by M. L. Young
I listened to the radio on my way there, a classical station, which wasn’t what most people would expect of me. I loved rock music and even some rap and hip-hop, but I didn’t need to get amped up before going into work. Besides, I had a habit of whispering lyrics to myself, and the songs that were popular today didn’t exactly have great lyrics for trying to earn a fat tip. Maybe in some biker dive bar, but not where I worked.
My usual spot next to the dumpster was available so I parked in back, squeezing my small Honda in and doing a kind of twist to get out without hitting my door against the chipped green hunk of metal next to me.
“You’re early,” Kieran, a coworker, said, as he sat out back smoking a cigarette.
“Had to beat traffic,” I said.
“Yeah, it’s pretty bad today. I’m leaving soon and was just checking the report,” he said.
“Are there a lot of reservations tonight?” I asked.
“Oh yeah,” he said.
“Shit,” I replied.
“More tips, though,” he said.
“Also more work,” I replied before going inside to drop off my things.
We had lockers in the back, albeit small ones, that we decorated and made our own. Mine had some stickers from a dollar-store coloring book I bought for fun. A few of them were bubbling and peeling off from the heat of the kitchen.
I pulled an apron off the shelf, tying it around my waist and putting my order book and pens in the front pocket before looking in the mirror and making sure I looked presentable. We always had to be checked by management before stepping foot onto the floor for the night. Something about having the same, great experience for guests every single time or something like that.
“Hey Matt, I’m ready to go out for my shift,” I said, peeking into the office.
“Okay, let me do the check,” he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin and standing up.
I stood still as he made sure my shirt was pressed, tucked in, and my hair was back and in place. I showed him my nails, always having to be clean, though mine were painted, a nude color of course. I was pretty sure I’d be fired if I came in with any kind of exaggeration on them.
“You look good. I’ll put it in the book,” he said, going back inside.
I walked out onto the floor and checked with the front to see what section I was in and how many tables I was taking over tonight. I had five, which was about the most I ever wanted to do at one time. I’d probably only have to do ten tables tonight, maybe eleven, but each would leave a tip of thirty to fifty dollars, unless I got really lucky and got some kind of big spender. Celebrities, athletes, and media executives had been known to come in and drop a big amount for a fun night. My highest tip yet was two hundred.
I hadn’t yet been seated, which was okay, as the restaurant wasn’t too busy, but the rush was close to starting.
I just hoped I had a good night tonight.
Chapter Three
Cash
“Hey guys, what’s going on?” I asked, as a few of us from the set went up to waiting fans outside.
“I’m such a huge fan!” a young woman, maybe twenty, said. She was wearing a promotional shirt from the first movie.
“Thank you so much for supporting us. What’s your favorite part of the movie?” I asked as I took out a pen to sign autographs.
They all started chiming in as I nodded, smiled, and continued to sign. I wasn’t pretentious, but hearing the same butchered story over and over got a little old.
We stayed for about ten minutes, taking pictures, signing autographs, and even signing one portly woman’s breast, which was definitely a first for me. Some of the others looked at me laughing, like it was my initiation or something, but it was soon over and we waved goodbye before walking away.
“Man, what a shit fest,” Garret, who played one of the villains, said.
“Be nice, they’re the reason you have a paycheck,” Rosa, one of the female agents, said.
“We’re done for the day, guys,” a producer said as we walked back up to the set.
“Beautiful, have a good day, guys,” Garret said before walking back to his trailer.
I looked at my phone, seeing it was getting late, as I still had to get home and change before going out and picking up Charlie. My trailer, my home on set, was filled to the brim with everything a breakout star could need. I walked inside and gathered up my things to take home. I could almost just live here on set, if the thing only had a bigger bathroom and bed. Maybe if we had another movie I could negotiate that into my contract.
The studio executives insisted on me having a driver to and from set, mostly for insurance reasons. It wasn’t that they didn’t trust me driving, but I guess if something did happen they could hold the driver and his company responsible, which I didn’t necessarily think was right, but I had no input in the matter.
“How are you this evening, Mr. Hawthorne?” Harry, my driver, asked.
“I’m doing well, Harry, and how about yourself?” I asked, sliding into the black leather interior.
“Doing just fine, thank you,” he said before shutting the door.
Harry, bless his heart, was about seventy-five and still kicking life’s ass. A retired Marine veteran, he started a small carpet business years ago before selling it to some chain home goods conglomerate that completely changed everything about his business. I wasn’t entirely sure why he drove this limo; I thought he just wanted something to do, and he told me once he’d always had a love for cars. I guess whatever makes you happy in life.
I scrolled through my phone during the car ride home as I melted off the stresses of learning lines and sitting on set, instead perusing my Instagram feed, being constantly bombarded by fans on my pictures. It was sometimes hard, always seeing people asking for this or wanting that, but I tried not to let it get to me. I was always going to have bad fans who screamed the loudest, but I couldn’t forget that there were tons more who were great who maybe didn’t talk at all. I couldn’t forget they were there supporting me, no matter how annoyed I might get with the others.
