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

unhealthy cycle of co-dependency. We would break up. He would show up. We’d have sex. And then we would make up.

We definitely loved each other. The problem was that Dalton was emotionally abusive. And apparently I was an emotional masochist because I put up with it. He never physically assaulted me. But he regularly beat the shit out of me with his words and with his actions.

A week after my father’s death, on my birthday, I confronted Dalton about his cruel behavior that day. His excuse was that he just wasn’t good at dealing with death. He didn’t know how to help me. I should probably see a psychiatrist. He said all of these things to me before he’d even wished me a happy birthday.

We had plans to go out to dinner that night with Dana and a few of my other friends. Dalton didn’t have to work the next day because it was a holiday weekend. He remembered it was July 4th, yet somehow forgot it was my birthday.

All day, I kept thinking he was going to surprise me. That maybe he had something really special planned because it was my thirtieth and because I’d just lost my dad. But I soon realized he didn’t.

Around five o’clock, I went into the living room of his house where he was at his desk working.

“So, I’m gonna get ready to go out and celebrate my birthday. Are you planning on coming?”

“Oh, yeah, right,” he looked up from his computer. “Happy Birthday. You want a cake or something?”

It got worse.

A few weeks later, Dalton and I were supposed to attend his co-worker’s wedding on Sunday. I spent all of Saturday shopping for the perfect wedding present, finding the perfect card, and getting everything perfectly wrapped. I barely knew the guy that was getting married.

When I arrived at Dalton’s house that night around eight, he wasn’t there. I called his cell phone.

“I’m at Rhonda’s watching a movie,” he said.

Rhonda was one of his so-called platonic friends that always wanted to hang out with Dalton, but never with me. It was obvious she didn’t like me. But that never stopped Dalton from spending time with her. I always wondered how Rhonda would feel if I started hanging out with her boyfriend. Of course, she didn’t have one. I was convinced she wanted mine.

“Okay,” I responded, a bit confused. “Well, I’m here. I thought we were going to Café Intermezzo.”

“I’m leaving soon,” he replied.

Four hours went by without a word from Dalton. At midnight, I left, taking with me the two-hundred-dollar wedding gift that I’d be returning the next day. I changed my access code on the entry to my apartment complex. The next day, I would get my locks replaced. I was done. And this time, I meant it.

I awoke the next morning to a series of voicemail messages from Dalton. I deleted them all. And I avoided him like the plague. I hadn’t seen him, spoken to him, or heard from him until now.

I looked down at my phone again. Then I pressed a couple of buttons. I was prompted by the screen.

“Are you sure you want to delete this message?”

Fuck yeah I’m sure.

CHAPTER 4

◆◆◆

The Bubble Lounge was crowded and the music was loud. Women in little black dresses bounced up and down to Will Smith’s “Wild Wild West” as Wall Street wannabes circled them like sharks.  Josh and I navigated our way through the feeding frenzy to the downstairs bar where his friends already had a table. He introduced me.

“Sammy, this is Kyle and Lucy.”

Kyle was Josh’s co-worker at Ernst & Young, and Lucy was his fiancé. They were a stunning couple. Kyle was a dead ringer for Mario van Peebles. Lucy had jet black hair and porcelain skin. They looked like they’d stepped right out of a Benetton commercial.

“I love your maxi-dress,” Lucy said as Kyle and Josh headed for the bar. “Ralph Lauren, right?”

“It is, actually.” I was surprised she could so accurately identify my dress in such a dimly lit bar. “How did you know?”

“I recognized it from the Bridget Hall ad. I work for Vogue.”

“And now you’re my new best friend.” I sat down next to her. “What do you do at Vogue?”

“Advertising. I’m an account manager. Ralph Lauren is one of our biggest clients.”

“Really? I work for an ad agency in Atlanta. I just interviewed for a position here in the New York office.”

“That’s fantastic! I hope you get it. If not, let me know. We’re always hiring at Vogue.”

“Wow, thank you! That would be a dream. Can I send you my resume?”

“Of course. Josh has my contact info. Feel free.”

“You’re amazing! Thank you so much.”

The guys were back from the bar. Josh handed me a glass of champagne.

“Did Sam tell you about her hot date tomorrow?”

I smiled just thinking about it. I told Lucy and Kyle the story of my chance meeting with The Waiter and how it had turned into a day-date for tomorrow.

“Cheers to that!” Lucy said as she held up her glass. “That’s destiny.”

The four of us toasted. I wondered if it was destiny. Or just a coincidence. I took a sip of champagne. Then I turned to Josh.

“By the way, I called that girl Katie and told her to meet us here.”

“You what?”

“Yeah, after you name-dropped ‘Bubble Lounge’ to The Waiter, I went back to the hotel and called her up.”

“Who is Katie?” Kyle asked.

As if on cue, Katie appeared in the doorway by the stairs.

“That’s Katie.” I waved and motioned her over. She had a big smile and blonde hair styled in a chin-length bob. She reminded me of a very petite Cameron Diaz.

“Damn, she’s hotter than I remembered,” Josh said.

“You’re welcome.” I smiled at Josh. Then I hugged Katie and introduced her to Kyle and Lucy.

“Let’s get you a drink,” Josh said to her. They disappeared to the bar.

“We love Josh,” Lucy said. “I’m surprised some woman hasn’t snagged him up by now.”

“I don’t think he wants