"Oh, shit! I'm gonna be late!" I yelled at myself as I sprinted towards the red Camry.
Driving like a maniac, I switched from lane to lane to pass the cars that were driving at the speed limit of 55 mph. I exerted the weight of my foot on the gas pedal until the arrow on the speedometer passed 80 mph.
"Never mind I'll find someone like you—," I screamed at the top of my lungs to Adele's Someone Like You blasting through the car stereo. Within minutes of zooming through the highway, the blur of the concrete buildings soon disappeared and was replaced by the blossoming trees from the side of the road.
As I slowed the car down to 65 mph, the vibrant colors that spread throughout the withered greenery engulfed the surrounding highway. Spring had finally arrived. My favorite season.
5:38 pm
Fuck. I was late.
I was welcomed with a sight of impatient bodies idling by the entrance of Hana Asian Bistro. I ran towards the restaurant and excused myself through their chattering.
"I'm here! I'm so sorry! I got stuck in traffic," I pathetically excused my tardiness and went behind the hostess's station to assume my duties.
"Uh-huh," Ryan said. His eyebrows pulled together, wrinkling the skin on his forehead. "They just got here. Just assign them a table. We have a couple left open around the fireplace," he added with a sigh of relief before leaving me to do my job.
For someone who owned a restaurant, Ryan was not as sociable as he should be. He preferred to be behind the sushi bar or in the kitchen, away from the crowds. Thankfully, he co-owned this restaurant with Ken, the high-spirited one.
"If you would follow me, please. Right this way."
I used the same line to seat the customers until all the tables were occupied. I strode back and forth from the kitchen to the front of the restaurant, tending the famished souls in a prompt manner.
The night was young and lively. I should have anticipated it to be busy, being Friday eve in April. Also, there were only four waitresses to serve over twenty tables. Nina called off sick and they didn't have any replacement for her.
Almost three hours into the night and none of the workers had a chance to have a moment to breathe. The floor was lacking manpower and I tried to help as much as possible, but I was also swamped with the never ending orders over the phone.
"Can you give table fourteen their water, please?" Megan asked as she tapped on the computer screen.
I was preparing a take out order when I peeked out of the server's station and saw two men being seated by Ken. He had stepped up and assisted me with the duties in the front of the restaurant while I was preoccupied by the phone orders.
"Yeah, of course," I reassured her, grabbing the freshly washed and sanitized glass over the counter.
"These kids are getting on my nerves. They're too obnoxious and picky. And they never tip! This is ridiculous," Megan complained and continued to mumble inaudible comments to herself as she snapped off the printed tab from the machine.
She had dealt with the same group a few weeks ago. I felt bad for her. "Wait! Don't forget to include the gratuity in their bill!" I suggested, "just to be safe."
"Oh my god! You're a lifesaver! What would I do without you here tonight?" Megan smiled and printed a new receipt before delivering it to her favorite customers.
I carefully navigated around the fireplace while balancing the two glasses full of water on the serving tray for table fourteen.
"Good evening. Welcome to Hana. Your server will be with you momentarily." I robotically greeted the two men sitting at the table across from each other.
As they both looked up, I felt a sudden change in my body temperature. Green eyes. Blue eyes. I couldn't help but admire their features when moisture began to tickle the surface of my skin.
Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?
The man to the right had ocean blue eyes with blonde hair. A pretty boy in real life.
But his companion, the man to his left, was beyond the average male of our time. His wavy brown hair was cut clean and the golden streaks of his hair highlighted his God-like beauty. The muscles of his perfectly structured chiseled jaw moved slowly as an irresistible crooked smile welcomed my sight. Those deep green eyes glistened as he looked straight into mine. Subconsciously, my mind and body submitted to his glare and I found my brown eyes fixed into his.
Damn, he is so hot.
I scanned his left hand that was resting on the table and saw no evidence of metal wrapped around his finger. A smile escaped my lips as that sign of hope lightened my chest.
But he is too attractive to be available. Maybe he has a girlfriend. Or maybe he has a nasty personality. Or maybe the other guy is his partner.
In my head, I pathetically laughed at myself thinking that I had a chance even if he was available, or straight.
As if.
"Thanks beautiful," said the green-eyed man with a deep voice.
Air bubbles started to build up in my stomach. It must had been the coffee with whole milk I had earlier.
In response, I nodded with a smile. A stiff and awkward one.
To my relief, I saw Kens' silhouette at the corner of my eye. He must have seen how uncomfortable I felt and looked. When he reached my side, I almost jumped with joy for being rescued only to be stabbed with a pen and notepad.
What the fuck is this?
I gave him a murderous glare, questioning his intent even though I already suspected the worst. He turned and leaned towards me with a commanding smile.
"Can you help out, please? The servers are swamped," he pleaded in a lowered tone, but audible enough for me alone to hear it.
He smiled at the two gentlemen, reassuring them of the service they will soon be receiving from me. They both nodded in response.
The supply of blood had stopped flowing to my face, leaving me with a pale and blunted affect. My palms began to sweat causing the pen to slip off of my moistened hand.
I quickly bent down to grab it, causing the two men to look down in my direction. The green-eyed man stretched his arm down as I bent over. Thankfully, I was fast enough to pick it up and straighten myself back up. The immense heat spread throughout the roots of my head and down my body.
Oh my God. Why now? I'm never this clumsy. I'm never this sweaty. Heck, I don't even sweat this much when I work out! What the hell is going on?
"Well, I guess I'll be your server for tonight," I managed to say as casually as I could in spite of the overwhelming pressure I felt inside my chest.
Here we go.
I took a long and deep breath. "My name is Ally. May I get you anything to drink other than water? Or are you ready to order? Or do you need more time?"
The pressure crushed my chest and regret filled my lungs after realizing how rushed I must have sounded asking all those questions in one breath.
The two men quickly examined the menu after my impatient remark.
"I'm sorry! Take your time. I'll be right back," I said
This was not my job. I was only supposed to welcome the customers entering the restaurant, attend to their needs until a table was assigned to them, and finally handing over the responsibility to their server. I was trained to be a hostess, not a waitress.
What was I so nervous about? It wasn't because of him. It was my first table. That was the reason. I deserved the right to be nervous.
It wasn't exactly a rocket-science type of job transition, but I needed the mental preparation to be put to this type of task. To make things worse, I wasn't physically and emotionally prepared to serve a table with two good looking men who looked like they belong in the pages of GQ magazines.
Get yourself together, Ally! Do not fuck this one up. Not this one, please.
Both men warmly responded with a slight chuckle.
"No worries. You're fine. We'll start off with a bottle of hot sake," the Blue-eyed man ordered. "Is that good Harvey?" He turned his head back towards his companion. "Sounds good to me," Harvey confirmed.
I jotted down his order then shook my head with the realization that there was no point writing it down. It wasn't as if I was going to forget an order of hot sake by the time I reached the server's station.
"Alright. I'll be right back with your drinks."
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