It’s mostly empty now with Pete still cleaning up behind the bar and Danny and a couple of regular customers having a casual conversation at a table across the room.
Billy looks like he’s going to say something, but he doesn’t.
“Okay.” I smile at him. “Thank you for the cake. I hope you have a good week.”
“You too.” He opens his mouth, closes it again, and then sighs and turns toward the main exit.
As soon as he’s moving in the right direction, I lean against the bar in relief, catching Pete’s eyes.
He gives an amused twitch of his mouth, understanding the situation perfectly with no further explanation.
Just as I’ve relaxed, Billy turns back around abruptly and moves to stand right in front of me.
“I just wanted to say,” he bursts out, like he’s forcing the words. “If you want… I mean, if you want something different from… from this, I got a place of my own and could support you real good. You could have a real home. You could be safe and treated real good. If you want.”
I stare at him, slammed with the strangest combination of feelings. Awkward self-consciousness. Real sympathy. The oddest recognition of how six months ago I would have accepted the offer with no hesitation.
And guilt.
Like once again I’m cheating when I know—Iknow—I’m not.
“Thank you,” I manage to choke out. “I… I…”
He waits a minute to see if I’ll finish. When I don’t, he says, “You don’t have to tell me now. You can think about it. I just wanted to… to… ask.”
“Thank you,” I mumble again, searching desperately for a way to saynowithout hurting his feelings.
I’m still trying when Billy’s eyes move from my face to something over my shoulder. His expression changes into a confused frown.
A few seconds later, I know why. I don’t even have to turn.
I feel it.
A familiar bristling behind me.
A glance over my shoulder reveals Cade, looming behind me and glowering at Billy. He’s intimidating both in bulk and in expression, and he’s obviously using that intentionally right now.
It’s working on Billy. He’s shrunk back slightly, although he hasn’t done a single thing wrong.
And it’s also working on me.
I feel guiltier than ever.
I hate it. So much.
My temper flares up unexpectedly. “Back off, Cade,” I say before smiling at Billy. “I’ll think about it. I promise. Be safe traveling home.”
Billy doesn’t object to the dismissal. “Sure thing. Think about it, and we can talk next week.”
He smiles at me before shooting a quick, suspicious glance toward Cade as he walks to the exit.
When he’s gone, I whirl around to face Cade, who’s only backed off a couple of inches. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I—?” He scowls toward the door. “What was that all about?”
“It doesn’t matter what it was all about. He’s a customer, and this is my job. And I asked you what you’re doing here?”
I’m not normally quick to anger, but he’s put me on the defensive. I’ve done nothing wrong, but Cade is making me feel like I have.
