The Stranger I Bumped Into

✦ chapter 20 ✦

I take the money from the elderly man, giving him a smile. He returns it and walks out.

"I'll do the cash register. You can go take orders and clean tables." Noah says. I turn to look at him as he passes me his notebook and pen. It was one of those odd shifts where we both had work at the same time.

"So you're going to make me do all the work?" I say, raising my eyebrows.

"You've been working on the register for over an hour now." He says, shoving me to the side. I huff but accept defeat, walking towards the tables.

I walk to a specific table with a girl that looked my age. She didn't have anyone sitting with her and she didn't have anything on her table. She stares at something behind me but I don't even bother checking what.

"Welcome to Duncan's Diner. What can I get for you?" I ask her politely once I'm standing in front of her table. She had light brown hair with blonde at bottom, in an ombré. Her eyes looked grey, although I couldn't be sure. She looks up from whatever it is that's she's been staring at and gives me an annoyed look.

She nods towards something behind me and says, "you can get me him."

I look behind me, craning my neck and find Noah. I wave of jealousy courses through me and I do my best not to show it.

He would never like you, Lauren.

I take a deep breath, ignoring my last thought and try to keep my face neutral. I turn back to the person in front of me. "He isn't available at the moment." I say with an edge in my tone. I internally wince as I notice it.

"I want him to serve me. Now." She demands. I go to refuse but she interrupts me. "I'm a customer. I should get what I want."

Duncan's voice floats through my head. The customer always comes first.

"I'll go get him." I say, irritation clear in my tone. She gives me a smug smile and I hastily walk away. I head to the cash register where Noah was. He looks up at me and smiles when he notices I'm headed his way.

"Couldn't stay away?" He says cockily.

I roll my eyes. "Apparently the girls can't either." I mutter.

He raises an eyebrow, his expression turning serious. "Did you say either?" Noah asks, his voice low.

My eyes widen. Sh*t sh*t sh*t sh*t

"Uh, no. No, why would I do?" I try to cover up, plastering a fake smirk on my face.

He nods, looking down. It looked like he was having an internal battle with himself before he finally looks back up at me. "Did you need anything?" He asks, his playful tone gone.

What just happened?

I blink. "Uh yeah. The girl over there-" I say and turn to point at her. She was looking directly at us, a smirk on her face. When she notices us looking at her, she gives Noah a finger wave. I turn back around to Noah, but not quick enough to see his reaction. "- wants you to serve her." I finish.

Noah nods, his face emotionless. "You work on the cash register while I serve her." He says and I hand him the notebook and pen. I walk behind the cash register, taking Noah's previous spot. I watch as he walks over to the girl, having his charming smile on. The girl flirtatiously smiles and says something, but I was too far away to hear. I'm distracted by a middle aged couple with two kids. A boy who looked ten and a little girl who looked six. They walk up to the cash register and I plaster on a smile.