Ruby Crowell had come too far to go back home. She tightened her apron around her waist and smiled at her new coworker. A second job had not been on her radar when she moved, but she needed fast money, and she needed to make sure Atlas Langdon didn't take away her home.

Last night, while cursing her situation and her unpacked boxes, she looked at more apartments in the city. And just like Ruby had expected, there were none. Not in her price range, anyway. And not with her credit score.

"It's super lowkey here. And the tips are pretty good." The girl talking to her stood behind the host stand with a rag, running it down the top. Her brown hair was pulled back in two dutch braids that ended just shy of her shoulders. "You'll be serving with me tonight. Do you have any experience?"

Ruby shook her head. "Not serving like this, but I used to work a catering gig." Years ago, in high school. Her coworker didn't need to know that, though.

"You'll pick it up fast."

Chelsea, her coworker, was right. After the first few hours, Ruby felt comfortable chatting with the customers and bringing out their plates. She didn't have the menu memorized, of course, but with her little pad of paper, she did alright running orders to the kitchen.

Ruby found that she liked it. It gave her a chance to think about something else for a little while, and with how busy the tiny restaurant got, she barely had a chance to think about anything other than her tables. Chelsea of course was with her the entire evening, but as the night was coming to a close, Chelsea felt okay to give Ruby some breathing room.

"You're a natural. I'll be over here," Chelsea said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder towards the hostess stand. There was another server taking tables, and a bartender behind a very small bar, but that was it. The hole-in-wall restaurant wasn't all that big.

Ruby loosed a breath. Her tips were feeling heavy in her apron, just knowing that maybe a few nights a week would give Ruby enough money to either find a new apartment, or convince Atlas to let her stay.

Speaking of. Ruby felt a prickling against the back of her neck, and when she turned around, she felt a pit of dread open up in her stomach at the sight of Atlas and two other men in one of the back booths. Atlas sat alone on his side, arm stretched across the back as if he owned it. The two other men had their heads bent forward, talking in hushed whispers.

All three of them were huge. Like, I-workout-everyday huge. Ruby swallowed, prepared to tell the other server that she could have that table when Chelsea clapped a hand on her shoulder. "I'm giving you table 5. They usually tip pretty well, and they're not that complicated."

It was a nice gesture from Chelsea, but Ruby wasn't feeling very confident in that moment as she stared at the table of men who looked like they could bend her in half. And the way she spoke to Atlas yesterday had not been all too kind.

Ruby jutted her chin and squared her shoulders. She had to be confident.

When she approached the table, she gave the two men across from Atlas a big smile. She cocked her hip, a move she had learned while catering when she was trying to get a big tip from tipsy men. "Hey, welcome in. What can I get you guys to drink?"

Both men looked at her, then looked at Atlas. They didn't say a thing until Ruby turned her gaze to the man who was clearly waiting for her attention. She pretended like her heart wasn't hammering in her chest at the sight of him there, and she gave him a smile. "Hello again."

It should have been illegal to look so attractive against the cheap vinyl booth. Yet Atlas looked as though he were modeling for a magazine, his eyes meeting hers and his mouth curving up. "Is this how you're affording rent? You definitely can't afford what I'll be charging after you leave."

Ruby's face heated, but her smile was frozen in place. Her upbringing had her wanting to bow her head, mouth zipped closed, eyes locked on her feet. It was what her father would have expected from her.

Instead, she forced her head up. "That's my concern, isn't it? What can I get you to drink, sir?"

Atlas's lips curved up a fraction higher. "Sir?"

"Let me guess, you're a beer man. Well we have Bud Light, Michelob-"

"No beer. If you want to be helpful, how about you call over the server with the braids? She's the kind of waitress we're looking for."

Ruby's face flamed at the blatant disregard for her. She felt herself wanting to take a step back and head right to Chelsea, tears pricking her eyes. She wasn't confrontational enough for this. Just as she was about to step away, one of the men across the table interrupted.

"I'll take a Bud Light, and a cheeseburger. Extra onions, no pickles, and double the fries."

She turned to look at the man, scribbling it down in her notebook. She gave him a feeble smile, thankful that he had interrupted. Her hands were shaking, and she knew she had to get herself under control. Do not cry, Ruby.

The other man rubbed at his chin. "I'll also have a Bud. And can you get me your 4 ounce ribeye, with all the fixings. I'd like it medium rare." He also gave her a smile, a little rough at the edges like he thought this was funny.

"You got it. Anything else?" She kept her eyes on the two men.

"No thanks, darlin'"

She turned her attention back to Atlas, but his expression was unreadable. He was glaring at the men across the booth, probably angry they had thwarted his plan in having a new waitress. When his golden eyes clashed with hers, she felt her throat close up.

"West End burger. And how about you bring me a water, darlin'"

She wanted to shove a burger down his throat for looking at her like she was gum on the bottom of his shoe. She also wanted to go in the back and hide for the rest of her shift, just to escape Atlas's heavy gaze.

