Arden pushed her bra back into place as she returns from break, instantly wiping tables down as the cafe quieted down between the breakfast and lunch crowds. The odd-eyed beauty waved at regulars as they came for coffee and then left. Her blue and green eyes kept returning to the Cafe's entrance at the slightest movement. In a moment of absolute quiet, she pulled her brown hair from the hair elastic holding it, bouncing down her mid-back as it fell back into its natural place for a minute as she combed through it to release tension in it before collecting the hair in the back of the hair and wrapped the elastic around her hair, tightening it with her fingers.
She continued work duties as she returned menus to the podium after wiping them down, she was honestly just doing busy work to fill out her time. It was always really quiet between rushes of people, she was just waiting on someone to walk in so she could serve them.
Leaning against the wooden counter and turned her sight towards the cook in the kitchen. "Ey, Ricky. Are you doing anything after your shift? Thinking about trying that new escape room down the road." She said her voice melodic and silvery as she laid her forearms on the marble counter.
"I'm working a double Arden, you know I put in my vacation days this week," Ricky informed her the slight man had a deep voice you wouldn't expect from a man like him.
"Riiiight, Enjoy them for m-" She said as she was interrupted by the doorbell sounding, someone had come in.
"I'll be back to bug you later." She said pushing herself from the counter and making her way to the front of the cafe.
"Good Morning! Welcome to Espresso Cafe." She said putting on her work smile, her eyes falling on the person, her fake smile relaxing into a genuine one as she knew the person who walked in.
"Hey Vern, You saved me from boredom." She chuckled, grabbed a menu, and motioned for him to follow, setting the laminated sheet on a nearby table.
Vernon chuckled and began to follow Arden to the table, the older man slightly towered over the young woman. He took a seat in the booth and smiled. "Did I now?" He chuckled again. "I'd thought you'd be waist-deep in men by now." He joked, as he pushed his glasses back up in place, he had begun to develop wrinkles but they weren't deep. His salt and pepper locks are styled in dreadlocks, tied back loosely with elastic.
"Hah! I do sometimes during the lunch rush." She said as she looked at a glass she was pouring water into. "Can I start you with a coffee?" Arden asked as she removed the pen from her apron's pocket.
"That would be nice Arden, The usual please." He relayed to her, and she was off. Vernon admired the girl's ass as she walked away.
After a moment or two, Arden returned to Vernon's table and served the coffee to him, still piping hot from the coffee maker. She tidied her apron as she began to speak. "University ******* keeping you busy?" She pondered.
Vernon's lips curled up as he took a sip. "You say that as if you aren't close to their age, aren't you like 24?" He bantered with her.
"Shut up! I graduated already." She said as a blush rose on her freckled cheeks, making Vernon laugh as he took sips of his coffee.
"How is interning at the Law Firm?" He asked, his brown eyes instantly locking onto the flustered waitress making her flush red more and stammer a bit.
Arden sighed and looked away from him before looking back. "Annoying. Mr. Esposito is kind of a hard ass. At least the internship pays." She muttered somewhat, not enjoying the turn of discussion.
In an attempt to change subjects, she swallowed the lump in her throat and took out her pen and pad.
"Is there anything I can get you?" She asked him. Vernon taking the opening to flutter her even further, smirked and replied. "You," He said with a flirty tone to his voice.
Arden's hands shook slightly as she stammered further. "I-I meant something on the Menu!" She exclaimed to him. This hadn't been the first time they had a flirty talk while she served him. After all, Vernon was a regular before Arden started working.
"Oh right." He laughed adjusting his glasses as he skimmed the menu. "I'll have the Cheeseburger with a side salad." He said.
"Dressing on the salad?" She asked as she scribbled the item down on her pad.
"Caesar, if you don't mind." He replied.
"Are you sure you don't want a soft *******?" She offered, her head tilting slightly.
"What the hell, get me a medium Sprite." He said, Arden, writing it down and walking off.
Before she could get out of his arm's length, she felt Vernon smack her ass as she walked by.
Arden made a squeaking noise as his hand smacked her ass, but she kept walking as she processed the fluttering in her stomach.
"Order up!" She said as she pushed the slip into the kitchen. She leaned against the counter again trying to calm herself from Vernon's flirting. It hadn't been the first time he had flirted with her and not the first time she had reciprocated it back. He was just more forward than he usually was. She pulled out her phone and answered some texts as the kitchen got the meal ready.
"Burger and Salad up!" Ricky shouted. Arden took the plate in her left hand and the ******* in her right, her face on fire as she placed the meal and ******* in front of Vernon.
"Enjoy!" She said as she turned to walk away Vernon grabbed her wrist gently and spinning on the ball of her foot she turned to face him.
"Yeah?" She asked, confused about what he could want.
"When you get off?" Vernon asked as he mixed the dressing into the salad, his eyes fixed on hers.
"Around 2, why?" She told him, her head tilting slightly as she wondered.
