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I find myself watching as she eats, she’s a woman with a good appetite and fuck, if that isn’t attractive. But I have to tear my eyes away and focus on my own meal.
As I make light conversation, steering us towards safe topics, I tell myself I should keep a distance from Tracy. She makes me feel strange, a little off balance, and I don’t want to do something I regret.
No. She’s Kendall’s friend and Caleb’s woman is going to be around for a very long time, so I can’t fuck this up.
I won’t be coming here again!
Five days later, I’m standing outside the diner again in the middle of the day and cursing myself for it.
Unlike the other night, the diner is bustling with activity and I’m not surprised, considering the quality of the food here. I find myself a corner seat at the counter, knowing through Kendall of course, that Tracy has been working the afternoon shift, covering for someone.
And sure enough, I see her walking out from the kitchen, four dishes in her hands as she balances them all without breaking a sweat.
Kendall has been worried how Tracy had done the night shift, then only came home for two hours of sleep before rushing back to work and she intended to work the night shift as well.
Tracy’s eyes are glittering and she’s moving fast as she handles order after order.
But I don’t mistake that for energy.
She looks jittery, overtired and exhausted, but insistently pushing herself.
I feel a surge of anger that I have no right to feel.
She’s not my woman.
Why should I care if she works herself to the ground?
But as I see her hands shake while she pours a customer a cup of coffee, my chest tightens.
She needs a break!
The waitress who serves me is casually chewing gum and moving about, deliberately slow, and my lips press together in a thin line.
I take the burger and fries, casually asking when Tracy will have her next break.
The woman, Sheena, gives me an annoyed look before glancing towards where Tracy is taking an order. “Oh, honey. What do you want with her? Besides, Paul won’t like it if you pay too much attention to her.”
“Paul?” I ask, my heart sinking at this new revelation.
Sheena shrugs.
Irritated, I take out my wallet and press down a five dollar bill on the table. “Tell me about Paul.”
Sheena smiles at me and stuffs the bill into her bra. “He’s the manager here. He’s taken a real shine to Tracy. Why do you think he hired her?” Sheena cups her breasts in a vulgar movement to indicate what exactly garnered Paul the manager’s attention.
I hiss out, not knowing who is pissing me off more, this woman who seems to have a grudge against Tracy or this Paul guy, who’s eyeing Tracy like she’s a piece of meat.
Sheena goes on to explain, “He’s been asking her out for months and she always turns him down but then she does that to everybody. A few days ago this man came in and they were talking and the girl on duty saw them and Tracy told her that she found this guy cute and word got back to Paul and he got pissed.” Sheena falls silent.
I blink. “And then?” I’m trying to control my own reaction on hearing that Tracy found someone cute.
Sheena coughs discreetly and raises a brow.
I scowl and hand her another five dollar bill.
She continues, cheerfully, “So, anyways, Paul called her in and yelled at her, calling her a two bit whore and saying that he wasn’t paying her to do fucking strip teases for the customers. Word is that Tracy cried in the bathroom but I call bullshit on that. That woman has ice in her veins. She never batted an eye. So, now she’s being forced to work extra shifts as punishment. I mean Paul says that we need extra hands but he keeps scheduling her on. This is her third day.” Sheena shrugs.
I clench my fists under the table at what I’m hearing.