She sweetened her smile. "Sure thing." Then, she winked at the men across from Atlas and walked away, praying her shaking legs wouldn't give out. She walked right into the kitchen to give the order, and she took a moment to pull in a long breath.

The door to the kitchen swung open. The other server, a girl with a pixie cut, smiled at Ruby. "You doin' alright? Table five looked like it was giving you a hard time." She wore a knowing smile, and Ruby wondered if they had also made this girl upset before.

"I'm okay. The one with the dark hair is a dick."

The girl tilted her head back to laugh as she grabbed a tray of food. "Yeah, that's Atlas. He's a regular here. If you want, I can deliver the food for you when it comes out."

She would have loved that. Ruby almost said yes, but then she remembered Atlas's angry gaze. Backing away now, hiding from him, would be a cowardly thing to do. And she had a bad feeling that if she hid from Atlas, he definitely wouldn't let her stay in the building.

Besides, if he came to the restaurant often enough to be considered a regular, then she had to suck it up. Pretend he didn't bother her.

"Nah, I got it. But thanks. I'm Ruby."

The girl returned her smile. "Bri."

Ruby checked on her other tables, smiled with her customers, and took orders. She could feel Atlas staring at her, but she was too chicken to glance at his table. She didn't want to see what he was thinking, because she knew it would be cruel.

His gaze would certainly be judgemental. Calculating.

By the time their food was ready, Ruby felt a little bit of relief. They would eat, and then be out of her hair. When she brought it over, resting the tray on her shoulder, she pointedly ignored Atlas. She delivered the two plates across the booth first, smiling at the two other men. They seemed pleasant enough.

And then, when she brought the plate down in front of Atlas, he snagged her wrist.

His touch felt like a flame, licking against her skin. She let out a gasp and tried to pull away, but he tugged her closer. "I don't know what game you're playing at, but you won't win."

His voice was angry and raspy. She felt it all the way down to her toes, and it made goosebumps race across her skin. What would it feel like to hear him talk to her in that voice all the time? Late at night?

Her face went tomato red at the thought of him in her apartment occupying her bed.

"I'm not playing any games. You came to my place of work."

"You knew I came here regularly."

"What?" Shock coated Ruby's tone. She tried to pull away again, but Atlas held tight. "How would I know that? I just moved to this city yesterday, and just met you yesterday. How would I know anything about you?"

Atlas stared at her, and in different circumstances, she would love to get lost in his eyes. But in this circumstance, she wanted to kick him in the groin.

When he released her, Ruby stumbled back a step. She wore shame and embarrassment like a blanket, wondering who else had just seen that. Would she be fired? She rubbed her wrist, the need to cry crawling up her throat.

"Enjoy your meals," she said, spinning and leaving. She refused to look anyone else in the eyes as she slid into the kitchen to return the tray, trying to control her breathing. What was his problem? She tried to shake it off, but it felt impossible.

Ryan had been right to dislike the man.

Ruby tended to her other tables, again ignoring table five. Out of the corner of her eye, she tried to figure out if they were finished eating, but every time she dared to look, all three plates still had food.

She was itching for them to leave. Practically begging the universe to make them leave. Chelsea checked in with her just as she was delivering a check to another table. "Hey, how is it going? Sorry I sort of abandoned you back there. The owner just called and I had to go over inventory with him."

"It's been going fine!" Ruby plastered on a smile. "Table five has been a little tricky."

Chelsea looked behind Ruby's shoulder at table five. Her face shifted. "Really? They're usually so easy. Huh. Do you want me to check in on them?"

Yes! Ruby wanted to scream. But how could she look Atlas in the eye the next time she ran into him if she couldn't handle him right now? How would she convince him to let her keep her lease if he knew how much of a coward she really was?

"Nah. I've got it handled."

Ruby went to check in on them, clearing some plates. She smiled pointedly at Atlas. "Can I get you gentlemen the check?"

"Gentleman. I like the sound of that." One of the men, the one with a shaved head, was grinning at her. "Yes, bring the check. And ignore Atlas's bad mood tonight. He'll be much nicer the next time we come in."

Ruby doubted that. She brought the check and dropped it off, again not looking at Atlas. She didn't want to crumble under his angry, vicious expression. And for what? He was the one who bought her building. He was the one who was terminating her lease.

By the time they left, and the restaurant was closed, Ruby counted her tips from the night against the back wall with Chelsea and Bri. She was pleasantly surprised to find out how much she had made that night alone. Her eyes brightened, hope buoyant in her chest. Maybe she would figure this out after all.

On the walk home, Ruby couldn't stop thinking about Atlas. She hated that he was in her mind, invading her space. But there was something about him, something off, that drew her close. She wanted to forget about him, ignore his existence.

But something inside of her longed to see him again. She knew, without a doubt, that she had to carve that part out and flush it down the drain. Because no part of Atlas would ever want her in the same way. And it was a bitter truth she had to swallow.