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Rose made it within three tables of that booth and then stopped. What was she thinking? Now was not the time to do this. She was working. This was none of her business.
She spun around to head back to the kitchen and collided with a cowboy who had gotten up from his table. He stumbled back a step, swinging his arms wide and knocking several dishes to the ground. Glass shattered; the restaurant went stone silent.
Rose couldn’t move. She could feel Mike’s eyes on her without even glancing in the direction of his table. What was wrong with her? Stooping down, she gathered pieces of glass and broken ceramic plates. “I’m so sorry,” she mumbled. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“It’s fine?—”
“No, it isn’t. Let me talk to your server. I’m sure we can get this comped.” Probably not. If anything, the meal would come out of her pay check.
By the time she had most of it gathered in her apron, a busboy had materialized. She gave him an appreciative smile as she dumped what she’d picked up into the bin he’d brought, but he didn’t smile back.
“Mr. Cline wants to see you in his office,” he murmured.
Her stomach dropped. That didn’t sound good. “Did he say what he wanted?”
The busboy shook his head. “But he wants you there right away.”
“Of course he does,” she muttered, getting to her feet. “Thanks for your help.”
Rose kept her eyes trained forward, refusing to give Mike the pleasure of witnessing her in this condition. He’d already caught her in a vulnerable spot yesterday. What was one more embarrassing moment?
Rose rapped one crooked knuckle on the office door that had been left ajar.
“Come in.”
She pushed the door open with her fingertips just wide enough to show her face. “You wanted to see me?”
“He fired you? It’s the middle of your shift! What does he think we’re going to do?” Lacey paced in front of Rose as she leaned against the brick building.
Her head rested against the cold stone, and she stared up at the sky as if that would be enough to keep the tears from coming. “I don’t know what to tell you. He said I wasn’t a good fit.”
Lacey stopped. “Well, that’s rude.”
“It’s not wrong.” Rose dipped her focus to her friend. “I’m not a very good waitress. You always get almost twice the amount of tips that I do.”
“That’s because you’re new.”
She laughed but it wasn’t enough to keep her emotion in check. “That’s not the reason. I was never meant to be a waitress. And this was only supposed to be temporary.”
Her mother was going to be disappointed. Ethan too, for that matter.
“What are you going to do now?” Lacey came up closer and placed her hands on Rose’s shoulders. “I could put in a good word for you at Cliff’s. I’m sure they could use another stocker.”
Rose shrugged. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. First, I think I’m going to head home and try to figure out how I’m going to break it to my family. They already think I’m a screwup.”
“Don’t you think that’s a little harsh?”
Lacey didn’t know the whole truth behind Rose’s failed business attempt, and that was how Rose wanted it to stay. Her brother was the only one who knew all the gory details. So, she forced a smile and pulled away from the building. “Your break is just about up, isn’t it? Thanks for walking me out.”
Her friend pouted. “This doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for hanging out. Even if you have to pencil me in, I want it to happen.” Lacey wouldn’t step aside, her eyes drilling into Rose’s.
“Fine, okay!” Rose darted out from Lacey’s scrutiny. “I’ll let you know when I’m available,” she called over her shoulder.
“You don’t have a job,” Lacey called back. “You’re available already.”
Even though she knew Lacey didn’t mean any harm from the statement, the words still sliced through her like they were coated in venom. Rose hurried around the side of the building to head for her car when she heard the one sound she would have given anything to never hear again.
“Rose!”
