Chapter Forty Business Deals

It was the last week of February and Mom still wouldn't give my phone back. It's been three weeks since I last had it and I was going crazy without it. I talked to Dad about it and he told me, he'll see what he could do. I prayed that he could sweet talk Mom into letting me get my phone but that was yesterday and Mom still hadn't said anything.

I was taking a small break when Miss Diana informed me that she sat a group in my section. I walked out the back and headed for my section.

As soon as I saw who it was, I turned around and walked in the other direction. I wasn't waiting them.

"What's wrong, honey?" Miss Diana asked.

"You could've warned me that it was her." I said. "She hates me."

Miss Diana stuck her head around the corner before coming back over to me.

"Honey, I didn't even know it was her. They all look the same." She replied. "They won't be here long, you can handle it."

She patted my back as she walked away. Sighing, I gather myself together before heading to the table.

They were talking about how they were going to get their nails done when Arianna noticed me. She narrowed her eyes.

"Of course we would get you." She said, rolling her eyes. "Took you long enough."

I ingored her comment and got to the point.

"What can I get you to drink?"

"Water, obviously. What else would we get?" She said, sarcastically.

I pressed my lips together to keep from saying anything I would regret.

"Are y'all ready to order?"

"Does it look like we're ready?" She snapped.

Do not say anything smart. She's a costumer and will have you fired in a heartbeat. I told myself.

"Okay. I'll be right out with your drinks."

I walked away and headed to where the drinks were. I grabbed five drinks and placed them on the black tray. On my way back to the Wicked Witch of the West, I bumped into Cassidy.

"You got Barbie and her plastic fake friends?"

I nodded. "Yep and it's exactly how you would imagine it to go."

She rose one of her hands. "These." She said referring to her newly done nails. "can be taken off in two point five seconds. Just give the signal."

I smiled. "Thanks Cass but I can handle her."

"Does she know about you and Jayce?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so or else she would've said something about it earlier."

Cassidy's name was called by Wes and she rolled her eyes.

"Let's see what Fishface wants."

She walked over to Wes and I continued to head to my worse table. I set their drinks down and got ready for their order.

Arianna sighed, loudly, as she glanced down the menu. "I'll have the Crispy Chicken Salad." She said as she closed her menu and placed it down on the table.

"Uh, actually. We'll all have that. I'll keep it simple for you. I know you have trouble with hard things." Arianna added with a smirk.

I wasn't sure what she was referring to and I wasn't going to entertain her. I gathered all the menus and left them. I walked around my section, checking on my tables. I cleared plates for the dessert. I handed out the black book with their check before I got back to Arianna's table.

I set their food down and as soon as she opened her mouth, I walked away. I didn't want to hear anything else she had to said.

"Um, excuse me." She called out.

I continued to walk as if I didn't hear her.

"Excuse me!"

"Cole?" Wes said. "Isn't that your table?"

I glanced back before looking at him.

"Yes it is. Why?"

"That young lady is calling for you."

"Oh!" I pretended to act surprised. "Really? I didn't hear her."

Cassidy popped up from around the corner and looked at me.

"Do I need to take my nails off?"

I shook my head. "No that's not-"

"Cassidy I advise you to go check on your own section and leave Cole's costumers alone."

Cassidy rolled her eyes. "Whatever Wes." She glanced at me. "Just give me the word." She mouthed.

I headed back to Arianna and she glared at me.

"Do you need something?"

"Duh! Otherwise I wouldn't have called for you."

"What can I get you?"

"More water and I need you to take this back for me." She said handing me her plate of salad.

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"The chicken isn't cook well enough for me and there's a piece of hair in there."

I frowned. "Our chef doesn't have any hair."

"Oh well it must be yours then."

"Arianna I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work."

"And what's that?" She asked, innocently.

"You're trying to make my job hell and trust me I dealt with people way worse then you, surprisedly."

