She even stumbled over that task, making Rhae repeat herself because her mind was stuffed full of Vander, the security team, a file that said he was a good fit…and therapy.
With a smile, she told the group she’d be back soon and rushed to the kitchen doors to escape the chill settling over her.
For a moment, she just stood in the back, mind circling everything but what she was getting paid to do.
“Summer.”
She looked up at the cook.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes.” She brushed a hand over her apron and walked out again, the kitchen doors swinging shut behind her. On a whim, she grabbed a cloth and headed to a table too close to the Black Heart’s.
She should not be listening for talk about her former lover, but she couldn’t make herself move away either.
“We were afraid to approach him about a position because we don’t want to set him back,” Carson said.
Willow’s voice cut in. “He doesn’t have a mental health problem. He has a Summer problem.”
Summer went dead still, hand frozen over the white ring on the table she could never wipe away.
Carson blinked. “Oh, like seasonal affective disorder?”
Willow and Rhae both turned in their seats and looked directly at Summer.
“No,” Willow said slowly to the group. She extended a hand in her direction. “That’s Summer.”
Every drop of blood drained from her face.
She hadn’t meant to affect anyone’s therapy—she hadn’t even known Vander was in therapy. He’d never told her, and maybe he didn’t owe her that, not the way they’d kept everything in the dark and behind closed doors.
But now she was standing there with a rag in one hand, caught in the middle of a conversation about whether she was the reason he was struggling.
She needed to move away and quit listening in.
She didn’t.
Carson glanced between them. “Explain.”
Willow didn’t soften it. “He was seeing her on the down low. He hasn’t been to the bar in a while before last night. I thought things were getting serious between them, then I think they called it quits.”
Her fingers tightened around the cloth until the tips grew colder.
Carson leaned back. “He survived multiple tours of duty and a woman is causing issues?”
Willow waved at Summer and smiled like she hadn’t just dragged her private life into a lunchtime conversation. “He’s anxious, but I’m guessing not as anxious as her.”
Her mouth opened, but nothing useful came out.
“Summer.” Willow was still smiling, but her eyes were sharper. “Tell us about your tire.”
Heart squeezing so hard she felt dizzy, she slowly edged up to the table. If they knew about her tire, Vander must have told them. But why?
“Um…there isn’t much to tell.”
Carson’s expression changed to something more serious. “What happened to your tire?”
She swallowed. “I had a flat after close last night. Vander drove me home and today, I had the car towed to the shop. The garage said it was a deliberate puncture.”
