“It would’ve been if I hadn’t compounded them,” Micah said painfully.
“Quit being so hard on yourself. Angelina strikes me as a very resilient, intelligent woman who knows precisely what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it.”
“If I only knew what she wanted,” Micah said with a sigh.
Damon raised an eyebrow. “I thought that much was obvious, Micah. Clearly, she wants you.”
CHAPTER 11
Angelina dodged a customer not looking where he was going and continued to the table with the tray she was carrying. Her first day hadn’t been a cakewalk by any means, but she caught on quickly, and her trainer had already turned her loose on her own small section of tables.
She distributed the plates with a smile and started back toward the kitchen when the manager motioned her to stop.
“Table six is yours.”
She nodded and turned in that direction then stopped in her tracks. Micah’s friends Nathan and Connor sat in the booth with another man. With a roll of her eyes, she took her order pad out of her apron and approached the table.
At least they didn’t act surprised to see her.
“Let me guess. You just happened to be in the neighborhood,” she drawled.
Connor grinned. “Hell no. We hit two other cafés before we found the right one.”
“Uh-huh. Any particular reason or did you not get enough of an eyeful this morning?”
“Chalk it up to curiosity,” Nathan said. “It’s not every day we get to see Micah’s nuts twisting in the wind. Wanted to see the woman responsible.”
The other man cleared his throat. “Since these morons aren’t going to introduce use, I’m Gray Montgomery, Connor’s brother-in-law.”
She stuck out her hand. “I’m Angelina Moyano.”
“Very pretty name,” Gray said as he took her hand in his firm grip.
“What can I get you?” she asked when she’d retracted her hand.
“Ah hell, we weren’t really going to eat,” Nathan said.
“Speak for yourself,” Connor protested. “I’ll have the special with gravy. Oh, and bring me a cheeseburger, the large one, and some fries with that too.”
Angelina gaped at him.
Gray just shook his head. “He has a hollow leg.”
Angelina let her gaze wander down Connor’s very fit body. Wherever he put it all, it certainly didn’t hang around.
“Just coffee for me,” Gray added.
“I’ll take a chocolate shake,” Nathan said.
“Coming right up.”
She turned and hit her other tables on her way to the kitchen, refilling drinks before she placed Connor’s order. She shook her head as she entered the information into the ordering system. How could he possibly eat that much and still be as buff as he was? He must get a lot of exercise, either that or he was one of those disgusting people blessed with really good genes.
Next she got their drinks and brought them to the table.
“So, are you staying here?” Connor asked casually. “I mean in Houston. Permanently. Or are you just visiting?”
“Yep.”
They all looked chagrined when she didn’t offer anything more.
“Was that a yep, you’re staying or a yep, you’re just visiting?” Nathan asked.
She smiled. They were cute in an obvious sort of way.
“Maybe y’all can help me out with something.”
They looked curiously at her.
“I need a cheap place to stay, and preferably somewhere that doesn’t need to know my life history.”
Gray frowned at that statement. Nathan’s brow furrowed and Connor just studied her with an inscrutable expression. They made her uncomfortable, and in that moment she realized she’d underestimated their playful charm.
“Shouldn’t you be talking about this with Micah?” Nathan asked carefully.
She twisted her lips. “Let’s just say Micah and I don’t see eye to eye on everything.”
“You need to be careful,” Gray cautioned. “There are a lot of places that a girl like you has no business being in.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him what exactly a girl like her was, but she let it go. She knew what he was trying to say.
“That’s why I asked you for help,” she said patiently. “You know the city, right? You could point me away from the not so great places.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Shoot. Never mind, okay? I’ll figure something out. I gotta see about my customers.”
She left them, knowing they were still staring at her. Micah would probably know what she was planning before they ever left the café.
When Connor’s order was up, she balanced the tray and took it to the table. She set the mound of food in front of Connor while Nathan and Gray looked at him in disbelief.
“Anything else?” she asked.
“God, I hope not,” Gray muttered.
“Okay, well here’s your check. Just pay the cashier on your way out,” she said cheerfully. “Nice meeting you, Gray.”
She started to walk away when Connor caught her arm.
“Angelina, wait. If you were serious about looking for a place to stay, there’s actually an apartment in Micah’s complex. We all sort of live there actually. Well, Faith and Gray moved out, but Nathan, Micah and I still live there.”
She shook her head. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly afford an apartment there.”
“How do you know?” Connor asked. “I haven’t told you what the rent is.”
“I know,” she said firmly. “They’re way too nice to be in my price range. I need something along the lines of an efficiency. Preferably furnished, because I don’t have the cash to be furniture shopping right now.”
All three men frowned, and she shifted impatiently, suddenly eager to escape their scrutiny. At least now she knew why Micah was friends with them. They were all alike. Overbearing and very male.
“I happen to know the owner of the complex,” Connor said. “I’ll talk to him and see what I can do.”
Nathan and Gray both snorted, and she frowned at them, wondering what private joke she was missing out on.
“Look, I appreciate it, Connor, but I really can’t afford that kind of apartment, and, well, Micah probably won’t want me living that close to him anyway.”
“Now hold on,” Gray said. “You don’t think he’d want you where he could at least be assured of your safety? No better place than right there at his own complex.”
She smiled a little sadly. “Micah will be very glad to see the back of me.”
Nathan cursed softly, and Connor frowned even harder.
“What time do you get off?” Connor asked.
Startled by the abrupt change in topic, she shot him a questioning stare. “Two.”
“Did you drive or do you need a ride?”
“Uh, I drove.”
“I’ll meet you at Micah’s apartment at two fifteen then.”
“Whatever for?”
“To show you your apartment. It’s not furnished yet, but I’m sure we can work something out.”
She stared at him in complete befuddlement. “What, do you own the place or something?”
“Not exactly,” Connor replied. “My dad does.”
“Oh, I couldn’t let you do that. You don’t even know me.”
He put a firm finger over her lips. “Two fifteen. Micah’s place. You’re Micah’s. That’s all any of us need to know. We tend to look after our own around here.”
Gray nodded his agreement, and even Nathan had donned a fierce look at her resistance.
But I’m not Micah’s anything!” she protested.
Her announcement was met with uncomfortable silence.
“He running hard?” Gray asked softly.
God, how the hell had she gotten into such a conversation with complete strangers? And friends of Micah’s at that. Like she wanted her feelings bandied about in some amused male conversation later?