The Waiter by Bradleigh Collins (bill gates books recommendations .txt) 📕

way he looked. What does that say about me? I’m the superficial jerk.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Sam,” Jackie said. “Live and learn. That one wasn’t worthy of you. Just make sure the next one is.”

CHAPTER 22

◆◆◆

Han Solo and Princess Leia stood on the corner of 77th and Broadway. Ginger Spice arrived to pick them up in a cab.

“You guys look incredible!” I said as they climbed into the back seat. Dana wasn’t comfortable taking the subway in her gold bikini and purple sarong. I was equally self-conscious in my micro-minidress and platform boots. Josh, Katie, Lucy and Kyle were meeting us at the party. They wanted their costumes to be a surprise.

Dana and Simon arrived this morning and were staying at On the Ave. Josh and I took them to Mama Mexico for lunch where we promptly celebrated their arrival in Manhattan and my departure from Dalton. Muchas margaritas were consumed.

After lunch, Josh left to pick up a few things for his costume. Then he was meeting Katie back at her apartment when she got off work. Dana, Simon and I were attempting to walk off our buzz in Central Park.

“Can we go to that flea market place you’re always talking about?” Dana asked.

“It’s only open on Sundays.” I hadn’t been there since my first date with The Waiter. I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back.

“Can we go tomorrow then?”

“Sure.” I guess I was ready. “I can pick up some things for my new apartment.”

“When is Josh moving out?” Simon asked.

“Next weekend. The only thing I’ve ordered so far is a convertible futon sofa. I can’t really decorate until I see the place without all of Josh’s stuff in it.”

“Where is he putting all of his stuff?”

“Katie has a two-bedroom. Her roommate moved out, so she’s got plenty of space.”

“I have never seen Josh this happy,” Dana said.

“You are going to love, love, love Katie! I can’t wait for you guys to meet her tonight.”

Dana and Simon went back to the hotel to get ready. I took the subway home. I had a nasty bruise on my arm from Dalton’s death grip and I knew it would take a while to cover up. It was black and purple and wrapped all the way around my arm in the perfect shape of Dalton’s gigantic hand. It would have been completely visible in my sleeveless Ginger Spice dress had I not meticulously applied several layers of Dermablend.

When we arrived at the party, George - aka Posh Spice - was the first to greet us.

“Ginger! You look fabulous! And who are your fabulous friends?”

“George, this is Dana, my best friend since sixth grade. And this is her boyfriend, Simon.”

George hugged Dana. “I feel like I know you already.” Then he looked at Simon. “I have to say this because you’re Han Solo. I love you.”

“I know,” Simon replied without missing a beat. Dana and I laughed.

“Come on! Let’s get drinks!” George led us over to his desk, which had been transformed into a huge rectangular-shaped bar with glow-in-the-dark barstools. “Look! There’s dry ice and everything!”

There was indeed dry ice emanating from a large cauldron behind the makeshift bar.

“What’s in the cauldron?” Simon asked one of the bartenders.

“Witches’ brew. Vodka, triple sec, pineapple juice, orange sherbet.”

“I’ll just take a beer.”

“I’ll try the witches’ brew,” Dana said.

“Apple martini for me.”

“You want a caramel appletini?” the bartender asked.

“What’s the difference?”

“Butterscotch schnapps.”

“That sounds great.”

“When you get your drinks, come over to the photo studio,” George said. “We have to take good costume photos before we all get wasted. I’ll round up the rest of the Spice Girls.”

“Okay.”

“He’s a doll,” Dana said. “He must be a lot of fun to work with.”

“He is Julie the Cruise Director.”

We walked over to the photo studio where I was reunited with Posh, Scary, Baby, and Sporty. The photographer snapped several pictures.

“Where’s Jackie?” I asked George as we struck another pose.

“Oh, she’ll be here around nine. Her costume is always a surprise, so there’s a grand entrance. Trust me, you’ll know when it happens.”

“How long have you guys been doing this Halloween party?” Dana asked.

“Since I started working here, so three years now,” George said.

I was incredibly impressed with all the work that had gone into the party. The entire loft had been decorated by professional set designers. Orange and black balloons covered the ceiling. Giant black spiders were everywhere. There was a buffet set up in the middle where the sales team usually sits, but all of their furniture had been moved out to make room for the spread. In the kitchen area was every type of Halloween candy you could imagine lined up in glass cylinders. The conference room had been transformed into a mini-theatre with tiered seating and Halloween showing on the drop-down screen. The lounge area where we usually eat lunch was now a disco, complete with electronic dance floor tiles that changed colors and a huge disco ball hanging from the ceiling. The DJ was spinning some of my favorite classic disco songs and I was ready to dance.

As we approached the dance floor, I spotted Lucy and Kyle getting off the elevator. They were dressed as Trinity and Neo from The Matrix. I screamed and ran over to them.

“You guys look amazing! Okay, the bar is right over there. Grab a drink and join us on the dance floor. I want you to meet my friend Dana!”

George, Dana and Simon were dancing to Donna Summer’s “I’m Coming Out.” I joined them.

“This should be your new theme song,” Dana yelled over the music.

“Why? Am I coming out as gay?”

“No. Just as a new you. Sans Dalton.”

I smiled. I did kind of feel like I had a new start, but that was much more the result of having a new apartment than finally being done with Dalton. In any case, at this very moment, I was just happy. And a little drunk.

“Yeah baby!” I heard someone yell loudly behind me. I turned around