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“I’ve got to take this.”
I watched her walk out of the restaurant and talk to someone on the phone.
“She’s pretty.” I looked at the old lady, Nina, the owner of the restaurant.
“Yes.”
“You’ve never brought a girl here.” She smiled at me. “Is she your lady?”
I looked at her silhouette from the glass door and nodded. “Yeah, well. I’m trying.”
Nina patted my shoulder. “Go talk to her. She looks like she needs someone, son.”
I stood up and smiled at her, picking our empty plates. Summer had devoured the ziti as if it was her last meal.
“Let me know if you need help with the dishes, Nina,” I said, placing the plates in the kitchen where her son and daughter smiled at me.
“Yes, yes, I will. You always cleaned the dishes well,” she replied.
I nodded, remembering the days where I had nowhere to go, no way to survive on my own, and that sweet old lady took me in and let me help her with her small restaurant.
Leaning down, I kissed her cheek and said, “Call me whenever you need something. I’ll see you soon.”
I said my goodbyes and when I stepped out of the restaurant, Summer was still on her call, looking more anxious than I had ever seen her. Her smile and laugh looked forced. She was pacing around, and she didn’t even notice me.
Staying quiet, I heard someone on the other side talking about money and saw how her spine straightened. “I already processed it. What do you mean it’s not enough?” Her tone was sharp and angry. “Why are you like this? I told you I don’t have mon—no. Don’t you dare go begging Mom or I’ll sue you.”
I felt like I was in between something serious, so I walked away, waiting for her and wondering about her words. Was she in trouble with someone? If she was, Emma would tell me or help her on her own. By the way she talked, it seemed like it was troubling her. And she definitely said something about money.
I pulled out my phone, and he picked up on the third ring. “What is it?”
“I need a file on someone.”
“Who?”
I looked over my shoulder to see the frown on Summer’s face as she ran a hand through her hair, ending the call. “Someone famous.”
“What did you do?” Rahul’s voice was accusing.
I rolled my eyes. “I did nothing. We might hire her as our ambassador, so I need all the details. From her parents to her living situation, her bills. Everything.”
“Sheesh. Sounds serious. Who is it anyway?”
“Summer Hayes.”
“Oh, fuck.”
18
DEAL
SUMMER
My hand was shaking with anger and shame when I ended the call. My biological mom, Carol, needed more funds for her boyfriend, who was an alcoholic. My parents had already paid her for her house with the money I sent them for their savings, and now she wanted more.
“Everything okay?”
I looked at Damon, his gray eyes closed off and I prayed he heard nothing. “Y-yeah, everything is fine,” I forced a smile and looked at the small restaurant. “I thought we were going to talk in private?”
