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

Jimmy and one of the other bouncers stepped in between them.

“What the fuck, Darryl?” Jimmy said.

“He just called Sammy a bitch.”

“Let’s go buddy,” Jimmy said to Dalton, grabbing him by the arm and motioning him towards the door.

“You really are a bitch,” Rhonda said as she followed Dalton out.

“Good luck, Rhonda. You’re gonna need it.”

The Waiter came back just as Jimmy was escorting Dalton out of the bar.

“What just happened?”

“Darryl knocked Dalton on his ass!” Josh said.

“That’s Dalton?” The Waiter looked over at him.

“In the fucking flesh,” I said. He immediately started towards him. I pulled him back. “Please don’t. He’s not worth it.” He turned around and looked at me.

“Baby, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He wrapped his arms around me protectively. I looked up to see Dalton staring at me, and then at The Waiter. It was the first time they’d ever seen each other in person. You could feel the level of contempt between them from across the bar. And then Dalton and Rhonda were ushered out the door.

“My man,” The Waiter turned to Darryl, extending his hand. “Whatever you’re drinking, I’m buying for the rest of the night.”

“You would have done the same thing.” Darryl shook his hand.

“I would have killed to be the one to deck that guy.”

“I never liked him,” Darryl stated.

“Me neither,” Kyle said.

I looked at Katie and Lucy.

“You know how we feel about that jerk,” Lucy said.

“And on that consensus,” Josh stated, “I think we could all use a round of shots!”

“Yes!” The Waiter said. “And I’m buying.”

“Well, Happy Fucking Thanksgiving then!” Josh shouted.

“Happy Fucking Thanksgiving back!” Katie, Lucy and I all said together laughing. The guys just looked at us.

“It’s from You’ve Got Mail.”

“Haven’t seen it,” Josh stated.

“Me either,” The Waiter said.

“Sounds like a chick flick,” Kyle added.

“You guys suck,” Lucy said.

My hands were still shaking from the sheer shock of seeing Dalton and Rhonda. The Waiter noticed.

“You wanna get out of here, Red?”

“Absolutely not. I’m not gonna let him ruin my first Thanksgiving in New York.”

“That’s my girl.”

“Okay, is anyone gonna mention the fact that Rhonda looks exactly like the sister on Roseanne?” Lucy asked.

“Oh my god. She totally does,” Katie said.

I couldn’t help but laugh. Our shots arrived and Josh started to propose a toast.

“Wait, let me do it this time,” I said.

“Go for it cuz.”

I held up my shot glass. “To the greatest cousin, the greatest group of friends, the greatest boyfriend, and the greatest city in the world. I love all of you so much.”

“Hear hear!” Josh replied. We all downed our shots.

“You just made me cry,” Katie said, hugging me.

“You’re such a wuss,” Lucy said to Katie, joining in the group hug. “I love you too, girl.”

The Waiter slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me back to him.

“If you think Thanksgiving is good,” he whispered in my ear, “just wait until Christmas.”

“Why? What’s happening at Christmas?”

“I already have your present.”

“Really?” I said. “Give me a hint.”

“Okay. It was ridiculously expensive and you’re going to keep it for the rest of your life.”

For the second time tonight, my heart stopped.

CHAPTER 30

◆◆◆

I couldn’t stop staring at it. Christmas morning, The Waiter and I had just taken our seats on a flight home to Atlanta. Josh and Katie were sitting across the aisle from us. I was looking down at my gift from The Waiter and smiling so hard it hurt. I couldn’t wait to show it off to everyone at home. He wasn’t lying when he said it was ridiculously expensive. Or that I would keep it forever.

Last night, we went out to celebrate Christmas Eve and the fact that he finished his graduate program at Columbia on Tuesday. After viewing the windows at Bergdorf’s and ice-skating at Rockefeller Center, The Waiter and I exchanged gifts, sitting underneath the live Christmas tree we’d lugged home from 96th Street weeks ago. I gave him a pair of autographed Muhammad Ali boxing gloves. He gave me a black quilted Chanel Jumbo Flap Bag. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever laid eyes on, aside from The Waiter, of course.

Apparently, he’d asked George to help him find the perfect gift for me. George suggested the Chanel bag. Then Jackie was able to use her contacts to get him an excellent deal. She probably heard me screaming all the way down at Central Park West when I opened it. I was so happy I cried.

“I don’t get you women and these bags,” The Waiter said laughing. “But I love seeing you this happy.”

“I love this bag. And I love you even more for giving me this bag.” I spent the rest of our first Christmas Eve together showing him exactly how much I loved him. We barely got any sleep since we had to get up at six in order to make our nine o’clock flight.

Josh’s dad picked us up at the airport in his Chevy Suburban, which Josh jokingly referred to as the “redneck limousine.” When he introduced him to Katie, my uncle greeted her with a big hug and lifted her off the ground.

“Well, aren’t you tiny?” he said with a southern drawl. Katie giggled.

“Though she be but little,” Josh stated, “she is fierce.”

“Quoting the bard on Christmas,” I said. “Impressive.”

I was next for the off-the-ground-bear-hug. “Hey Uncle Lewis. How are you?”

“Don’t they feed you up north, Sammy?”

I laughed and introduced him to The Waiter, who was welcomed with a handshake and a typical southern greeting. “Nice to meet you, son. Glad you could join us.”

Katie and I climbed into the back seat of the Suburban as the guys loaded the luggage.

“Josh’s dad is so sweet,” she said. “And Josh looks exactly like him.”

“Wait until you meet my Aunt Cheryl. She’s going to love you. And she’s gonna tell Josh to marry you immediately.” Josh was an only child and my Aunt Cheryl couldn’t wait to be a grandmother.

“Well, Josh already won over my family. Last night my dad and my Uncle Mark opened up