Promises Made, Promises Broken - SYTYCW (Bad Reputation)

Present Day (Chapter Fourteen) Tuesday

Joey

"I'm totally worn out," Tucker admitted to me as she grabbed the last dirty dish off one of the tables.

"You are?" I teased. 

Truthfully, I very nearly couldn't maintain the pace Tucker set for serving the dinner to the waiting guests, and I was rather disappointed in myself.  I hadn't waited tables since high school when my dad thought it would build character if I worked outside of the family business, and I'd forgotten how draining it was.

When everyone was finally fed, all of the silent auctions items had been spoken for, and the small flatscreen had been carted off by one very happy retiree, I was glad it was over.  Even if that meant washing dishes.

"At least you weren't hit on by little old ladies all night," I told her.

"What?"

I reached into my pockets, pulled out some crumpled bills, and shook them in Tucker's direction.

"What're those?" she asked.

"Tips, I think."

Her eyes widened. "Who leaves a tip at a fundraiser?"

"Like I said. Little old ladies after a good time." 

"I don't know why you're wasting your time at college. You could make a fortune as waiter."

"Or as a male escort," I replied.

She tossed a wet cloth at my head, and I ducked out of the line of fire. 

"Let's see how you do as a dishwasher first," she suggested. "Maybe you can escort me to the kitchen."

"Now we're talking," I said as I followed behind her. "Seriously, though. What would you have done without me?"

"I want to say I would've been fine," Tucker replied. "But it would be a lie, and I'm not in the habit of lying to my friends."

"Wow. I've made the cut?"

"Maybe."

"Oh come on! I just spent hours refilling glasses of sparkling water for you.”

"Not for me." She shook her head. "For the rec centre."

As we loaded the commercial-sized sink and began washing dishes in silence, I felt like there was something we were both avoiding bringing up.  I just couldn't pin down what it was. 

"You were great tonight," she admitted.

"I've been hoping you'd say that," I teased.

"Do you ever stop?"

"Rarely."

"I didn't think so," she replied. "And I also think we're done in here."

I leaned my elbow on the counter and scrutinized her face.  She looked tired, but barely.  There was an underlying energy in her eyes that I found attractive.  A strand of hair slipped from one of her braids, and I pushed down an urge to reach out and tuck it behind her ear.  My hands itched to touch her, and I breathed an inaudible sigh of relief when she moved away to grab our coats.

"I'm going to have to ask you for another favour," she told me as she handed me the jacket.

"Will it get me into your inner friendship circle?"

"It won't hurt."

"I need you to walk me to the bus station, up by the strip mall."

"What's wrong with taking the bus from here?"