33. Chapter Thirty-Three

One foot in front of the other. One table and then on to the next. One more cup of coffee, one more order, one more check. One more fucking fake smile.

One more hour.

It's after nine, and I'm dragging. My feet hurt, and my shoulders and neck ache. And somehow, the diner is still packed, like the whole fucking town has decided to congregate. I guess that happens sometimes when the weather is shitty like it is now. It makes for good tips, but I need a break. And I need this day to be over so I can go home and wallow in my own fucking tears and uncertainty.

I also need some more Advil.

He hadn't called. At least, not before my shift started. And it's been so busy, I haven't even had a moment to check my phone. It's seriously been fucking nonstop since just before three. But one more hour, and I should be able to get the fuck out of here. And then I'll have to talk myself into it—checking my phone—because if he didn't actually call...

Fuck.

I'm shaking as I grab another pot of coffee and push my way back out into the dining room, but I paste that fake smile back on my face. Everyone's loud and chatty, and several people see me and hold up their coffee cups like they're summoning me. There are a few shouts of "Hey, Coop! More coffee!" and "Anyone wanna order another pie?" And I try. I smile and joke and laugh as I make my way around the dining room.

Chuck passes me carrying a tub of dirty dishes. He's grumbling something under his breath, and I'm not really sure I even want to know what it is. He's been in a worse mood than Mel all evening, probably because he was supposed to be off an hour ago. But given I'm still planning to beg him again for his morning shifts on Monday and Tuesday next week, I don't want to piss him off any more than he already is.

The coffee pot is empty before I even make it around the whole dining room, but no one seems to care too much. I return to the kitchen with another three orders for peach cobbler—because fuck me—and another two orders for chocolate cheesecake—because fuck me again.

"Mel, please tell me we have more—" I stop with my hand frozen on the kitchen door, holding it about halfway open.

Behind me, over the ruckus in the dining room, I hear the front door open and close. And I feel as he walks in. It's this warmth that spreads through me and this tug in my heart. And it's so completely distracting and overwhelming that I sort of forget what I'm doing and where I am.

"More what, Coop?" Mel barks.

"More, uh..." Fuck, I don't know. What were we even talking about? And does it even matter? He's here. Josh is here. My chest is fucking tight, and I can't breathe.

"Coop? Fuck, Coop, come on now, what do you need? We're out of pot roast if that's—"

"Peach—peach cobbler and, uh, chocolate cheesecake," I manage finally, blinking to try to refocus myself even as I feel him coming closer. "Uh, table... uh, three wants... Shit, I gotta—I'll be right back, Mel."

"Coop! You're about to be fuckin'—"

The door closes, cutting off her threat to fire me, and I turn around. And it's like everything happens in some weird slow-motion shit. He's standing there—soaking wet—just on the other side of the counter, his eyes locked on mine. His lips part like he's going to say something, but he doesn't. Instead, he gives me this little wave and an anxious smile and then tilts his head to the only open seat at the counter.

But I shake my head, and in an instant, I'm on my way around the counter to meet him. Everything's still in slow motion, blurring into out-of-focus shapes and unintelligible sounds around me. When I finally reach him, he's pulled his hands out of his pockets, and his eyes look so fucking hopeful and full of love.

I don't want to wait another second. I can't wait. I don't care that we're surrounded by people and that I'm probably fired. I don't care that he's soaking wet. I don't care that I'm exhausted and sore.

I only care that he's here. He's here, and he came back.

He's in my arms before I even realize that he'd moved. His hands slide up my chest and around to the back of my neck, and then he's tugging me down to him as he stretches up to reach me. Our lips meet, and I'm not sure what happens next. All I know is his lips caressing mine, his body pressed flush against me, his fingers playing in my hair, his warmth rushing through me.

I pull back and stare down into his fucking gorgeous blue eyes. And I'm lost. So lost. My words don't work, but I stutter out something. "Y-you're here... You're fucking here. You—you came back..."

His hand slips around to my cheek, and he nods and kisses me again. Then he lowers his head to my shoulder, and his whole body shudders.

"I'm sorry. I tried to call, but it was probably after your shift started and—and then I was driving and the rain was just terrible and it took over six hours and I..." His voice is trembling. Fuck, he's trembling.

I tighten my arms around him and close my eyes as I rest my head against his. "I'm so glad you're here. You have no fucking idea..."

