Saving Melissa

Chapter 8

Melissa

Present

I rushed home as quickly as I could to get ready for work. Normally I don't put much thought into my appearance. I mean I try to look good, of course I do, working in the service industry means I get better tips the better I look. I don't necessarily mean I have to look sexy, but I have to look put together and clean. Today though, knowing Gavin was going to be there and he was going to watch Charlie for me spurred me to actually put on some make-up and try to make my uniform look good. They weren't the most unflattering outfits but we did have to tuck our shirts in and the pants I wear are kind of tight, and since I had a bit of a stomach on me, not even the apron could hide everything. At least the uniforms were black and not some awful color like orange or something.

It takes me a little longer to get ready than normal and I'm thankful I haven't unpacked Charlie's backpack from yesterday because it already has a change of clothes, toys, books, and snacks in it. I just have to wash out her little water cup, fill it up and we are ready to go. "Come on Charlie baby," I tell her as I pick her up out of her little play area in the living room. It's in the perfect spot for her because I can see it from the kitchen, my bathroom, and my bedroom. "You're going to hang out with mommy's friend while I work today, is that okay baby?" Charlie nodded her head at me and started to giggle. I'm sure she didn't quite understand what I was saying but she knew how to answer me. She was so smart, she was already talking a bit. I'm not quite sure that it's allowed for me to bring her to the restaurant but it's not like she'll be in the back with me, plus they only needed me to cover for a few hours. The waitress that was supposed to be on had to leave early for a funeral and her shift change couldn't come in any earlier. I just hope Charlie can stay entertained for a few hours.

We head out of the apartment and to the restaurant and my mind is a buzz thinking about Gavin. I really couldn't understand this weird relationship that I was developing with him. If you can even call it that I guess. I mean yes that man was beyond gorgeous, he honestly should be a model or something but it wasn't just that, it was the way I felt around him I guess. I haven't had the best relationships with men, which might just be the understatement of the century, and I've sworn them off, but after spending less than an hour with him at the Gala I made out with him in his car and now I was letting him watch the most important thing in the world to me. He just set me at ease for some reason. I had literally no reason to feel this way about him, but there was no denying I did. I don't know if it's the fact that he is apparently very well known, I looked him up after the gala, that makes me feel a little more at ease with him watching Charlie, but I'm still kind of surprised he offered. Although, not as surprised as I am that I actually accepted. I finally turn my brain off as we approach the cafe and I see Gavin already waiting outside.

"Hi," I say walking right up to him like he's an old friend.

"Hello," he says, and that's it nothing else as I stand there like an awkward turtle until I regain a bit of my composure.

"Thank you so much for doing this by the way. It was really, really kind of you. Extra shifts can be hard to come by here and I hate to pass up the opportunity."

"It's not a problem."

"Okay, great why don't we go inside and there is actually this little booth in the back of the cafe near the kitchens. I thought that would be perfect. I can come check on Charlie here every so often and you can let me know if you need anything."

"Lead the way," he says holding out his hand for me to go ahead of him. I walk in and see our hostess Ameilia is working. The only downside to today is I'll have to work with her and Brittany. They're two of the worst servers here. They're super snotty and gossipy. They're fake nice to your face and then talk crap about you with everyone else behind your back. They're very Regina George type people, and if I didn't hate arguing I would have told them off every time I overheard them making fun of me.

"Welcome to," Ameilia starts to say before she realizes it's me, "why are you coming in this way? Brent hates it when we don't use the back door."

"I know but I, uh, I didn't have anyone to watch Charlie today so my friend here agreed to watch her here while I'm working."

"Girl that is so not, oh hello," she says doing a complete 180 when she takes in Gavin's appearance. He does look really good today. He's wearing black slacks and a black button down shirt but it's rolled up to his forearms and he has these magnificat tattoos on display, I'm not surprised Ameilia basically starts drooling over him, and honestly I can't even blame her.

"Hi," he says with a curt nod.

"I'm Amelia, why don't I show you to a table."

"That's alright, Melissa is taking me to a specific one she had in mind for me and Charlie."

"Oh of course, that makes sense, that is so so sweet of you to watch your friends baby. It's so difficult being a single mother," she says, and while the words themselves don't bother me the condescending tone and the way she looks around while whispering it like it's some dirty secret do.

"Okay, well I better get them settled before my shift starts."

"Of course, just let me know if you need anything," Ameilia tells Gavin as she reaches out to pat his hand, "anything at all."

I tried to get away from her so quickly I was practically running. Fortunately, I could hear that Gavin followed and didn't stay to flirt with Amelia. Once we reached the table he slid in and I sat Charlie next to him but I bent down so she could hear me, "Okay baby mama has to work for a little while but you're going to have so much fun hanging out with Gavin aren't you?"

"SSSS mama," she answers me, I love the way she says yes.

