Diner Disaster

Oh, great.

It’s bad enough the team organized a date for me tonight and added the stipulation that I bring her to the diner, but of course, Eden just has to be working.

Even worse, she’s our waitress.

Annnd here she comes, a woman clearly on a mission—a mission, from the look on her face, to chop off my nads.

Help.

When she reaches our table and my eyes meet hers, I try to convey that this isn’t my idea.

“Sorry,” I mouth for good measure.

My “date,” Brooke, catches that and grins evilly at Eden. She’s been kind of a bitch all evening, so I’m not surprised.

Mock sweetly, she says, “Are you going to pour us some coffee, miss? Or do you plan on standing there like a stupid fool?”

Eden glares at Brooke.

It’s kind of bizarre that the two of them look so similar, something I’m sure the team searched far and wide for when finding me a date. The resemblance is uncanny, though Eden is definitely the prettier of the two.

“Hello, miss?” Brooke drones on. “Did you hear what I just said? Any freaking day now.” Huffing, she rattles her cup against the saucer.

I resist the urge to slam my own cup down, anything to make her stop harassing Eden. That wouldn’t be good, though. It’d cause a scene, and the team would probably just make me go out with her again.

I’m hoping for a one and done.

Eden’s more than capable of defending herself, anyway. As evidenced when she fake-smiles right back at Brooke and replies, “Sure. Here you go.”

She tips the pot and pours my coffee first. Then, while pouring coffee for Brooke, she does so sloppily so some of it splashes out onto the table.

“Oops,” Eden says.

Brooke jumps back away from the edge of the table and cries out, “Hey, that’s hot, you know. Are you trying to burn me?”

I take a sip and the coffee seems lukewarm at best, which is why I’m sure Eden let it go everywhere. She’d never actually hurt anyone.

But she’s not above making her point.

“Aw, I’m sorry,” Eden replies tauntingly. “Let me cool that down for you.”

Before Brooke even realizes what’s happening, Eden picks up the little metal creamer pitcher that’s on the table and tips it so quickly that cream goes everywhere—in Brooke’s coffee cup, on the saucer, on Brooke’s hand.

“You are such a bitch!” Brooke shrieks.

I don’t like that. “Hey now, hold up.”

Brooke turns her ire onto me. “No. You hold up, mister. Why’d you even bring me to this place? This chick is your ex-girlfriend, right? I’ve seen pictures of her with you.”

“Yes, that’s true. And trust me, this wasn’t my idea,” I mutter dejectedly.

I glance up at Eden, standing there with her arms crossed, enjoying the show. I try again to say I’m sorry with my eyes.

She mutters, “S’okay, Graham.”

She then apologizes to Brooke. “Hey, I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.” Eden sighs and starts mopping up the mess with a dishrag. “Do you still want to order something?”

“I think not,” Brooke snorts. “Like I’d trust you to handle my food? You’d probably spit in it.”

“I would not!” Eden exclaims.

“She wouldn’t do that,” I confirm.

Brooke stares at me, confused. “Why are you defending her? I thought you two broke up.”

“Uh…” I almost fuck up and blurt out the truth—that it’s the team, and only the team, keeping us apart.

Eden thankfully saves me.

“We are broken up,” she tells Brooke. “I guess that’s why I’m a little…not myself.”

“Pfft,” Brooke scoffs, “whatever. I still think I’d just like to leave, Graham.”

Brooke doesn’t wait for my response. She’s up and tying the knot on her raincoat within seconds.

“I guess we’re leaving,” I say apologetically to Eden. “Here.” I pull out my wallet and toss a fifty onto the table. “Let me pay for the coffee.”

Eden shakes her head. “No, it’s on the house.”

“Then at least take it as a tip.”

Our gazes meet, and oh hell do I miss this woman. I wish I could leave Brooke and run off with Eden. I’d take her back to the house and make love to her all night.

I miss her body.

I miss her in my life.

I fucking miss her.

“It’s not for much longer,” she murmurs to me.

“What did you say?” Brooke distractedly asks.

“I said have a nice rest of your night,” Eden replies, rolling her eyes.

That makes me smile, even if it is bittersweet.

There’s no way I’ll have a nice rest of my night, not without her.

In fact, I have the feeling nothing will be nice, or right, until Eden and I are back together.