Free Silent Orchids (The Age of Alandria: Book One) by Morgan Wylie

the way. He unfortunately hadn’t told him how to do that. Time to figure it out.

 
    Chapter Seven
    The first several days at her new job went pretty smoothly. She met some nice people, served a nice old couple that lived in her building, didn’t break any dishes, didn’t mess up too many orders, and even made some decent tips.
    I think I’m getting the hang of this, I might even like being a waitress , she thought with an upbeat smile. It was her last hour of work for the night, and as she was putting in an order with the kitchen, one of her coworkers approached her. I can’t remember her name, what is her name?... Maybe she won’t remember mine . “Hi,” Kaeleigh said.
    “Hey. Kaeleigh, right?” she asked a bit hesitantly.
    “Yep. I’m sorry, I don’t remember yours,” Kaeleigh stated sheepishly. Crap!
    “It’s Alex, but don’t worry, you have a lot to remember your first week. I’ve been there myself,” she said with an understanding smile. “Do you know the gorgeous guy at table thirteen?”
    Which one is table thirteen? I should remember this… I think it’s over by the… WOW, if that’s table thirteen, he IS gorgeous! “Over by the fireplace? Is that table thirteen?” she asked shyly, looking to the other waitress. Alex just nodded. “No. I don’t know who he is, but I wish I could say I do.” Kaeleigh ducked her head and blushed, realizing she had said that out loud. Oops!
    “You may get your chance,” Alex said with an eyebrow raised. Kaeleigh looked at her, confused. “It’s one of my tables, but he asked for you . By name. You should go meet him, he’s been staring at you ever since he arrived.” She sounded a bit put off that he didn’t want her as his waitress. Kaeleigh was a bit surprised herself. Alex was early twenties, beautiful, tall, leggy, and blond. The kind of girl you think is every guy’s type, especially since she’d actually been hit on by almost every guy—single or otherwise—that she’d waited on tonight. It was pretty obvious that she knew it and played it to her benefit. Judging by the tips she counted out at the end of each night, she did benefit!
    “Okay.” Kaeleigh drew the word out suspiciously. “It must be a mistake, though, I don’t think I’d forget someone like him .” Kaeleigh shrugged her shoulders, but curiously headed to table thirteen. She wasn’t superstitious, but heading to that table gave her a shaky feeling.
    How does he know my name? I’m sure I’d remember that raven-black hair and those eyes...those deep-set chocolate eyes that look like they’re staring into my soul...eyes that are looking directly at me with a slight twinkle.  
    Just below those eyes was a set of full lips that caused her tongue to have a mind of its own, wetting her own like an excitable teenager. Those same lips lifted with a cocky, faint smirk that said he knew what she was thinking, and Kaeleigh quickly snapped out of her blatant ogling with a blush creeping up her neck. She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and remembered she had a job to do. 
    “Welcome to Antonia’s, my name is Kaeleigh. I see you already have your beverage. Are you ready to order?” she said, trying to remember all she was supposed to say. It didn’t help that he stared openly at her with an amused look on his face.  
    “No, but thank you,” he said, looking directly at her with intense dark eyes that caught her off guard. His gaze softened, then smiling, he said, “I’ve been observing you for the last few days and it appears you are completely unaware of who you are.”
    She was so taken aback by his bluntness and so confused by his smile that she just stared at him for a minute, not sure how to respond. What?! Is this guy for real?
    Lost in her inner monologue, she almost missed him walking past her as he got up abruptly and left the restaurant. Kaeleigh had just barely tuned back in to reality in time to see the back of his head and his...well, his