Free Silent Hearts (Hamilton Stables 3) by Melissa West Page B

were quite this attractive.
    “I can get it if you’re busy,” Willow said. “That’s a full house of delicious over there.”
    Becca shook herself from her trance and waved off the waitress. “No, I’m good.” Though Becca wished she could ignore them without being rude. The truth was that she didn’t want Zac seeing her here, at work, where she was the bland waitress who would never amount to more.
    A vision of the Becca she might have been flashed through her mind. Her as an ER nurse, and Zac coming in after some scuba diving accident, and her being the nurse to stitch him up. They would stare at each other while she worked, tension building. Instead, she was about to serve him coffee and pancakes.
    Would you like extra syrup with that? No, me neither—but I’ll give you my number if you ask.
    God, she was pathetic. And all in an effort to put Nick out of her mind, which let’s face it, was next to impossible.
    “Hey there,” she said as she neared. “I didn’t realize teachers actually ate.”
    What the heck was that? Good God, it was no wonder she was single.
    Zac turned and immediately a beautiful smile broke across his face. He was dressed in a long-sleeve Guy Harvey shirt, his hair spiking out as it had been the day before, and Becca wondered if he ever dressed nice, or if he, like her, preferred the ease of comfort clothes. “Becca, right?”
    “Yeah. From scuba diving class.”
    He nodded, and the guy across from him piped up, “Damn, brother, I would have joined you for that training if I’d known this was what your students looked like.”
    Zac groaned. “Becca, this is my brother Charlie,” he said, motioning to one of the other men with him. “And this dipshit is Brady. Feel free to file a harassment suit against him now. Trust me, he’ll deserve it.”
    Brady grinned with pride. “Don’t worry, I’ll be a good boy if you want me to be. If not . . .”
    He winked, and Zac tossed a sugar packet at him. “Leave her alone. Besides, she’s taken.”
    “Is she now?” Brady studied her. “I wouldn’t be surprised to hear it.”
    “Yeah, Alex’s brother. Nick.”
    Becca waved her hands frantically. “Oh, no. No, she’s not. And definitely not with Nick. He’s a friend.”
    This seemed to please Zac and he turned to face her in the booth, suddenly very relaxed. “Now that’s the most interesting thing I’ve heard all day.”
    She grinned back at him and set down their menus. “I’d love to stay and chat, but we’re a little slammed.”
    “So you’re taking dive lessons?” Brady asked, ignoring her attempt to leave.
    “Yeah, on Saturdays. Do you all three teach or just Zac?”
    “We own Southern Dive in Crestler’s Key, so we teach throughout the year, whenever we’re not on the farm.”
    Becca nodded. “I remember Kate saying she grew up on a farm. I didn’t know y’all worked it, though.”
    “Yeah,” Zac said. “We took over when our dad became too old to manage it.”
    “That’s great that you can continue the family business.”
    “It can be.” They stared at one another, and Becca bit her lip in an effort not to grin. She could get used to this kind of attention, even if a part of her felt sad that it was coming from someone other than Nick. Still, she needed to get used to the idea of someone else. Nick would never be a reality for her.
    “Becca, order up,” Sage called from the kitchen, and Becca turned back, waved that she was coming, then focused back on the Littleton brothers.
    “Sorry. I’ve got to get to work.”
    “But you’ll be back?” Zac asked, his voice tinged with a hope that sounded amazing after her encounter with Nick. See, some guys did want her. She was likable, maybe even lovable.
    She grinned. “I’ll definitely be back.”
    Becca walked around the rest of her tables to double-check drinks and ask if anyone needed anything, then grabbed the plates from Sage and went to deliver them to the giant table in the center of the