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Chapter 9
Marlena was getting used to having one of the guys sitting in the diner as she worked. Although she didn’t think it was necessary considering that there were other townsfolk sitting watch, and wearing firearms. She swore it was like something out of an old western instead of South Carolina.
As she made her way over toward the table where Alicia was sitting, she heard her whispering into her cell phone. She seemed really upset.
Marlena whispered to Alicia, trying not to interrupt. “Who is that?”
Alicia rolled her eyes and gave her that expression like “Who do you think?”
Tony.
Marlena never met the jerk, but she knew he had hurt Alicia’s feelings, used her in some big job investment, and even cheated on her. He was a wealthy, pompous jerk that Alicia just couldn’t seem to get rid of.
“Listen, I need to go. I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t need your advice. Good-bye.” She disconnected the call and Marlena placed her hand on her hip.
“Why do you even accept his phone calls? He’s a manipulative jerk,” Marlena told her.
Alicia lowered her eyes to her lap. “I don’t know. I guess I’m trying to hold on to something in order to not feel like I made a mistake allowing Tony to get so close to me.”
“You didn’t make a mistake. You were honest and he wasn’t. He used you for your money.”
“He gave part of it back.”
“After you threatened to sue him.”
“I know, I know, we’ve been over this before. It’s just so hard because we were friends first.”
Marlena felt badly for Alicia. She knew that her and Tony were friends for years and that they talked about getting married. She gave her virginity to the guy and tried to hold onto the fantasy he created for her. But not only did he steal money from Alicia, he also cheated on her with Alicia’s best friend at the time. What a mess. Marlena was sure that Alicia hadn’t explained everything. It seemed to her that Tony had some invisible hold on Alicia. She wished she could sever it and move on.
“So, how are you holding up with your bodyguards on duty twenty-four-seven?” she asked Marlena and nodded toward the side where Danny sat talking to Monroe Gordon.
Marlena glanced that way and smiled.
She looked at Alicia. “It’s not so bad.”
“Oh boy, you’re in love with them, aren’t you?”
She took a deep breath and released it.
“God, it’s crazy, but I am.”
Alicia smiled.
“I’m so happy for you, Marlena. You deserve this. You deserve to be happy, to have men that love you and can protect you. God, what I would do for a man to love me, to look at me the way Mike, Danny, and Jack look at you.” Alicia looked toward Danny and Monroe. Then back at Marlena.
“They eat you up with their eyes. It’s amazing to watch.”
Marlena glanced toward Monroe and Danny. She noticed Monroe looking over.
“I think you have some admirers of your own, Alicia.”
Alicia’s eyes widened and then she huffed.
“Are you kidding me? Monroe Gordon is out of my league. He can have his choice of any female anywhere, the way he travels and invests in companies with his brothers.”
“Honey, he could be anywhere, even on a private jet flying off somewhere, but he’s not. He’s here at Rita’s, watching over you.”
“Oh, he didn’t choose to have to be my guardian during this dangerous time. His brother, the mean, irritable, overcommanding sheriff probably forced him into it. I’ll tell you one thing, when I had to leave with Sheriff Gordon the other day from here, when you got the news about Peter, I was shaking in my heels. Do you know that man read me the riot act? He talked to me about taking precautions, not going anywhere alone, reaching out to him only if I felt I was in any danger or even scared. God, it was like he thought I had no gut instincts or knowledge of being aware of my surroundings.”
