Chapter 9: An Unwelcome Customer
Nina
Enzo didn’t seem to recognize me right away with my uniform and my hair pulled back. He came in and sat down at the counter while I was pouring coffee for another customer, which I nearly spilled all over the table out of shock.
My hands trembled as I approached the counter. Was he following me, or was this just a coincidence? Now, more than ever, I regretted ever sleeping with him. Why must he insist on playing with my feelings like this? Couldn’t he just move on to the next girl?
I walked behind the counter and immediately turned my back to him, pretending to fiddle with the coffee
machine.
“Hi, Nina.”
So he did recognize me.
I took a deep breath and turned around to face him.
“What are you doing here?”
Enzo looked around and gestured a bit with his hands. “What do you mean? It’s a diner. I’m hungry.”
chest. “You and I both know that you could have gone to
“Can I just get
the laminated menus from behind
of the back. He was a kind old man named Phil. He walked with a cane, but his mind was sharp and his hearing was
not being rude to
but Phil cut
he said. “Enzo Rivers!
I met him. He looked handsome when he smiled, and suddenly I had a flash of a memory from Friday night in his bed. I blushed and looked at the floor.
“Is Nina
shook his head. “No. She’s just surprised
and winked before hobbling off to
up from the menu. His brown
get me to talk to him more than I needed to, but Phil was watching and I couldn’t be rude in
the grilled cheese,”
Enzo said, handing back to me. “And some fries. Oh, and a
ignoring Phil’s dissatisfied glare, then retreated to the kitchen to put in Enzo’s order.
the counter. I set it down in front of Enzo, then filled up a glass with ice and root beer for
full after. taking a bite of grilled cheese. “This is
other customers and clearing tables. I always felt Enzo’s eyes on me as I worked, but whenever I turned around, he only seemed to be looking
was finished, he waved me
I thought to
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!