"I'm not doing anything like that. I genuinely want my chicken cooked well. Actually I need new salad." She paused. "Since there's hair in there and all."

I sighed. "I'll be right back."

I headed toward the kitchen and informed Dom what the problem was. He knew what kind of costumer we were dealing with and he understood.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take it back to her." He told me.

I walked out the kitchen and was heading to clear a table when Cassidy approached me.

She smiled. "Our boys are here."

"Really? Where are they?"

She jerked her thumb back. "In my section. Jayce wanted you to wait them but I figure that wouldn't be a good idea since House Bunny is over there."

I nodded. "Good thinking. I seriously can't wait til she leaves."

We walked over to where Jayce and Nolan sat and Jayce smiled when he saw me. I returned it.

"Hey." He greeted me.

"What's up, Cole." Nolan said.

"Hi." I told them.

"When's your break?" Jayce asked.

"Uh," I glanced down at my watch. "In about ten minutes."

"Perfect. You can have lunch with us while Cass serves us."

Cass placed her hands on her hips. "That's fine cause I'm gonna take some of your food."

"Of course you are." I said. "I gotta go. Just order me what I normally get." I told Jayce as I backed up.

I cleared a few tables by the time Arianna and her friends finished their food. I gave them their bill and they paid. My break started a couple of minutes ago but I didn't want to leave Darcy with clearing the tables.

I finished the last table in my section and I was heading back to Jayce when I saw him storm out the restaurant. I went after him but by the time I stepped into the parking lot, he was already reversing out.

I walked back inside and headed over to Nolan and Cassidy. But they weren't alone. Arianna was with them.

I frowned. "What did you do?" I accused Arianna.

"Nothing." She smiled.

I looked away from her and at Nolan. "What happened?"

He shrugged. "I wish I knew. Arianna saw him and she wanted to talk to Jayce. He didn't want to talk to her but she wouldn't stop annoying him and they went to talk." He explained.

"What did you tell him?" I asked Arianna.

"It's none of your business but just know Jayce is going to be in my life now."

With that, she walked away, smiling brightly. I looked over at Cassidy and she was reaching out to grab Cassidy. Nolan grabbed her arm and yanked her down beside him.

This didn't make any sense. What could she had possible told him that would make him leave without saying a word to me? I couldn't call him because I didn't have my phone and he wasn't answering Nolan or Cassidy.

"Soo..he's just gonna forget I rode with him." Nolan said, putting his phone down.

I looked at my watch and I had twenty minutes left of my break.

"I'll take you to your dorm." I offered.

"Great." He stood up. "Behave now." He told Cass before kissing her forehead.

I took Cassidy's keys and we got into the car. We drove in silence except from the music playing. I couldn't form anything that would make Jayce upset. I mean I got that it was Arianna he was talking to and she could get anyone a headache but still.

I pulled up to his dorm building and glanced around the parking lot but I didn't see his truck anywhere. Nolan stepped out the car.

"If he calls back, I'll let Cassidy know, alright?"

I nodded. "Okay."

He shut the door and I drove back to Cheddar's. When I walked in, Cassidy informed that she put my food in a to go box and Dom had it.

"Thanks." I told her.

I didn't have much time but I could at least eat something before my shift started again. I walked to the back and Dom handed me my food. I sat there, eating my fries.

"I gave you my special burger." Dom told me. "But don't tell anybody. Especially not Cass."

I smiled. "I won't." I assured him. "But if Cass finds out you're on your own."

Dom's burger were good but his special burger were amazing. I didn't know what he did to them or how he seasoned the meat but it was mouth watering and I loved it.

A few hours later my shift was over but Cass still had a couple of hours left. I took her car and told her I would come pick her up. She checked her phone for me and told me Jayce still didn't replied back. Nolan said he wasn't answering him either.

I hope it wasn't anything serious and that whatever it was, he would tell someone something.

