Falling for a Star (Complete)

Chapter 26 - Moving On

***** One Week Later - Brenley's Point of View *****

I walked into Campus Perk and the place was busy as usual, with couples sitting around the fire sipping their coffees and tables of students studying. That reminded me that I had a test I needed to study for later. I had tried the night before, but I couldn't focus.

"Hey Dave," I said to my manager as I walked behind the bar and slipped on my black apron, tying it behind me.

"How are you?" he asked with a smile. His brown curly hair was covering his forehead and he was wearing a black superman t-shirt that showed how skinny his arms were and dark jeans with a black apron just around his waist.

"I'm good," I said as I started wiping down the counter.

There was silence between us for a few seconds before he finally asked, "Are you really?"

I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. It's just, ever since you got back from California you haven't been yourself."

I stopped wiping and looked at him. His dark brown eyes were hidden behind his black rimmed glasses and he was looking at me eye to eye because we were practically the same height. Judging by the look on his face, he knew I was hiding something.

"Sorry. I guess maybe I have been a little distracted."

"A little?" he scoffed with a laugh. "That's the understatement of the year. I can't even tell you how many orders you've screwed up and how many complaints I've gotten in the last week. Usually all you get is compliments. What's up with you?"

"I'm sorry. I'll do better, I promise," I said with a long exhale, rubbing my hands over my face and then smoothing them over my hair, tightening my ponytail.

He nodded his head and then walked away into the back room without another word. I could tell it bothered him to have to get onto me like that because he had never had to before. I felt really bad about getting complaints from customers because I had always taken a lot of pride in my work. I needed to do better. I really couldn't afford to lose this job.

For the rest of my shift I tried to push all thoughts of Dylan out of my head and focus really hard on what I was doing.

That night as the last customer left, I locked the door and got busy wiping down tables and turning the chairs over on top of them so I could do a quick sweep and mop. Dave came out of the back room and started helping me and when we were done putting up the chairs, he stood there holding onto the legs of an upside down chair, letting out an exhale.

"Brenley, I ummmmmm," he laughed, raising a hand and rubbing the back of his neck. "There's something I need to ask you. I know this is strange timing and I should've done this a couple years ago, but I never could get up the nerve."

I scrunched my eyebrows at him. "A couple years? What could be so important you've been trying to get up the nerve to ask me for a couple years?"

Then it dawned on me and my eyes widened. Oh no this couldn't seriously be happening could it? Not Dave. Oh please don't let it be what I think it is.

"Brenley we've been working together for four years and I've never met anyone that tries to go out of her way to do a good job like you. You love to make people smile. You've always made me smile," he said, stepping away from the chair and taking a step towards me.

I was standing there frozen, feeling like the world was moving in slow motion and that this couldn't really be happening.

"Brenley, I love hanging out with you and I've seen the way you are with Ellie and your Dad. You're so sweet and thoughtful and caring, and that's exactly what I'm looking for."