Darkness That Dwells Within The Magnolias

Chapter 1

I clutch the black plastic tray in my hands like my life depends on it, quickly glancing over at the blonde male training me. His bright hair is grown out in soft waves, barely brushing and curving over his ears, complimenting the dark tan that rests on his skin. He gives me a single, curt nod over to the table on the furthest corner of the patio, easily reading the worried expression plastered on my face.

"Just drop it off to table thirteen, you got this. You've got plenty of experience, just gotta learn your table numbers." JJ encourages me gently, and I swallow down the boulder that's formed in my throat. I tear my eyes away from the Caribbean ocean eyes that watch intently and suck in a deep breath, and trudge forward to quickly drop off the glasses of champagne. I flash a dazzling smile at the older couple, making sure to crinkle my eyes to deceive that I love catering to the beyond wealthy. I've spent most of my life doing just this, living off the kindness of strangers ever since I was sixteen. My mother passed away when I was thirteen in a freak motorcycle accident on the way to work, and my father quickly followed from a broken heart.

"Thank you so much sweetie." The older woman croons, her black hair braided around her head in an elegant crown. "You must be new to this area, I don't recognize you." I glance down at her pristine white sundress with gold trim, knowing the single item alone must cost hundreds.

"Nope, I just moved here. I wanted to get away from the city. Too much traffic, the community was withering away, all that jazz. I've never lived at the beach before, and decided here was a good place to slow down some." I reply in my sweetest customer service voice, glancing between the married couple. Their rings sparkle in the hazy orange glow of the sunset around us, one of my biggest reasons for choosing here of all places.

"Well welcome, we're the Thornton family and Frank here is the Kildare court judge. We live just down the road and love coming to the clubhouse after a long day on the ocean course." The woman waves a hand between the two of them, keeping a warm smile on her weathered features. The man gives a harsh gruff as a greeting, and eagerly sips from his flute, making it obvious he detests being bragged about to strangers. "We have a son named Topper that is probably around your age. We'll make sure to bring him next time, I know he could use some more positive interactions." She flashes a tight smile, hissing out the last words with a bitterness I can't quite read. I purse my lips in a thin line, my stomach turning at the idea of mingling with the overtly wealthy anymore then I have to.

"Thank you for the warm welcome, is there anything else I can bring the two of you?" I grin, brushing off the offer gently. The couple quickly orders some cheese and meats and I eagerly rush back to the little designated server table, punching in their food on the computer quickly. I glance out of the shaded area, grateful that today I've been put on the outside bar, with a couple small two top tables to contend with. Tropical flowers drape elegantly over the wooden covered bar and entire back patio that overlooks the ocean. Salt air fills my nostrils while the setting sun sets off scattered rays of brilliant oranges and reds as far as the eye can see.

"See you did just fine, nothing to be worried about, you're a natural." JJ compliments with a wide smile on his boyish face. He fits the stereotype of surfer bad-boy to a tee, and is on the shorter side for a male, which I enjoyed since I'm abnormally short.

"Yeah, I guess. Just a lot of big names, I'm used to money from the city, but out here it's just...different." I quickly close out of the computer program and wheel around to eye the empty bar, my fingers skimming over the deep red cherry wood that's finely polished to the tee.

"Just kook-ville out here. Just put it in the back of your mind and focus on your money. You came in the knick of time as summer starts to hit full swing, that's definitely when we start raking in the big bucks." JJ eyes a table on the patio that's being seated, then quickly glances back to me. "Hey there's a small party going on at the beach tonight, you should come hang out, I'm sure you're eager to meet new people." He flashes me a quick smile, but my face sours at his words.