It's about then that Josh tenses up a little and the dining room around us roars back into focus, normal speed and loud ruckus, this time also accompanied by clapping and whistling and shouts of "Yeah, Coop!" or some other variation.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

I groan and lift my head up, keeping Josh held tight against me. The whole fucking dining room is watching us, cheering or some shit. Mel's standing in the doorway to the kitchen with some big shit-eating grin on her face, and Chuck glances my way as he breezes past her, rolling his eyes.

"Get back to work, man! Leave that shit for later!" he calls out. Mel swats at him, and the two disappear back into the kitchen.

"Shit, I'm sorry, Josh. Are you—"

He lifts his head up, and our eyes meet again. Fucking gorgeous. And happy. He's got this huge brilliant smile, and he's sort of laughing and shaking his head.

"I'm fine. I'm more than fine. I'm so happy right now. I-I didn't know what to expect and if you'd even want to see me, and—and I... I've just been waiting all day to tell you again."

"Tell me?"

"That I love you," he breathes, and his expression softens as both of his hands come around to frame my face. Fuck, his fingers are warm, and there's this tingling in my chest.

Someone in the crowd—fuck if that doesn't sound like Angie; when the fuck did she get here?—yells out, "Kiss him already!" and Josh's face turns an adorable and fucking sexy shade of bright red. Hell, my cheeks feel hot too, but when he shrugs and tilts his head back slightly in invitation, who the fuck am I to say no?

I start to lean in but pause a moment as he grins at me and then reaches up and turns my baseball cap around. The next thing I know, his hands are on my cheeks again, and he's pulling me down toward him. And when he kisses me, it's all warm and tingling and just this fucking wonderful rush of love.

I know for sure it's Angie this time when I hear "Yessssss, Coop! Woohoo!" from behind me, and Josh breaks the kiss, laughing. He buries his head into my chest, and I can feel his hot breath through my shirt.

"You okay?" I ask quietly, and he nods and looks up at me.

"Very."

I'm grinning like a fool now, and I bend down to kiss him again, lightly and briefly this time. Around us, the dining room seems to return to its normal level of loud as people go back to eating and drinking and whatever else they're doing. And it's just him and me again.

"God, thank you for coming back," I say, shuddering as I tighten my arms around him yet again. I don't want to let him go, but I probably do actually need to get back to work pretty soon, before everyone starts to get antsy without their endless refills of coffee.

"I didn't want to leave. And I came back as soon as I could. I hope... I hope you got my note and the flowers?" There's an uncertainty to his voice, and it rattles me a little as I remember how I've been feeling all day—my heart hoping beyond hope, but not really knowing for sure whether he'd be back like he said.

So I nod, needing to reassure him, and I brush a soft kiss on his cheek. It's slightly rough with stubble. Fucking sexy. I'm gonna have to tell him that later.

"I did. And I... loved the note and the flowers. And I love you," I murmur into his ear.

He lets out another sharp breath. "I love you too. Always," he says. His hands slide down my chest and then around to the small of my back, and he sighs, his head settling on my shoulder.

"Coop!" It's Mel's voice calling, and when I straighten up a bit, she's peeking her head out from the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry, um, coming!"

Josh lets go of me and backs up a step. He looks a little flustered, but he quickly recovers and nods toward the same open seat at the counter. "I'll just—can I sit here? I don't need... Um, you guys look really busy, so I'll just hang out here, if that's okay? I don't need food or anything."

"Of course, yeah. I've got about an hour left of my shift, and Mel's probably going to shut down the kitchen in about a half hour anyway. You want coffee, at least?"

He smiles, and it fucking takes my breath away. "That'd be great."

My heart feels like it's going to burst as he steps back up to me for one more kiss. It's just as warm and hopeful and full of love as every other one of his kisses. Then, he's taking his seat at the counter, and I steady myself with a couple of deep breaths before hurrying off back to the kitchen, the packed dining room still as loud and boisterous as it has been all night.

Coffee. I need to finish refilling everyone's coffee. And get those orders of cobbler and cheesecake in. And...

Fuck. He came back. He fucking came back.

I push open the kitchen door and glance back over my shoulder, and he's sitting there watching me with a soft smile and this expression that's just... everything. I smile back, reach up and turn my baseball cap back around, and then head into the kitchen.