Make it Last (Friends & Lovers, Book 1)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

About two hours into her shift, Briana realized just how wrong she had been.

She'd just finished an order and was rounding the corner to tell Kara that the burger and fries were up, when she caught sight of Colin's family coming in the front door.

Mrs. Grayson looked as sweet as ever, holding her husband's hand and smiling up at him as they waited for the rest of their party to come through the door. He bent over to say something to her, then they both looked over towards the entrance.

Briana had been swept up watching them, remembering a million different conversations that she'd had with the Grayson's, so she didn't immediately follow their gaze. When she did, her breath caught in her throat. She froze.

Kara came up beside her to check on the order. She started waving her hands in front of Briana's face when she saw how still Briana was.

"Hello? Earth to Bree. Is my order up?" Kara chuckled lightly, and turned to see what had caught her attention. "Who's that?"

Briana squeaked, so overcome by emotion that she couldn't form a thought. Then Colin looked up, catching her stare, and she was released. She took off in a flurry of movement, anxious to get back to the safety of the kitchen.

Once behind the swinging door, she braced herself against the stainless steel table and hung her head, breathing in and out.

"Was that him?" Kara asked, scrambling in after her. "Colin?"

"Yup," she managed.

"Crap. I have to take out this order," Kara added a side of ketchup and mustard to the plate before picking it up. "I'll be back, though. Maybe I'll tell Nicole to seat them in my section."

"No," Briana said loudly. "Don't make a scene, please."

Kara tried her best to look innocent. "Who, me?" Then she walked out with a smile on her lips and a swing to her hips.

"Oh, God." Briana held her head in her hands for a moment. "Pull it together, Bree. It's been a long time," she whispered. She stepped back from the table and shook her head, as if to shake the memories out.

She busied herself with the incoming orders, and was just starting to breath normally again, when Kara came back into the kitchen.

"So, Nicole did sit him in my section, but I swear I didn't ask her to," Kara said. "Holy crap, Bree, he is freakin' HOT."

"Shut up, Kara."

"No, seriously... tall, dark, and freakishly handsome! I mean, those dimples... I just want to lick him," Kara said dreamily.

"Jesus, Kara," Briana snapped, "Are you kidding me right now?"

Kara laughed wickedly. "Not about the fact that he's crazy hot, but yes, I'm kidding about wanting to lick him. You know I'd never poach."

"Ugh, I know." Briana closed her eyes. "She really sat them in your section?"

"Yup, all twelve of them. Can you say, 'Big tip?'" Kara said, doing a little booty shake around the kitchen.

"Did they see me? Did they say anything?" Briana asked, hoping the answer was no.

"Well..." Kara began, finally standing still and twirling her finger around a lock of her blonde hair. "I did hear Colin mention that he saw you, and that you looked good."

"He did not."

"Uh, yeah, he did."

"Oh, my gosh. Is that all he said?"