Convincing You I'm Me

Chapter 17: Taking A Chance

I go back to the bar in a rush, I was on my way to the restaurant to check in on things, when I realized my wallet was missing. I rang Travis and he didn't pick it up, so I'm praying that no one else did because then I'd be screwed.

I pause at the door of the bar, which isn't as busy as before, and the blonde bar tender is still here, pulling beers with a big smile. I check the booth we sat in first, but it's occupied with some squealing drunk kids.

 I walk over to the counter and her eyes find mine, she focuses on the man with silver hair and a long, crooked nose that she's serving and I watch with a cringe as he attempts to flirt with her. 

"Excuse me," I say over to her, interrupting them, but also saving her. "Has anyone handed in a wallet?"

"Yes. Give me one moment."

Relief flows over me as she goes into the back to retrieve it, I'm just glad I don't have to spend an hour on the phone with the banks. She returns with it in her hands and she passes it over to me. 

"It caught my eye earlier so I stashed it in the back. You should be careful though, you might not be so lucky next time."

I prize it open with two fingers and I check it over, making sure all the cash, cards and receipts are still there. "Thanks," I tell her. "I owe you."

I begin to turn to walk away but then her voice calls over the counter. "I finish in five minutes," she shouts.

I swivel around, almost loosing my footing. "Huh?"

"My shift," she says, as I aimlessly walk back to her. "I finish in five minutes and you said you owe me, so. . ."

"Uh. . ." I look at her and bite my lip. "Are you asking me out?"

"Yes," she laughs, pushing blonde hair behind her ears. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

I nod, my eyes wide. "Something like that."

"I'm Ebony." She taps her fingers against the counter. 

"I'm Jason."

She stares at me. "I know. . . we went to high school together."

"We did?" I'm shocked by that, because she doesn't look like a woman in her thirties. I'd have guessed early twenties to late twenties at most. 

"Yeah. I mean, we weren't close or anything. . . I hung with Rosie."

"Rosie," I mumble. "Course you did."

"I saw her yesterday actually," she says. "She, um, she told me what happened. That must have been so tough on you and your kids."

I glance away. "Mhm."

She takes a deep breath. "Sorry," she shakes her head. "You probably don't want to hear all of that. I know what you're going through though."

"You do?"

She nods. "My daughter's father died when she was eight. Killed in a mugging."

I frown. "Sorry to hear that."

"It was a long time ago. Anyway, I'm officially allowed to leave now, so. . . what do you say?"

I rub my chin. "Well, I need to head over to my restaurant across town to check in. And then I'm free afterward to go somewhere if you don't mind waiting?"

Her eyes grow wide. "You own a restaurant and you want to go somewhere else?"

"I own two restaurants," I say. "We just opened Jaguar Buffet on Kingdom Street."