Petalos Machacados

Chapter 4

Sami kept walking faster to distance herself away from the bickering of Theresa and Stephanie, not that either of the girls noticed since they were busy trying to one-up each other with their derogatory comments. She loved her cousins dearly and they did keep life rather entertaining, but she had wasted enough time already worrying over a man who apparently didn't even recognize her.

She made her way back to the main serving station ready to start over again, she wasn't going to let any man, even an extremely hot looking one, get her distracted from her job. It was just a fluke anyway, maybe she had thought she had seen EJ and it wasn't even him at all.

That thought made her feel better as she came back with a smile as Todd greeted her warmly. Of course as soon as Chloe saw Sami return she made a beeline straight to her best friend. She nudged her as soon as she reached her.

"Okay girlfriend, what is up with you?"

Sami shrugged her shoulders and whispered, "I just thought I saw someone I knew from long ago and it shook me up, but I really don't even think it was him."

Chloe gasped, "The new hot hotel owner; is he the one?"

Sami shook her head, she didn't want to get Chloe trying to figure out her mystery man that she had now convinced herself had been a figment of her imagination.

Chloe's eyes grew wider as she raised her voice loud enough for the bartenders to hear, "Oh my god Sami is he the guy you had the instant connection with and kissed?"

Todd stopped pouring a drink midway since he could hear Chloe and seeing Sami start to blush, he just had to ask, "Who did you kiss Sami? I've been trying to get you to tell that detective goodbye and give me a chance instead."

Sami smiled sweetly, Todd was gay, but he loved to tease her since it kept who the girls had dubbed Wanker Wayne away from them since he was a total sleezeball and was always trying to hit on them. "Todd, you know I'll always love you."

"I can love you long time," Wanker Wayne said suggestively as he came up behind Chloe and Sami before they even realized it, which made them immediately turn their heads away in disgust.

"Shut up Wayne," Chloe began to tell him off while all Sami wanted to do was get away from his slimy presence. Wanker Wayne was really a perv.

Another bartender named Elliott called out, "We need more champagne over at the cabana."

"I'll go," Sami volunteered, wanting to get far, far away from Wanker Wayne even if Chloe was telling him to go to hell and that she would rather hook up with anyone other than him.

Sami grabbed two freshly opened bottles of champagne and walked away as she faintly heard Wanker Wayne telling Chloe how much he would love to see her kissing another female, preferably Sami.

She made it to the tented cabana that was lit inside with twinkling lights, thinking how pretty it all looked before she saw the table to the side already lined up with glasses that needed champagne poured in them. She went to the table and began to pour champagne, trying not to listen to the various conversations that were flittering all around her.

Sami wasn't a part of this world, the one where the rich and privileged converged to talk about things she dreamed she could and determined she would do one day, well most of them beyond the cheating on spouses and such, but the good things like going to the opera, seeing plays on Broadway, going to different countries, etc...

She was pouring the drinks, almost one bottle empty when she felt someone come up behind her, she guessed they would be taking one of the already filled glasses when she heard the voice again, that sexy British accent she recalled from years ago.

"I'll hand out the glasses of champagne," the voice said close enough to make her turn her head in his direction and their eyes met once more. This time though he paused midway to reaching for a glass and looked at her closely.

Sami now wished she hadn't volunteered to bring champagne to the cabana; damn her luck wasn't good tonight at all. It was definitely him.

"Excuse me, do I know you?" EJ asked Sami as he moved slightly closer to her.

Sami turned her head, intent on pouring another glass as she replied, "I don't think so."

EJ stopped her from pouring another glass when he briefly touched her arm, almost causing her to drop the champagne bottle in the process, luckily this time though her grip was better than it had been on the tray of drinks and it didn't hit the floor.

"I'm sure of it, I know you from somewhere."

Sami tried to divert his attention, "I really don't think so since I'm usually not dressed like this…"

EJ lowered his voice, "Oh did we meet at Club Echelon, the place on Fifth and Vine? Do you work there as well?"

Sami's mouth dropped open, she would never in a million years go to that club, much less work there. EJ thought she was a stripper in her part time? Before she thought better of it, she blurted out the first thing that came into her mind, "You jackass!"

Before EJ could reply in his defence, Sami heard a woman's voice over the din of the crowd as she tapped her glass to make an announcement, "A toast to my wonderful husband EJ, your hard work and perseverance in renovating The Afton has paid off. Congratulations darling."

Sami immediately placed the champagne bottle on the table and quietly walked away from EJ, thinking she had probably lost the job she actually enjoyed doing since she worked with some great people.

How dare he think she was a striper! Then to top it off apparently he was married too. If it wasn't so comically tragic, she would cry, but she was tougher than that and wouldn't shed a tear. For a moment there she thought he had actually remembered her from that day so long ago, but she was wrong.

So wrong…