Luckily there were no paparazzi, at least that I saw, outside the gates to my house, unlike three days ago when four were out there waiting for me. I guess I could understand a person’s fascination with a celebrity, but getting pictures of me taking out the trash for a magazine? Really? Was that where we, as a society, were at? I tried not to even read them, but when my mom would send me a tabloid picture I couldn’t help but be exposed to it.
“Thanks, Harry,” I said as I got out of the car.
“Have a nice night, Mr. Hawthorne. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said before pulling away.
I wiggled the key in the lock and quickly turned off the alarm as it chirped after I opened the door. You could never be too safe these days, what with crazed fans jumping gates because God told them we were supposed to get married and all. I heard that Matt Jones, from those new wizard movies, came home to a middle-aged woman naked in his bed just the other week.
I took a quick shower, the spa-like glass cube with river rocks for a floor and twelve water jets spraying off any little bits of makeup and sweat that my body had to carry for the entire day. My dad always called it “liquid sleep” growing up, saying that a nice shower could rejuvenate you to get through the rest of the day or night, and I’d always believed that myself. Any exhaustion I had seemed to go away, at least for a short while. I picked out a nice pair of slacks and a white button-up shirt sans ties and jacket for tonight. I still had to look good, you know?
•••
“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming,” Charlie said as he got into my car.
“I know, man, I’m sorry. Traffic was horrible and I got caught up watching a video online before leaving. Have directions to the place?” I asked.
“Yeah, let me plug them in,” he said, opening the maps app on his phone.
The directions started and the roar of my beastly engine vibrated against my back like I was in one of t
hose chairs at the mall. A car with three women pulled up beside us, trying to look in, but my window tint mixed with the dark night obscured our identities from the cute sorority girls.
“Roll down the window and say hello,” Charlie said.
“Nah, I don’t want to be followed, and besides, the light is about to change,” I said, and the light changed right when I finished talking.
“You could’ve had all of them, at the same time,” he said.
“I’m not sure I want that. Well, I want that, from a horny standpoint,” I said, laughing, “but I’m more interested in what you have. That one woman standing by you and being your best friend and lover.”
“See, I always did expect you to want to play the field a bit. I’m thrilled you want to settle down or at least have a serious girlfriend, but you’re in that prime spot right now,” he said.
“Life isn’t always about excess—either in money or women. Sometimes you need somebody to keep you grounded so you don’t float away,” I said.
As we pulled up to the valet we both got out, and we were instantly noticed. People on the street whipped out cell phones and started to take our pictures.
They asked for selfies, though we didn’t oblige, which made me feel like a dick. Charlie tried to justify it, saying there were a dozen people and more would only show up, but I hated treating fans like that. He said they probably just wanted to brag about meeting celebrities on social media. I guess I understood that.
You’d think we were Princes William and Harry, as the staff laid out the royal treatment and whisked us to a table, forgoing the rest of the patrons who’d been sitting there waiting for who knew how long. I guess there were perks to being well known, even if there were some downsides.
“Your server, Jenna, will be with you shortly,” the maître d’ said before walking away.
Chapter Four
Jenna
“You’re so damn lucky,” Beth said.
“Why?” I asked as I rolled silverware in the back.
“You just got a table. A big table,” she said.
“Ten top?” I asked.
“Not that kind of big. I mean big people there,” she said.
“I don’t care if they’re fat,” I said.
“God, no, not that, Jenna! It’s Cash Hawthorne and Charlie Kensington!”
“Who?” I asked as I kept rolling.
“Oh my god, you don’t know? They’re huge Hollywood stars! They’re young, rich, and extremely good looking, though I know Charlie is with someone. I follow him on Instagram,” she said.
“Well, looks like it will be a good tip,” I said, straightening my shirt and walking into the dining room.
People were taking selfies across the room and flashes were going off as my table sat there talking amongst themselves, as if they didn’t notice the action around them. Beth wasn’t wrong about their looks, even though I didn’t know who was who. I didn’t feel too bad about not knowing A-listers, but I did know they’d tip well, and I liked that. Maybe I should flirt a little to make the tab even higher.
“Hello, I’m Jenna and I will be your waitress tonight. Could I start you off with something to drink from our bar?” I asked as the two men looked up at me.
“I’ll have a Captain and Coke,” the one on my right said.
“I’ll have the same, actually,” the other said.
“Great, I’ll get those in for you. Did you want me to put in an appetizer order as well? Have you had a chance to look over the menu?” I asked.
“Is there anything you’d suggest?” the one on the left said as he looked into my eyes.
“Well, I personally like the prosciutto and cheese sampler,” I said, my order pad against my chest.
“We’ll have that, then,” he said with a smile.
“Great, I’ll get both orders in now,” I said before walking away to the computer.
