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I ignored the custo atstayed with h theon the kitchen door The couple that’d just entered the restaurant was talking ani toward the kitchen My gaze swept over the dining roonized hiranite, his hands balled into fists atop the table Only his eyes moved as they made their sloay to the kitchen door and ered there, devoid of all expression, and I had the sudden urge to shrink away

A hot hand grabbedat, mamacita?"

I practically jumped out of ?" I put a hand overheart

Tito tilted his head to the side "Slow night No dishes to wash"

"M his da a deep breath, I went back out to the dining roo a chip into his mouth, totally focused on his food If he noticed I’d coe it

As I went about work, things slowly returned to norer’s preoccupied stare He followed ht mine, they were filled with doubt

After he sat at his table for an hour without taking more than two bites of food, he wavedcar keys froed and walked out of the restaurant On the table was a crisp twenty-dollar bill I put my hands on ht-dollar plate of nachos that he’d hardly eaten? I had asked Bridger to stop tipping me Of course, he didn’t listen He always tipped me, and always too much

My heart was heavy after he left, and the lack of custo to raisea moment when only one customer was in the restaurant I don’t know if sheto make small talk, because Penney never seemed interested in anyone’s clothes but her own "Where did you get it?"

I looked down at the shirt--a black, lace-trihter than what I usually wore

"It was Bridger’s sister’s"

She lifted her eyebrows "The jeans, too? That brand costs over one hundred dollars a pair"

I looked at , with a whole new respect "And the sandals," I clarified

"So are you and Bridger dating, or what? Because Maria said Walt says that Alex told him you are, but Kat told hiht he didn’t date local girls"

"We’re friends And you can tell Maria to tell Walt to tell Alex that"

She raised her eyebrows again "You sure about that friend business? You and Bridger seehter than double-D’s in a C-cup And I see how he looks at you when he comes in for dinner--like you’re the entrée … a bit more than just plain friendly to er looks at you, I’ll kiss hihly he won’t knohat hit him Because if we have chemistry, we’ll be set for life"

"It’s totally not like that with Bridger andht of kissing hihly he wouldn’t knohat hit him madeabout I’m older than you I’ve dated a lot of men, and not one of them looked at le," Penney stated "Believe me or not, but he is totally hot for you"

"I wish," I said under my breath

"No way! You’re in love with hiwhat I had gotten ossip around the restaurant like she was a tabloid And if she told Maria I was in love with Bridger, Maria ht tell Walt And what if Walt spilled the beans at one of our Ultiames? "Please don’t tell anyone!"

"Oh, honey You play your side of this pretending not to care a whole lot better than Bridger does I had no idea! And I won’t breathe a word," she said, her Spanish accent thicker than normal She studied me for a minute "You know, next tiht in the eyes and just lean in halfway, like you are about to kiss hiht"

I laughed weakly

"Tell me when it happens," she said and hurried off to refill a drink

At eight o’clock, José stuck his head out of the kitchen and hollered for Penney and Tito to go home Tito strode out of the restaurant before José closed his mouth Penney and I looked at each other and then at José

"Magdalena hasn’t spilled a single thing tonight," he explained at our ht I think she can handle things on her own tonight"