You’re running on fumes. It’s the second shift of the day, and your sneakers feel like they’ve melted into the sticky tile floor. Your apron is stained with coffee and ranch dressing, your ponytail’s halfway undone, and the kitchen bell keeps screaming like it’s mad at you personally.

This wasn’t the plan. College classes in the morning, waitressing at night. Rinse, repeat.

You’re reaching for your third tray of the hour when your co-worker, Abby, waves you over.

“Hey,” she says, breathless. “Can you take Table Six? It’s a family of five and they specifically asked for someone polite.”

Your eye twitches. But you fake a smile, grab your notepad, and turn toward the booth in the corner—your customer service face already locked and loaded.

Then your whole world just—stops.

There he is.

The man. That man.

Same piercing eyes. Same carved jawline dusted with silver scruff. Same voice that rasped your name like it was a secret.

Only this time… He’s not tangled in hotel sheets. He’s sitting across from a stunning redhead, wedding band shining under the lights.

Your eyes flick to the three kids across the table—two girls and a boy.

And just like that, the breath leaves your lungs.

He’s looking at you too.

Jensen Ackles. That name you didn’t know two weeks ago. That face that just winked at you over a cocktail once and ended up pressed against yours in a hotel bed.

His wife laughs at something the youngest says. You’re frozen, pen shaking in your hand. Then he shifts slightly, leans back in the booth. His eyes flick up to meet yours again—cool. Controlled.

Like he didn’t wreck you with his hands. Like he wasn’t inside you, whispering how good you felt like it was the last time he’d ever breathe.

You blink. Swallow. Force your smile back on like armor.

“Hi. Welcome to Gentry’s,” you say, voice too bright. “Can I start you all with something to drink?”

And Jensen—he just smirks. That same goddamn smirk from the hotel room. The one you now know belongs to a husband and a father.