Chasing Leah (Journey #1)

I push through the front door entrance of the restaurant with just one minute to spare. "Hey honey! Ready for your first day on your own?" The chipper voice floats out from the behind the counter that wraps around the front of the restaurant. I lean over and smile at the leggy waitress that had trained me who was busy marrying the ketchup bottles. “Hi Remy. I'm still trying to get used to being an early riser but I can deal. I think I'm good on my own today.” I grab an apron and order pad from beneath the cash register to get ready for the day.

From the moment I stepped in on my first day I instantly liked Remy. She was so open and warm that it was hard for anyone not to. It was her second year on campus and we were both majoring in nursing so I kind of felt a connection to her right away and she had a lot of inside scoop for me on the nursing program. She pops her fire engine red head up from beneath the counter and begins setting the bottles out on the counter. "Okay, good to hear cause it’s just the two of us this shift, I know you'll do great. I have all of section one and you'll do section two, we normally start picking up around 6:15,” she grins over at me and starts pulling out silverware to wrap as I move bottles to the mostly empty tables.

Sure enough we did pick up and had a steady flow of customers in and out until around 10:00. I mixed up a few orders here and there and spilled one cup of coffee but other than that I think I had the hang of things for this being my first time waitressing job. Remy stopped to check on a few of my tables and all of my customers so far had given raving reviews of my awesome waitressing skills.

I stop for a break at the counter and take a sip of my lukewarm coffee. Blech, maybe a nuke in the microwave would solve the problem or maybe I just needed to make sure I had extra time to grab coffee from somewhere else. “Leah,” I hear Remy call over from her section as she’s wiping down booths, “you have another table.” She cocks her head over to a corner table and wiggles her brows at me. I glance over to see what could be so exciting, maybe someone younger than 70 as were most of our customers so far this morning and I see Gage, the 'bartender' from last night. I try to contain my smile as I walk towards his table.

"Hey stranger, did you already miss me?" I pull my order pad out of my apron as I lean my hip against his table. Gage grins up at me flashing his perfect white teeth, he reaches over and runs his fingers up my arm and makes tingles shoot down to my toes. “Yeah, well I told you I run every morning by here and I happen to know they have some fine scenery around here.” Uh huh laying it on a little thick here aren’t we mister? I notice his clothing as he says this and realize he has a black workout shirt on with the sleeves cut off and a pair of athletic shorts. Yum, he fills out that outfit nicely as I look at his sculpted arms that have a nice tan. “So anyways……,” he shoots me a mischievous looking grin with a quirk of his eyebrow. “Huh? Oh sorry," I bite my lip nervously as I realize he had been talking to me the whole time I had been lost in thought checking him out. "What can I get for you?"

"I'll just take a coffee and one of your fruit yogurt parfaits,” he says as he hands me the menu back. “Okay, great. Coming right up.” I head back towards the kitchen and start to tap my order in. “Ohmigawd who is that fine piece of specimen sitting in your section, who by the way specifically requested you," Remy says fanning her face with her hands. I roll my eyes at Remys reaction to Gage. Well, glancing back over where I see Gage grinning back at me, he isn't bad to look at so I can see why she’s all hot and bothered.

“His names Gage, I met him at a party me and Ally went to last night. We didn't really talk much but I happened to mention where I was working. Apparently I made an impression.” Remy bends over and grabs her stomach as she bursts out laughing. I scrunch up my nose at her wondering what I said that could be found so hilarious. “Leah,” she chokes out in between laughs, “you're freaking hot. If you so much as breathe in any guys direction they'd be jumping at the chance.”

I laugh and grab the pot of coffee to fill Gages cup and take mine along with me. "Thanks Rem. I guess I’ll take that into consideration from now before deciding to converse with anyone from the male species. Care if I take a break?" Remy nods her head at me, her red ponytail bobbing up and down, “No problem, I'll cover any other tables that pop up. Wouldn't want to get in the way of cupids arrow over there.” I roll my eyes at her and head towards Gage. That’s the last thing I need but a few friends wouldn’t hurt.