“How did it go?” Beth asked as she ambushed me while I inputted the orders.
“I took their order,” I said.
“Were they nice? What did they say? God, I wish I could marry one of them,” she said as I caught her gazing in their direction.
“Damn, calm down, Beth. The one on the right is cute,” I said.
“That’s Cash, the single one, wink wink,” she said, nudging me.
“Why wink wink?” I asked.
“Get his number or something,” she said.
“I don’t think our boss would be too appreciative if I tried to hook up with a guest—and a famous one at that,” I said.
“Well, if you flirt a little maybe he’ll just ask for yours or give you his, and then that’s not wrong because you didn’t ask for it. That way you can’t get in trouble,” she said.
“You’re thinking too much into this,” I said, hitting enter on the order.
“Really? You’ve never thought about dating someone famous?” she asked.
“Once or twice, but I don’t dream of it happening like you obviously do,” I said.
“I have an active imagination, that’s all. I’m just saying, you sometimes only get one chance at something in life, and when that chance presents itself to you, you shouldn’t just let it slip away,” she said. “I have to get to my tables.”
I walked over to the bar and waited at the back, as they were swamped and trying to sling the bottles as quickly as they could for the guests.
As the next half hour passed and our dining room became more and more full, I forgot my talk with Beth as I tried not to let drops of my sweat fall into steaming appetizers as I and the rest of the staff moved as quickly as we could to get people in and out. Time was definitely money in the restaurant business, and a busy night like tonight could yield a lot of money for me if the kitchen worked in unison and the tables didn’t decide to sit for two hours on a bottle of wine like they normally did. They left good tips, but it would be better if they took it somewhere else and let me get another table seated.
As I worked the floor, making sure my tables were happy, I noticed something. It happened during the process, actually, and it involved that Cash, if that was even his real name. He was looking at me. Well, I guess it would make sense, because I’d visited them a couple times, but it was even after that. Usually it was just some horny old man who licked his lips from across the room at me while he popped a little blue pill, but not this time.
Not only that, but his friend, or lover, or whoever he was, was talking to him as he did it. Like talking to him and peeking over at me, like they were talking about me, but why?
Nothing else had happened, even when I brought them their entrees and fresh drinks. Cash was a little nice and possibly flirty, but he didn’t take things further or try to get in my pants like other guys did. At this point I honestly couldn’t even tell what was going on.
“So?” Beth asked, sneaking up behind me and scaring me.
“Do you have to do that?” I asked, giving her the evil eye.
“Sorry. Did he ask you out or anything?” she asked.
“No, he didn’t ask me out. He’s not going to do that. Although…”
“What?” she exclaimed.
“He’s been looking at me a little, I think, I’m not sure,” I said.
“Yes or no, would you date him?” she asked.
“I don’t even know the first thing about him,” I said.
“I just mean would you go out with him? On a date? If he asked you,” she said.
“I mean, I don’t think I would say no. He’s a good-looking guy,” I said.
“Shit, Bill is motioning for me. Don’t forget what I said,” she said before leaving.
“What you said? You barely said anything,” I whispered under my breath.
They signaled that I had a new table and I waited a couple minutes before walking over and introducing myself. I kept an eye on Cash, as I caught him looking at me again, though he looked away so fast when I peeked over that I bet he thought I never even saw him looking.
This was
going to be an interesting shift.
Chapter Five
Cash
“I don’t know how you haven’t said anything,” Charlie said.
“Maybe I shouldn’t,” I said.
“Why are you so nervous? You’re an A-list celebrity, you’ve made millions, and you’re handsome. She’s just a waitress,” he said.
“Don’t say that, it’s rude. A person’s job means nothing about them. I got lucky with acting, and besides, you have no clue what she does or will do. She could be in school to become a neurosurgeon, for all you know,” I said.
“That’s a good sign, being quick to defend her,” he said.
“Here she comes,” I said, sitting up.
“How are we doing over here, gentlemen?” Jenna asked.
“Well, funny you should ask,” Charlie said.
“Charlie,” I said.
“No, I’m not going to sit by any longer,” he said, the drinks obviously making him a little more extroverted than normal. “My friend here thinks you’re pretty, and I’m sure he would love to take you out sometime.”
“I’m sorry about him, he’s a little tipsy, I think,” I said, embarrassed.
“That’s quite all right,” she said, her cheeks turning the faintest shade of pink.
“Well, ask her,” Charlie said, taking a sip of water.
“Uh,” I said nervously.
“I don’t mean to be rude or anything, and I think you’re very handsome, but I’m not sure I could date an actor. I’m just not sure it would work out,” she said.
Someone motioned for her and she walked away, leaving it at that. Charlie sat there stunned with his mouth open. I had to say I was a little shocked as well, and not for the reasons one would think. I wasn’t some self-absorbed star who thought every woman on Earth wanted to be with him. I was grounded, from the Midwest, and I think that you should see past what a person does and instead look at the person underneath.