Makena's POV
Present-day...
I let out a sigh as I walked into work. Today has been one of those days where nothing has been going right. I missed the yoga class because I slept in, then I burnt my lunch, and my car just broke down on the side of the road, forcing me to walk the rest of the way to work. I was five minutes late, I hated being late to work! It made you look incompetent to your boss. I thought it was unlikely that my situation would improve now that I was at work. I say hello and apologize to my boss as I run inside. As I walk past Suri to the locker room to hang up my purse, I give her a small hug.
"How busy has it been today?" I inquire in my hurry.
"It hasn't been very busy today to be honest, I don't see it picking up either, unfortunately!" She beams at me as she places a piece of Apple pie in front of one of her customers.
Even though we only saw each other for thirty minutes every day on the days that we worked together, we enjoyed working together. She works days so she can take care of her baby girl, and I work nights since I don't have anyone special in my life. We only see each other when our shifts overlap. We make it work because we love our jobs, and our boss is the best!
I plaster a fake smile on my face and get down to work as I try to shake off my horrible day. Observing a handsome guy sitting alone at one of my tables, I take a deep breath, and keeping that huge fake smile on my face I prepare to sweet talk this guy into spending his money on food and drink!
"Hello, welcome to The River Walk. What can I get for you today?" I sing out in my sweetest voice, stopping short as he glanced up at me and smiled. I couldn't place his face in my memory of where or when I knew him from, but his face seemed so familiar. I had no idea why, but my feet itched to escape, but I shrugged it aside because I had a job to accomplish.
He smiles at me showing off his pearly whites, "Hello, nice to meet you, I'll just have a nice, cold tall glass of Iced Tea, please." I couldn't stop the shiver that ran down my spine as I slowly walked away.
"Coming right up!" I replied heading off to get him his order. I could feel his burning gaze on me as I walked away, after all, I was used to being watched.
"Hey Mak, who is the good-looking dude? Do you know him?" She asks me as she approaches me waiting at the bar to collect the iced tea.
I enjoyed working with her, and I appreciated how we stayed close after all these years, especially after her mother's death, and then my mom's accident a few years back. I wish I lived closer to her to see her more, but my older sister has our mother living with her so she can take care of her. When we moved to a new state, Suri and her husband and daughter became my family. I live with them and rent the spare room while I save money to buy my own house. I enjoyed being Aunt Mak to their adorable daughter Breelynn.
"I don't know him, but he does look familiar to me. Do you recognize him?" I asked, looking back at him. He was sitting there reading a newspaper. I couldn't help but think that was different, usually these days these types of guys use a tablet or laptop to read. I studied his features, he was clearly a handsome man. That alone made my stomach drop, since Suri wanted to hook me up with every single guy who came into this place.
"Actually, he kind of does, but like you, I'm not sure where I've seen him before!" She smiles, and I watch her grab the last order of the day to deliver it. "Are you interested at all?"
I roll my eyes, I knew it was coming. "I don't know, I'll let you know later." I reply to her with a smile. I knew she meant only good things from the constant attempts to hook me up.
However, she knew I still wasn't over losing my fiancee two years ago, when we moved in together. It was a total accident, yet it gave the impression that it was all planned in some way. I never felt at ease upon thinking about his passing. The hit-and-run still wasn't solved. "Orders up," resounded from behind the bar as he placed the glass of ice tea in front of me.
Suri pulls me into a hug before I could grab the glass. "I'm still so very sorry about Malcolm, it was a horrible accident that should have never happened. But unfortunately, it did and sweety it's been two years now. I think it's time you consider moving on." She releases me, stepping back and looking into my eyes. "Don't you want kids, a family of your own? Don't you want what Jake and I have?" Letting out a sigh, I glance back at the handsome stranger and smile.
***************
Jesse's POV
I watched her every move, wondering what she and her friend were talking about as she waited to collect my order. I thought she couldn't get prettier than I remembered her, but boy was I wrong. She was absolutely stunning and the little waitress skirt she wore didn't help either.
I needed to gauge her reaction to finding out I'd come back into her life. Before I made her a part of my final plan. I wanted to see if there was any chance of a normal relationship between us before I forced myself on her. After all these years, she was still the one my heart and body craves.
She turns and looks at me, we lock eyes, and she smiles. She was so beautiful when she smiled like that. I watched as she turned her attention back to her friend, clenching my fist underneath the table. When this is over she's going to be at my side, in love, and married. I need her, she's the girl of my dreams.
