Mateless and Luna Bound (Self Published)

Chapter 5: Tip

Authors Note: Well hopefully you guys don't hate me for doing this, buuuuut it's time to see the darker side to Charlie's life. Thank you for reading!

-Saturn

Great, now they definitely weren't going to come back. He never even figured out what the red-head's name was.

Something about that thought made his heart sink. He would never get to see that handsome stranger again. It wasn't like anything would have happened anyway. But it would have been nice to still see him.

Evon finally came out of hiding as the manager just finished up talking to the table. It was very poor planning on his part. Even though he was the owner's nephew, the dinner manager did not play nice with him. He was a frank man to say the least.

"Both of you, come with me," he told them. Evon looked confused, but still followed him into the office. When he shut the door, that's when the real party began.

"I'm going to keep this brief, because we are way too busy for me to waste time ranting at you both," he started. "Evon, you angered some of the richest people in the state, did you know that?"

The richest? They didn't act like a lot of the upper class that Charlie had served before. They had an authority about them, but they were also very much down to earth people.

"How was I supposed to know that?!" Evon responded. He had his arms crossed like a defiant fifteen-year-old. And he was thirty-one.

"You weren't," the manager said. "You were supposed to do your job quickly and efficiently. Instead, Charlie had to take over and deliver food for you - twice!"

"He shouldn't have! I was trying to do my job, but he kept on stealing my table!" he shrieked.

Charlie really didn't want on his bad side, as Evon was the kind of coworker who could make the job a living Hell. But there was no going back now.

"Don't start with me, Evon. I even had the chef tell me what happened. You left the food on the heat lamp for twenty minutes!" his face was red at this point. "If Charlie didn't go over there and try to cover for your ass, we could have lost some important customers!"

There was silence for a few seconds before the manager continued.

"Charlie," he looked to him. "I need you to take over that table for the rest of the night. You're the only one they trust waiting on them now." Then he turned to Evon, "As for you: the free dessert is coming out of your check, along with whatever else they ask for."

Evon looked ready to punch a wall. He was going to say something, but the manager just shooed them out of the office.

Charlie did his best to avoid Evon the rest of the night. The family seemed happy to see him, though. They wound up ordering another round of pie before asking for the check. They had all been there for about two hours at that point, and the customers were slowly leaking out.

Maybe he would actually be able to get out on time. The restaurant was closing soon and all the waiters and waitresses were finishing up on their last tables.

Which meant he got to feel those intense stares more and more. He was in less of a rush, and that table had been taking their time enjoying their meal. When he said goodbye to them, they promised to ask for him next time they came. The way that the red-headed man had said it sent an electric bolt up and down his spine. He couldn't say he didn't enjoy the attention just a little bit.

He looked in the check folder where they paid for their food, and he ran up to catch them.

"Sir," he opened the door for them again as they walked out. "I think there's been a misunderstanding."