Marie scolded.

"One large chili," she heard Edgar say from the kitchen after ringing the bell. She placed the chili and beer on her tray and swiftly walked back over to the table.

"Here we are," she said, placing the bowl of hot chili in front of him. "One large chili and one beer."

"T'anks, chere," he said and winked at her. "So what 'bout dat company?" he asked taking her hand.

She quickly freed her hand from his grasp. "Ah told ya ah'm workin'?" Anna Marie said.

"Den what time you get off?" he asked.

"Sorry, but I got classes in the morning, so ah can't stay out late," she said and swiftly walked away from his table. She continued to work, but the handsome young stranger remained. He just kept ordering food and more beer. He ate slowly while watching her work.

"What's with that guy?" Kitty asked, as she was pouring drinks. "He seems to have it bad for you."

"Ah don't know," Anna Marie said. "But he does have a nice accent." Kitty looked puzzled. "Cajun."

"And he's hot," Kitty added. "So, give him your number. What could it hurt?"

"Kitty, I can't do that," Anna Marie said. Kitty just laughed at her.

"I didn't say you have to like marry the guy," she said, wiping off the counter. "I just mean that you never dated anyone besides Cody, and you should just see what else is out there."

"Kitty, ah ain't ready," she said and looked at the clock. "Ah'm takin' mah break. Can ya keep an eye on mah tables?"

"Sure," Kitty said. She waited until Anna Marie was out of sight and made beeline towards the guy. "Hey, haven't seen you here before."

"New in town," he said. "So where'd de ot'er girl go?" he asked.

"She's on a break," Kitty said but he looked disappointed. "So let's just cut the chase. You like her or what?"

"You a direct one, no?" he said, laughing a little. "She's a nice girl."

"Yeah, she is, but she works too hard," Kitty said. "I'm Kitty, by the way."

"An' what's your friend's name?" he asked.

"Anna Marie," Kitty said.

"Remy LeBeau," he said and outstretched his hand.

"So how long have you been in town?" Kitty asked.

"Few hours," he said. "Staying at a motel down de road."

"Not Jay's. That place is god awful. Dirty beds, dingy floors, not to mention the brown water," Kitty said.

"Dat's the one, looking for a more permanent place tomorrow."

"I think I can help you out," Kitty said with a gleam in her eye. "There so happens to be a vacancy in my building. Rent's reasonable, clean and the water isn't brown." Kitty wrote down the address. "Talk to Bernard. He's the building manager."

"T'anks," he said. "Your friend, Anna Marie. She live dere too?"

"Well, yeah, as of tonight. We're roommates. In fact, the place that's available is just down the hall from ours."

His eyes perked up at that. "So, what de damage?"

"$20.75," Kitty said as she handed him the bill. He pulled out his wallet and gave Kitty a twenty and a single. Then he gave her five dollar bill. "Dat's for you," he said.

"But Anna was your waitress," Kitty said. "It should go to her."

"Well, den give dis to Anna," he said and pulled out a ten. As he stood up, he said, "Be seein' you, petite." He gave her a friendly wink and walked out the front door.

A few minutes later Anna Marie came out of the back room. Kitty was filling an order for one of her tables. Anna Marie looked over and noticed that the guy wasn't sitting at the table anymore. She looked a little disappointed.

"Hey, where'd he go?" she asked as Kitty put the items on the order tray.

"Oh, he left," Kitty said. "And this is for you." She then handed Anna Marie the ten dollar bill.

"Oh," Anna Marie said almost in a whisper. She took the money and stuffed it in her pocket.

"Don't worry. I think we'll be seeing more of him," Kitty said and walked to the end of the counter to fill some drinks. Before Anna Marie could react some new customers came in and sat down at the table that her stranger had once occupied.

Remy walked back to the motel and entered his room. He had called the number Kitty had given him. He waited for several rings until someone answered.

"Hey, what is it?" the man on the other end said in a hostile voice. "You know what time it is?"

"I was calling about the apartment," Remy said. "It still available?"

"Yeah, come by tomorrow about noon," he said.

"Okay," Remy said. "See you den."

The man hung up the phone before Remy was barely finished speaking. He chuckled at that and lay back on his bed thinking about that girl Anna Marie. After Belladonna he had no intention of getting involved again, but there was no harm in having a little fun.