"Ok I love you," I tell her before turning to talk to Gavin, "okay I have a bag for her here that has everything she could need in it. I have my phone with me if you need anything just shoot me a text but I'll stop by to check on you guys. Let me go clock in and then I'll come back and I can get you something to drink or some food, or whatever."

"Melissa, calm down everything will be fine. We will be here the whole time, nothing will happen and I don't need anything except maybe a coffee, when you get a chance, oh and here," he says taking his phone out of his pocket and unlocking it before handing it to me, "put your number in my phone, I'll text you so you have my number as well."

"Oh right, you're going to need my number in case you want to text me," I say as I quickly input my details into his phone. "Okay all set, I'll be back in five," I went into the back to clock in and then I went and made a coffee for Gavin and brought it out to him. I shouldn't have been at all surprised to see Brittany at the table pretending to fawn all over Charlie just so she could chat with Gavin. She hated kids, which was totally fine by me, if you don't want to have kids that is your prerogative but that doesn't mean you have to be nasty about other people's children. Every time I talked about Charlie around her she made rude comments about how disgusting kids were and how they didn't know how I could stand to be around such an obnoxious human all the time. I steeled myself for what I was sure would be an awkward encounter as I walked over and set the coffee down on the end of the table.

"Oh hey, Mel, I was just seeing how your darling daughter was doing. It is so nice of your friend to offer to watch her for you so you can get some extra money in from this shift. If you want I can make sure Ameilia gives you some of the bigger tables so you can make more," I could feel my face turning red at the insinuation that I was broke and needed the money, that even though she was also working here she wasn't as desperate as I was. And while I may have mentioned how much I needed this shift in front of Gavin, I didn't need her shoving it in his face too. I wish I had more of a backbone so I could tell her to f.uck off, but that's not me so I just gave her a smile.

"Thanks Britt," I told her and was about to tell Gavin I had to roll silverware but that I'd be back in a few when she interrupted me to try to bring me down, yet again.

"Oh honey," Brittany said with mock concern in her voice as she picked up the coffee and looked at it before setting it down again, "you really shouldn't be adding cream to your coffee, when you add that crap plus sugar it's so unhealthy. I try to cut out all added sugar," she added with a look to Gavin like he cared about her diet. "I can give you some recipes if you want. They would probably be so helpful, I bet if you were to cut out added sugar you could drop like 10 to 15 pounds like that," she said snapping her fingers in my face. I was not a confrontational person but the fact that she was trying to embarrass me just to look good in front of Gavin was making me really freaking angry.

"Actually," Gavin said looking at Brittany as though she was a fly on his food, "that's my coffee."

"Oh well of course, you look like someone who can afford to have some extra sugar," she interrupted him and he narrowed his eyes at her making her cast her eyes to the floor for a moment.

"And" he said, emphasis on and, he clearly did not like being interrupted, I'll have to remember that for later. "I happen to think Melissa is pretty f.ucking perfect just the way she is. I guess that added sugar is doing you some good," I couldn't help the satisfied smirk that spread across my face, especially when I caught sight of the way Brittany was looking from me to Gavin, like there was no way he could have said that. Before I could say anything else I heard Brent behind us.

"Are you ladies taking a break already?" He asked, coming to stand next to us, but losing all formality in his face once he saw Gavin. Jesus did this guy make everyone fawn all over him? "Gavin," he said sounding happy to see him, hmm, maybe I read that look wrong, "how the heck are you man?"

"I'm good Brent, you know it's taken me far too long to get to this place."

"Well, I'm glad to have you here now, I do hope these ladies aren't overwhelming you," he told him with a knowing look, acting like we were here throwing ourselves at him. I mean I guess one of us was.

"Not at all, I'm actually doing Melissa here a favor watching Charlie for her while she covers this shift."

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry, I should have called you before I brought her, but I didn't have anyone to watch her, and Gavin offered, and I just, ah, thought this would be okay," crap, I had to stop this rambling.

"Don't think twice about it honey," Brent said and I almost choked on my spit. This was not the reaction I expected, "she's fine here with Gavin while you work," then he turned back to Gavin, "I have to get some work done but come say bye before you leave."

"Will do, see ya later Brent." Brent nodded his head at Gavin, then looked at Brittany and motioned for her to get back in the kitchen before giving me a smile and walking away.

"Okay, you didn't tell me you know Brent," I tell him with an accusatory tone in my voice.

"It didn't come up," he said with a sly smile. I just laughed and turned to go back to the kitchen when he reached over to gently take my wrist, "that girl that was here sounded like a real b.itch by the way. You look like a f.ucking wet dream in this uniform outlining all your sexy as f.uck curves."

"O-okay, thank you" I finally managed to stutter out, "um, I'll just, I'll be back in a few," I told him before kissing Charlie and hightailing it to the kitchen. That man was so intense, but I couldn't deny that what he said made me feel like I was walking on a cloud.