Page 72 of Until the Last Star Fades

My fucking brain! A knot tugged in Ben’s stomach. “Oh, sorry about that.” Leaning forward, he picked up the meat, his eyes darting to the kids, wide-eyed and silent. “I’ll fix this.” Words flying from his lips, he turned quickly, weaving around dillydallying customers and stressed waiters. He stopped at the garbage bin and stared at the New York sirloin, mashed potatoes, and veggies hovering over the point of no return. His mouth watering, he picked a carrot off the plate. I’m so hungry—

“Ben!”

Fuck. Busted.

“Table seven was complaining. I fixed his order.” Stavros hiked up his trousers again. “His soup should be ready in five.”

“Thanks. Really sorry about that.” Ben flicked the carrot into the bin, his stomach crying out in anger. “So, this gets tossed? It’s steak…”

“Yup, doesn’t matter. Can’t serve it to anyone else.” He slapped Ben on the back. “Don’t feel bad. All newbies make mistakes. You’ll get the hang of it.”

“Right.” But will I? My dyslexia fucks up my concentration. I entered what I heard around me: ‘The steak tastes like an old boot,’ and I entered…steak. I can hide behind the new guy excuse now, but what about next week—if I last that long…

Stavros swiveled back. “Oh, when you’re done, grab the mic. You’re up next!”

Fuck! “Great.” Ben smiled through gritted teeth and dumped the steak in the trash.

Thirty-One

Piper and Casey were unmissable. Devouring homemade ice cream, their exaggerated pleasure-filled moans from the benches outside Sundaes and Cones turned heads at the corner of Third Avenue and East 10th Street. Even nose-deep in her black sesame ice cream, Piper kept scanning the crowds for her best friend. “Rye!” She leapt to her feet, her lopsided waffle cone threatening to topple.

Riley barely raised a smile. It wasn’t just her backpack and tote weighing her down.

“You okay?” asked Piper. “I couldn’t believe it when I got your texts…”

“That’s a lie.” Casey lowered his cone, smirking over his hazelnut double scoop. “Don’t deny it, you’ve been hoping—”

“I know!” said Piper through gritted teeth. “But you don’t have to mention that now.”

Sitting down beside Casey, Riley set her backpack by her feet and checked her phone, still waiting for a response from her mom. “It’s okay. I know you guys weren’t his biggest fans.”

“But are you okay? You did the right thing, you know.” Piper joined them on the bench as Casey chomped into his ice cream. “Would you stop doing that?” She winced across Riley. “You make my teeth throb!”

He took another huge teethy bite. “Feel the pain, Paisley!” The garbled words barely escaped his mouth as he gently elbowed Riley, trying to make her smile.

Sandwiched between her friends, Riley hugged her tote and grinned for the first time since breakfast. I couldn’t love these guys more. “Case, how’d it go last night? I’m so sorry I missed it.”

“Ah, it’s okay. No one’s watched it more than you have.” He smiled. “Last night was good. Fifty people showed, nobody walked out, and my parents bought it—they think Pip’s my girlfriend. Gets ’em off my back for now.”

“And guess who turned up?” Piper beamed over her cone. “Cicely.”

Riley sat up. “The girl from Peet’s?”

“Yep! We’re going on our first date next week.”

“Aw, Pip!” Riley smiled. “I’m so happy for you!”

“I’m happy for you. PuckHead is his-tor-y!”

“Josh isn’t a bad guy, a little selfish sometimes, but he never cheated, never—”

“Supported you.” With a dismissive flick, Piper smoothed her cropped black capris. “I think he used your depression to manipulate you. He never listened, never put you first…”

“Yeah, I know. He wasn’t reliable, and the engagement only made it worse…”

“I swore a blue fucking streak when I saw your text about that TV job,” said Piper.

Casey tsked. “Another Starbucks we’re banned from.”