Dog Tags

Chapter 6

Quinn's POV

I look at the clock to see that it is 8:00 at night which means that it is officially closing time, and everyone doing their own closing activate. Emery is sweeping and mopping the floors, I am cleaning off the tables and chairs, is comparing today's sales report with the money in the register and credit card receipts, Tyler who is the cook here at the diner is in the back turning off all the heaters, ovens, and gas stoves, and lastly Tiffany is double check inventory. The sound of Emery letting out a frustrated sigh gets my attention, "I can't take silence anymore, I need music or something to help me work." I let out a laugh as Emery walks over to the radio, "This coming from the guy that goes to the gym every day even when he has most ripped physique of most guys I have ever seen." Emery smiles at me and winks at me as he walks over to the radio and turns it on.

The song 'Dancing with a Stranger' by Sam Smith ft. Normani starts playing through the speakers in the diner. "I love this song." I say slowly start dancing out to the song. I feel someone grab my hand and as I am spun around I find myself in the arms of Emery, "Care to dance?" He asks wiggling his eyebrows at me before spinning out of him arms. I look at him before taking my apron off from around my waist and placing it on the counter. "If you can keep up." I say but Emery just lets out a laugh as he takes his apron and places it next to mine,"You must have forgotten that between my dad and my aunt that I have learned the jive to the foxtrot and everything in between." I incline my head because it is hard to forget that your best friend has a father and an aunt that are professional American dancers.

Emery unbuttons his white dress shirt and slips it off placing on in a booth. "You look for any reason take your shirt off." Emery walks up to me as the two of us dance very sexually for two best friends around the diner. 

Throughout the song our bodies are touching each other as the two of us stay in sync and locked into this dance.

Once the song ends both Emery and I are both short of breath when we both smile at each other, "Your dad and aunt would be proud." Emery smiles at he when the sound clapping is heard from the diner, and I know realize that Emery and I were dancing like that in front of people. "That was hot." Tiffany says throwing Emery his shirt. I look over at Tiffany as he gives me that look of I told you, and it dawns on me that she is talking about the conversation that her and I had on my break about Emery being in love with me. "It was a pleasure dancing with you Emery, but I think that I should get home." Emery just nods his head while rubbing the back of his neck and I notice his cheeks are a little red,

"I'll text you later." He says before rushing off to the back as Tiffany follows behind him. I sit down on the booth taking a couple of deep breaths before I see Mr. Boise from the behind the counter, "You need to be careful young lady,to people who didn't know your friendship with Mr. Lopez, it would like that there was something between the two of you." Mr. Boise comments walking into the back. I hang up my apron as I see Emery and Tiffany talking in the back but I am to far away to hear what they are saying but from the looks of it Emery looks upset. I run my fingers along the dog tags around my neck before walking out of the diner and getting into my car as I head back home where everything makes sense.

I return home with my mind still playing the conversation with Tiffany over again in my head, but I just come to the conclusion that I am reading too much into this and I just need sleep. I get out of my car as I walk out of the garage and close it for the night, I walk up the steps leading to my house and enter the house wondering who is all home, I walk down the hallway to the living room to see that my brother Jared is still up watching TV. "You the only one up?" I ask as my brother looks over the couch at me, "I think dad is in the kitchen, and grandma is in her room." I smile at my brother walking over to the couch and sitting next to him. "How was the diner?" Jared asks turning his attention back to the show he was watching,

"It is kind of typical day, we had a few new faces but think that they were tourist passing through." Jared lets out a chuckle and places his arm behind his head,"The highlight of my day was Tiffany announcing that she thinks Emery is in love with me." Jared looks at me with a confused look on his face, "You really didn't know?" I look at him a little taken back that he would know that before I did. "You knew that Emery is in love with me?" Jared nods his head still surprised that I didn't know this whole time, "Come on Quinn, anyone that spends enough time around you and your group could see that, I mean even Brenton figured that out." This catches me completely off guard, "If Brenton knew, then he would have told me." Jared sits up on the couch,

"Brenton wouldn't tell you that some other guy is in love with you, and if he did he would be fool." I just roll my eyes not wanting to talk about this anymore, "It is what it is, and that is all I have to say." I get up off the couch and walk into the kitchen to see my dad going through today's mail, "Hey dad." My dad looks up at me and smiles, "There is my working girl." I sigh and walk over to him and give him a hug. "How was work?" I ask him but I know that I really don't want to know. "It was okay, I had a few incidents today but nothing that I couldn't handle." I look down at the kitchen table to see my letter from Brenton, and I notice that my dad catches me looking at it, "No one opened it pup."I slowly pick it up and read the outside without saying a word to my dad,

"If it will make you feel better, I will read it to you." I shake my head not wanting anyone to read this but me, the letters between Brenton and I are very personal. "I will read it on my own dad, but thank you." My dad stands up giving me a kiss on my forehead. "Why do you smell like 'Sean Jean' cologne?" I let out a nervous laugh as I think of what my dad might do if he knew about the dance between Emery and I, "How do you know what that cologne smells like?" I ask crossing my arms over my chest in a playful matter, "I know the smell because your brother wears that scent." I guess never noticed that my brother wore cologne,

"Emery wears it all the time dad, he hugged me and it must have got on me." My dad stares at me waiting to see if I will break and spill the truth, but in my defense, it was part of the truth. "Alright, but if I find out anything different then I will be getting a couple of my buddies to together and we will be banging on the Lopez front door." I just laugh and hug my dad again. "You are so over protective." My dad looks down at me with a sad smile on his face,"You are the spitting image of your mom." I nod my head knowing that it has been hard on all of us since she passed away.

"I am going up to my room to take shower and get dressed before reading my letter from Brenton." My dad lets out a deep breath, "Alright, but if you need me just come get me." I nod my head before walking back into the living room and slapping Jared upside his head, "HEY!" Jared yells as he sees that it was me, but all I do is stick my tongue out at him while I make my way upstairs and into my room.