Page 3 of Written with Love

“There is no love triangle.” Sophia rolled her eyes. “Trust me. I’ve told Max that I’m not… that we’re… just friends.”

“You and Palmer or you and Max?”

“Me and Max,” Sophia answered quickly. “After Palmer kissed me…” She shook her head. “There is no one else.”

“Oh, Sophia and Palmer sitting in a tree…” she started to sing, but she stopped when the clerk in the store shushed her. They both giggled.

After they were done shopping, Sophia dropped Juliette off at home, where she showered, changed, and then headed into work.

She walked through the back door of the restaurant an hour later to find her boss, Lucas, joking around with the kitchen staff while they bustled around the kitchen.

Lucas Jenkins was one of those bosses you just loved to work with. The man was always laughing and having a good time and yet was very responsible. The kind of guy that was easy to respect, and you didn’t have to work hard to find things to like about him.

He and Sophia and a few other employees were why she had been happily working at her job for years. Besides, she almost had enough money saved up to move out of her parents’ place and purchase her very own home. Almost.

“Good evening,” she called out as she rushed to drop her purse and coat in her locker by the back door.

“Hola!” several of her coworkers shouted out in unison. Her smile grew.

Two hours later, her feet ached, her neck had a kink in it, and she had almost a hundred dollars in tips in her pocket, which added a happy bounce to her step as she glided around the room delivering orders.

She had just refreshed the drinks at table twelve when she turned and bumped solidly into someone.

“Sorry,” she said automatically. But the word died in her throat when she looked up into the most mesmerizing silver eyes she’d ever seen in her life.

The man was a few inches taller than her. His dark sandy hair was cut short, almost buzzed in places. He had the two day’s growth of stubble that was so popular among guys these days, and it made him oh so sexy. Her eyes went straight to his lips and chiseled jawline.

Words dried up in her throat. Her mind literally stopped working while her heart raced in her chest. Could he hear it? Could he see her pupils dilate with want?

“I, uh,” he started and then blinked as if just remembering something. “I’m looking for Sophia.” He broke eye contact to glance around the dining room.

“She’s not working tonight,” Juliette said in a small voice.

Of course this sex god standing in front of her was looking for Sophia. Sophia was, well, perfect inside and out. She was sure of herself in everything she did. She dressed in splashy fashion and bright colors, and always looked fucking amazing.

Right now, Juliette was positive there were at least three food stains on her shirt and dark pants. Her mousy brown hair was probably frizzy and knotted, and she doubted any of the makeup she’d applied before coming to work was still there.

The man’s eyes returned to hers, and suddenly her mind cleared from the fog of attraction.

“You’re Sophia’s Max?” she blurted out before thinking her words through. Her face instantly heated. “I mean, Max.” She shook her head when the man chuckled.

“I am. You must be Juliette,” he said with a sexy grin that had her heart skipping.

“I am. Now that you’ve come in, you might as well grab a seat. I promised Sophia that if you stepped foot in Pride Pueblo Cocina for the first time when she wasn’t here, I’d treat you to her brother’s famous tamales and a margarita.” She motioned to an empty table.

“I’d…” He glanced around and then she heard his stomach loudly complain. She smiled.

“You’d better sit.” She nudged his shoulder towards the table. “I’ll grab your drink and put your order in.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He willingly moved towards the table.

Smiling, she walked over to the bar and made his drink herself after punching in the order for the tamales.

When she set his drink down, along with a fresh bowl of hot corn chips and salsa, he glanced up from his phone.

“Thanks.” He smiled up at her. “Got a minute?” He motioned to the chair opposite his.

She nodded and motioned to Claire that she was going to take her break before sitting down.