Page 72 of All That Glitters

I take a long sip of my juice before setting it back down on the counter. “You’ve been here since opening; I know you’ve got to be exhausted. Do you want me to close for you?”

She shakes her head. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want you catching the bus home that late.”

I sigh. “What about if I open for you then?” It will give you a few extra hours in bed. I promise to wake you if it gets busy.”

She mulls it over, which tells me just how tired she must be. “Okay, fine. Just while Susie is sick. I can’t afford for us both to be out and if I keep burning the candle at both ends, I’ll only end up sick, too.”

“And here was me thinking I needed to twist your arm.”

“I’m too freaking tired to argue. On that note, I gotta admit, you look a little perkier than usual this morning. I’m jealous.”

“Death metal guy didn’t play his music last night, and I finally got a full night’s sleep. I didn’t even have to get up to pee.”

She holds up her glass to toast me. I clunk mine against hers. “Here’s to assholes finally realizing they’re not the center of the universe.”

“Amen to that.”

We finish just in time as a crowd of construction workers pushes through the door. With a sigh, I wash my hands and head to their table with a smile on my face.

“Hey guys, welcome to Deli’s Diner. My name is Hazel. I’m gonna be your server today. Can I get any of you drinks while you look at the menu?”

“You can take a look at something,” one mutters, but I ignore him.

“We’ll all take a coffee, sweetheart. Except Garret here, who’ll have milk.”

“No problem. I’ll get right on that for you.” I spin around, but when I feel a hand on my ass, I sidestep and glare over my shoulder at the offender. “I’m not on the menu, so please keep your hands to yourself.”

He holds them up with a lazy grin, but I know his fucking type. There is nothing repentant about him. I’ll end up having to reprimand him again before they leave. I stomp over to the kitchen, more pissed that none of his buddies said anything. That’s what always winds me up more than anything. The boys-will-be-boys mentality means that all their peers give them a free pass for their shitty behavior.

“You okay?” Del asks with a frown when I walk in.

“Yeah. One of the construction workers got a little handsy. Hopefully, he takes my words to heart.”

“He fucking better, or I’ll show him exactly what we think of that kind of behavior around these parts.”

I chuckle as I pour a glass of milk and place it on a tray before heading back out. I fill the tray with empty mugs and carry it with one hand before grabbing a coffee carafe with the other. I walk back to the table and place the carafe down on it. “Who wanted the milk?”

A guy at the far end waves at me, so I place the glass in front of him before putting an empty mug down in front of all the others. “Help yourself to the coffee. I’ll go and grab you some sugar and creamer.”

I exit to the condiment table and grab what I need before carrying it over to them. I put it all down on the table before leaving them to it so I can brew the second pot of coffee. I give them a few minutes to read the menu, then take the fresh carafe to them. “Did everyone get some?”

“Oh, I’m gonna get me some alright,” Handsy guy jokes.

“For fuck sake, Jim, leave it. She ain’t interested,” the guy who ordered the coffee tells him.

“Everyone’s interested in me. Some fillies just like to play hard to get, right?” He looks at me with clear lust in his eyes.

“No.” I look back at the rest of the table. “You guys ready to order?”

“Sure, thang,” the coffee-ordering guy says before ordering a stack of pancakes with bacon and eggs. I look to the guy next to him, who goes for a burger, and make my way around the rest of the crowd before landing on Handsy.

I look at him and wait. He grins in what I think is supposed to be a charming way, but it comes off as more of a leer.

“Are you eating or not?” I don’t bother trying to hide my annoyance. When he still doesn’t reply, I grab the half-full coffee carafe and the empty one. As I straighten up, I feel the asshole’s hand glide up the back of my thigh before he cups my pussy through my jeans. I jump and accidentally, on purpose, turn into him and tip the jug of hot coffee onto his crotch. He screams like a bitch, while I stand and watch him with zero fucks given.

“Jesus, lady, don’t just stand there, do something.”

“How about you rub it better for him?” I tell the coffee-ordering guy as Del steps up beside me.