I drove to the dorm and parked the car. I stepped out and walked to my room. I smelled like food and sweat and it wasn't a very good combination. I gathered my things to take a shower and headed for the bathroom.

I turned the water on and allowed it to warm up before I stepped in. I washed my hair and body with my favorite scent. Coconut.

Once I felt clean, I turned the shower off and wrapped a towel around my body. I walked back to my room and dried off. I threw on some clothes and put my wet hair in a bun.

I worked on most of my assignments and nearly got done with them before it was time to pick Cassidy up. I slid on my houseshoes, grabbed a jacket and walked out the door.

She was waiting for me outside when I pulled up and she climbed inside. I looked at her.

"Did he say anything?"

She shook her head. "No. Not yet. I even sent him some not so kind messages too to get a response out of him and got nothing. I think I'm losing my touch."

"Yeah I don't think so." I disagreed. "The day you become a nice person is the day Arianna becomes a selfless, kind human being."

"You had to admit I'm not as bad as her."

"If you were, we wouldn't be friends, now would we?"

"You're right about that. Some of your kindness and goodness rubbed off on me."

"That's good and some of your rebellion and attitude got me too."

She smiled. "Yay! That's awesome."

We arrived at the dorm and we got out the car. We walked to the room and Cass got ready to take her shower while I finished my assignments.

When she got back, I had them all completed. She was drying her hair when she picked her phone up. She stopped drying her hair and looked at me.

"What?"

"Jayce texted me."

"What did he say?"

"He said meet him outside." She read the message.

I stood up, quickly and put my shoes on along with my jacket and rushed out the door but not before hearing Cassidy.

"When I'm in trouble, you better be running like you are now!"

I hurried outside and started to walk when I saw him, waiting outside by his truck. I stood in front of him.

"What happened?"

He glanced at the ground before looking up.

"You're not gonna want to hear this."

My heart picked up its pace as I wait for his response but he didn't say anything.

"What is it?" I urged.

He took a deep breath before exhaling.

"Arianna's pregnant." He said. "And its mine."

My heart sank and I just stared at him, not believing anything I just heard. He was lying. There was no way Arianna was pregnant with his child.

"Are..are you sure?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

There was a possibility that Arianna was pregnant. The last time they were together was before Christmas break. She would be about two months right here.

I didn't expect to cry but once a tear fell from my eyes, they didn't stop flowing. When he noticed I was crying, he leaned up from his truck, quickly. He wrapped his arms around me and brought me closer to him.

"What going to happen to us?" I sobbed.

"Nothing."

"How do you know that?" I mumbled against his chest.

"Because I'm lying to you."

My once shaking body stopped once I heard what he said. I pulled away from him and this jerk was smirking.

"She's not pregnant." He clarified.

I punched his chest. "You asshole!"

He laughed. "I'm sorry that was a dick move to pull."

I wiped my tears away. "Okay, if she's not pregnant then why did you disappear?"

"I had to talk to my dad."

"For five hours?"

"Kinda."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Explain."

"Alright. I'm sure you know Arianna wanted to tell to me, right?" I nodded my head and he continued. "Well, she didn't know we were together and she thought I was still single. Her father will do anything for his daughter. My dad and her dad does business together. Well did business together. In order for this one important deal to be made, I had to date Arianna again but there was no way in hell I was gonna do that."

"Okay. So what happened then?"

"I called my dad and explained the solution. He loves you more than Arianna. He couldn't stand her so of course he wasn't gonna hop on board with Henry. So we had to discuss our game plan. If we pulled out, we would lose a lot of our shares and obviously we didn't want that."

I didn't understand businesss very well and he knew that so he stopped explaining that part to me.

"Anyway, he figured it out and everything's settled now."

I nodded. "That's good. You scared me. I thought something horrible had happened?"

He smiled. "What's more horrible than me getting Arianna pregnant?"

I glared at him but he had a point. I wouldn't know what to do if he had gotten her pregnant. I think I would've died.