With pockets stuffed with cash, she was wiping down the last table of the night while Ben was finishing up in the kitchen. Her plan to stay until the end of October would finally pay off. If the crew coming in kept up until their shoot was over, she would be able to pay her rent, tuition next term, and maybe have a bit leftover to eat.

She’d be graduating and that was the most important thing. Getting out of this town and getting a job that paid well was her sole focus. Taking the train an hour into the city wasn’t ideal, but the money she saved in rent was worth it, especially in the off season. Plus, the commute gave her lots of time to study. The school had been good about letting her take time off when she needed to work to pay for the next semester, and taking many of the basic courses through the much-cheaper community college also helped.

“Five minutes and I’m locking up, kiddo,” Ben called out from the kitchen, clanging and banging all the pots and pans as he cleaned up. She checked out the rest of the dining room and made sure it was in pretty good shape. Even though she wouldn’t be in until lunch, she got everything ready for the morning because Ben was opening for breakfast.

“Wiping down the last table now. See, I told you it was a great idea to stay open,” she gloated.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he grumbled as he popped out of the kitchen door with a ring full of keys in his hand. He twirled them around his finger as he surveyed the room.

“See, all tidy and ready to go for tomorrow,” she said holding her arms out and showcasing the dining room.

“Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner tomorrow. I can’t wait for the next two weeks to be over. My wife has been clamoring to go on that cruise for months now,” he said. She grabbed her bag from behind the bar and followed Ben to the front door to lock up.

“I’ll see you at noon,” she told him as he turned the key in the lock.

Ben hopped into his truck and pulled out of the parking lot, waving at her. She waved back and shifted her bag on her shoulder. The weather was miserable, with the heavy smell of rain in the air and the cold wind whipping around her. Her hair was flying all over the place and she cinched her hoodie a bit tighter around her neck. All that didn’t keep the little bounce out of her step as she crossed the parking lot. Flirting with a seriously hot guy and having generous customers will do that to you.

She glided across the parking lot, even with her sore feet. A couple more weeks of this and she’d be good to go in the savings department. She’d taken the semester off because she was worried about loans and didn’t want to have to work too much during the semester, but it also meant that she had to save every penny to get by once school began again.

Alex was worrying about the costs of the upcoming semester as she made her way to her car. As she reached for the handle, a hand landed on her left shoulder and a jolt of fear shot through her. After an unpleasant run-in with her mom’s boyfriend, she’d taken a women’s self-defense class. She used those instincts and reacted.

“Hey—” Her assailant’s words turned to a howl as she delivered a swift punch to his nose. She was just bringing her knee up for a groin shot when she recognized him.

“Jesus, Alex!” The stranger she’d mistaken for a psycho turned out to be Mr. Hottie. He cried out, holding onto his nose with one hand while shielding his groin with his other.

“Gabe? Oh my god, Gabe, I’m so sorry,” she said, covering her nose and mouth with her hands.

“You have a nice right hook,” he stated as he held onto his nose.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” she repeated, placing her hand on his back. “Are you ok?” She crouched down in front of him and grabbed his hand and pulled it away from his nose. Her stomach dropped. The first guy to hit on her forever and here she was hitting on him back—literally. She wanted to smack herself in the head. Not knowing what to do, her hands hovered over his head and back.

“You’re bleeding. Oh shit, I’m so sorry.” She dug through her bag looking for some napkins. “Here!” she said as she thrust the one napkin she found at his nose.

“Thanks.” His words muffled by the napkin. “You sure know how to make a guy work for your number.”

“My number? You want my number?” Her head jerked up and she nearly head butted him.

“Well, I wasn’t waiting for you after work to mug you.” He chuckled and braced his hands on his knee to push himself to a standing position.

“Of course, of course. Yeah, you can have my number. I can put it in your phone, assuming you still want it,” she stammered, hoping that she hadn’t broken his nose. She probably would have given him a kidney right then if he’d asked for it. Poor guy.

“Here you go.” Gabe smiled at her through the tissues on his nose, pulled his phone out of his back pocket and handed it to her. She put her number in and called herself. Her phone started to ring and she ended the call.

“Now I’ve got yours. You know, in case I need some boxing practice after work,” she said with a weak smile. “I’m really sorry. How is it now?”

He pulled the tissues away to see if the bleeding had stopped. “I don’t think the studio would appreciate me being your punching bag beyond tonight.” He grasped his nose between his fingers and moved it from side to side. Wincing, he attempted a smile, which was something out of a horror movie, what with the blood smeared across his top lip.

She opened her car door and grabbed a handful of napkins from her glovebox, then took the bottle of water from her cup holder and doused them. She held the damp napkins out and attempted to wipe some of the blood off his lip.

“Looks like it stopped bleeding,” she sighed, giving him an uneasy smile.

“Yeah, it looks that way.” He touched his nose and pulled his fingers away to look at them. “So … the real reason for my parking lot approach—sorry about that by the way; I realize how that could freak you out—and the reason I want your number—” She attempted to interrupt, but he held up his hand to wave her off.

“I’m in town for the next two weeks and I would really like to see you again.” A bright smile lit up his battered face in the dark parking lot. Her heart stuttered and she did the happy dance inside. Trying to play it cool, she nodded her head.

“I’d like that too,” she said breathlessly. “I’m working at the diner every day from twelve ’til eight, but other than that my schedule is pretty much open.”

“We’ll be shooting mainly at night, so it looks like I can come by the restaurant when it’s quiet and we’ll have plenty of time to see each other,” he said with a smile. Butterflies fluttered in her belly and she knew that a blush was creeping up her neck and onto her cheeks. She hoped that the poorly lit parking lot meant that Gabe couldn’t see just how giddy she was.

“It would seem that way.” She beamed. “And I'll be sure to keep my fists of fury to myself,” she said, holding her fists close to her chest.

“Good to hear. Let me get your door for you.” He stood by the door and she got in. He closed the door for her and she rolled down the window.

“I’ll see you soon, Alex,” he said as he stepped away from the car.

“See you soon Gabe.” She pulled out of the parking lot and checked her rearview mirror in time to see him shove his hands in his pockets and walk off into the night.