Watching as the other one grabs her stuff and goes, I realize she's going to be coming back to me.
***************
Makena's POV
"Yes I do want it all Suri, but I wanted it all with him. I'm just not sure if I'm quite ready to move on yet. All the promises that Malcolm made me are still very fresh in my head. I just can't forget about him so easily, I loved him with all of my heart!" I say softly as a tear slides down my cheek, she wipes it away.
"Well, you know I won't push things. But who knows, that handsome man sitting over there might be what you're waiting for! I just don't want to see you pass up a good thing when you pining for someone who's not here anymore. I'm your best friend Mak, it's my job to push you out of your comfort zone. I'm never going to give up on hooking you up with a hot single guy you know!" She says smiling down into my face.
I smile back at her, "I know!"
"Good, well I'm off... Got to go pick up little Bree. See you at home, later have a good shift!" She waves at me as she heads to the door.
"Okay, I will, bye!" I almost whisper as she walks out the door leaving me to finish my shift alone.
I shrug it off and pick up the glass of tea and head back toward him, putting a big smile on my face. Setting a coaster down on the table in front of him, I place the glass on top of it and slide a wrapped straw next to it. Before turning to help the next customer, I look at him...
"Are you sure I cannot offer you our famous Steak and Fries platter? It's actually on special tonight!" I ask through an earnest smile.
"I'm sure just the iced tea. Thanks!" He says, flashing me his pearly whites again.
"Okay, then...." I begin to feel uneasy as I turn around to head to my next customer. I hear as he clears his throat.
"You really don't recognize me, do you?" He grins, tucking his paper aside as he puts his full attention on me.
"No, I am sorry. Other than the feeling that you are familiar, I do not know who you are." I answer softly, he lets out a small chuckle.
"Well at least I got that much, it's okay Makena! We weren't really friends or anything when I knew you. I was just a guy you spoke to a few times in high school." He studied me closely and seemed so enigmatic.
Rolling my eyes at him, "So... are you going to tell me who you are?" I ask him, I wanted to know who he was, now.
"Well, that depends..." He chuckles some more.
"On what?"
"Do you really want to know?" He asks me in a teasing tone while studying my face. It seemed he was enjoying himself.
"Yes, I want to know!" I yelled, feeling frustrated with him. But I was afraid that his answer was not going to satisfy me.
Like predicting my response, "Okay, I know you're not going to like my answer. But it's Jess, rather Jesse Campbell," he says, his smile in place as a feeling of dread washes over me. I flashed back to that first night when he showed up at my house after the phone call. I never thought that I would ever see him again.
I am stunned as I study his face, I never thought he would end up looking so good! With his deep brown eyes, soft dirty blonde hair, high cheekbones that popped a bit more now, and his square jaw that accentuated his features adding to his good looks. Although he appeared to be built, beneath his tight shirt, my eyes squinted at him. After finding out his real identity, I decided it'd be better to play nice now after all this time, and placed another smile on my face.
WOW! I haven't seen you for a long time. How have you been?" I ask through my fake smile, being a waitress I have mastered my fake smile now.
"Well, I've done great! How about you, any chance you're single?" He sounded serious in his question; he wanted to know.
I swallow some air, "Maybe." I say, trying to avoid his next question.
"Maybe what? It's a yes or no question, Makena!" he growls, still knowing how to get me riled up.
"Fine, Yes I'm single, but I'm not looking for anything right now," I answer quickly, trying to avoid the next question I knew he would ask.
"Oh, I was just wondering. It's crazy that we're both single. Anyways how's your life?" He shifts the subject, causing me to really look at him.
"Hmm, I guess life has been good. Sorry to be rude but I must be moving on to my other customers." I murmur softly, looking at the other tables filled with people waiting for me to pay attention to them.
"You're right! It was nice to see you again." He sends me a warm smile.
"Yes, it was." I flash him an uneasy smile, before moving to my next table. A nice family of three, the little one was getting restless.
He spent the next four hours sitting there, either reading the paper or talking on his phone. I refilled his glass three times, offering him food each time, And each time he turned me down. I didn't like him there, I wanted him to leave. I never wanted to see him again.
Except that he came back every day of the following week, and every day it was the same thing. He would stay 4-5 hours and he only drank iced tea. There were a few times he brought in a laptop, he always made sure to sit in my section forcing me to interact with and take care of him. He asked me on a date now twice, both times I've turned him down. I always had a bad feeling around him, but now that we are both adults I really thought that he wouldn't try anything with me.