Reba reached to touch her, but drew back her arm at the last moment. “Honey, I read up on your story. Your husband, that Leo, he was a gangster and he abused you, didn’t he?”
“Ex-husband.” Jewel crossed her arms, refusing to lower her gaze. There was no point in denying what had become, to her shame, public knowledge. “Yes, he did. Why?”
Reba took a deep breath and swallowed. “Because Colton Reynolds could be the same type of man. I’ve recently heard that he abused his wife, too. And had an affair. That’s what drove her to try drugs.”
Unable to help herself, Jewel laughed. “That’s ridiculous.”
“I know it sounds unbelievable. But…did you know your ex was abusive when you married him?”
“Of course not.”
Pausing for a moment to let her point sink in, Reba swooped in for the kill. “I know you’re only staying with him because he offered and you have no place else to go, but I’ve got an extra bedroom. You’re welcome to stay with me.”
“I thought you were Colton’s friend.”
“I was—I am.” Reba swallowed. “But I’d like to think that I’m your friend, too. Right now, I’m going on hearsay and trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, but if he ever hurt you…”
Jewel stared at the other woman, resisting the urge to rub her temples. The awful pounding in her head made thinking difficult. Nothing Reba said seemed real. Outside the ladies’ room, there were customers waiting and tips to be made. That was her reality right now.
“Jewel?” Reba asked. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Look, I appreciate your concern and all, but Colton’s been nothing but kind to me. Since I have no plans to enter into a relationship with him, I don’t think I have anything to worry about.”
“Think about it, okay?”
“I will,” Jewel said, snatching her tray off the counter. No way could she think about this right now. “Seriously, I’ve got to get back to work.”
The five minutes she’d spent in the bathroom meant two of her tables had nearly run out of beer, three food orders had come up, and Big Al was waiting in the kitchen, scowling.
“What happened to you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Woman’s crisis in the ladies’ room.”
Loading three burger specials onto her tray, he snorted. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She lifted the tray and headed back to the crowded main room. “I’ll come back for the others in a sec.”
Over the next several hours, Jewel gained a new appreciation for the waitstaff of the world. She’d never worked so hard in her life. Her feet ached, her back hurt and the ever-present headache threatened to burst her skull. Her one consolation, besides the free-flowing tips, was the fact that her wolf stayed docile inside her.
With an hour to go before last call, and several of her tables empty, Jewel finally got to take a breather. The band had gone on break and the noise level was a hum rather than a roar.
Scouting the room, she spotted Colton at the back table, alone. The two guys he’d eaten burgers with earlier had long since gone. She grabbed one of the empty chairs and sat, wincing as her back twinged.
“Long night?”
She nodded. “Yes. And it’s not over yet.” Jingling her pockets, she gave him a tired smile. “Though I think I did really well in tips.”
“Jewel, come here.” Big Al appeared in the kitchen doorway. “There’s been a mix-up on an order.”
Pushing herself off the chair, she sighed. “Back to work I go. I’ll see you later.”
“I’ll be here.”
She got the food order straightened out, brought coffee to a few of her tables, and chatted briefly with the band’s lead singer as he was about to climb back onstage.
When he asked for her phone number, she shook her head. “I’m sorry, I’m with him.” And she pointed at Colton.
As she did, there was a huge crash, a booming sound that reverberated and shook the entire building. The next instant, a car came smashing through the side wall. Tables were upended as people leaped out of the way. Brick and wood collapsed and the wall came down in a shower of debris.
Exactly where Colton had been sitting.
