Taylor

Chapter Eight

All of the chairs were flipped onto the table and two men were standing behind a long window behind the counter.

"Em!" One of the guys shouted above the music that played loudly in the back.

"Hey guys, this is Taylor. Taylor, this is Kyle and Logan." She pointed in order, naming the left as Kyle and the right as Logan.

"New hire?" Kyle asked.

"He's just hanging out until we open. He hasn't been here in a long time and wants to try a burger."

The guy on the right grinned. "You don't have to wait until we open. I'll grill you up one now"

"Oh, are you sure?"

"Yeah, man!" He began cooking and I turned to Emily who was watching me.

"If you give me a second to get the chairs down, you can pick anywhere you want to sit. Unless you're okay with sitting at the counter."

"The counter is fine."

I walked past her and went to a table, grabbing a chair and pulling it off. I did that to the rest of the chairs at that table, then moved to another table and did the same.

"You don't have to help me. It's okay, honestly."

I looked up at her and smiled. "I don't mind helping."

"Thanks," she said more quietly.

By the time we were done with the tables, the burger was done. Emily went around the counter and grabbed the basket, putting it in front of me. The guy had even made fries.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Oh, that'd be great. Coke?"

She grabbed a tall, plastic red cup from under the counter, scooped ice into it, then filled it up with coke.

"Thanks," I told her.

She leaned on the counter and watched me in anticipation. Knowing what she was waiting for, I took a bite and chewed slowly.

"Hmmm." I looked up into the air as if trying to decide if it was any good. Of course, the burger was as delicious as I remembered, but I couldn't help but tease her.

"Well?" She asked impatiently.

I finished chewing, put my finger up, then got a drink of coke–taking a nice long sip. She rolled her eyes and I grinned back.

"It's just like I remember," I finally said.

A grin spread across her face. "I'll make sure I let my grandpa know that."

"You're grandpa?"

"Yup. Fred is my grandpa. And those guys back there are my cousins." She shrugged and stood up straight. "I should get things ready. Enjoy." She smiled and walked away to finish opening.

When she was done getting things prepared, she stood across from me once again. Her eyebrow was raised as she looked at my half eaten burger.

"I thought you liked it."

"It's delicious. That's one of the reasons I'm taking my time and savoring it." I winked at her and she smiled and blushed. "Want some fries?"

She picked up a fry and stuck it in her mouth with a smile. "Thanks."

"You can have as many as you'd like."

She grabbed two more and walked back into the kitchen. I heard a blender going and a little later she came back out with a thick, short stemmed glass filled with vanilla ice cream. Chocolate syrup was drizzled over it and a cherry was placed on the top. She put a spoon in it and put it beside my plate.