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He nods. “Yes it does. I’m impressed. Tonight was a slow one, but tomorrow will be a different story. You think you can handle it?”
“Like I said in my interview, I can handle the pace and the customers.”
“Good. Then I’ll look forward to seeing you here at 7pm tomorrow.” I turn to leave when Jason stops me. “Don’t forget your tips,” he says, holding out a small wad of cash.
Stepping forward, I take the cash, a couple of hundred bucks, and thank him before collecting my things from my locker in the staff lounge.
Outside, the air is balmy, and I walk to my car. The sound of feet on gravel comes from behind a second before my name is called out.
“Kennedy, wait up.”
It’s Penn, and she’s jogging this way. “Hey, everything okay?”
“Yeah,” she pants as she reaches me. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you for earlier.” I raise my brows, and she adds, “With the asshole at the poker table.”
“Oh, right. Yeah, no problem at all. Plenty more where he came from, unfortunately.” I roll my eyes and unlock my car. Penn hovers, so I ask, “Do you need a ride someplace?”
“No, I’m good. I live just up the street,” she says, pointing
“Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”
“Are you sure?” I nod, and she runs round to the passenger side.
She wasn’t lying when she said she lived just down the street, but I feel better that she’s not walking this late at night.
I drop her off and watch to make sure she gets inside before I pull away. As I do, I notice another car behind me. It’s too dark along here to make out more than that it’s a dark SUV. The car stays with me all the way back to Silverbell, but as I turn down my street, he continues straight on.
By the time I finally climb into bed, it’s almost 2 a.m. and my eyes are closing as my head hits the pillow.
* * *
Everly is alreadyat the pancake house when I arrive. We enter together and are shown to a table by the window. Coffee poured; the waitress leaves us to look over the menu.
“So, how was your first night?”
“It was good. Some ass tried it on with one of the girls waiting tables, and I had to intervene.”
“Jeez, Kenz. Be careful.”
“Always am, Everly. What you having?” I ask, scanning the options. I can’t decide if I want sweet or savory.
“It has to be the house special.”
I go back to the menu and read over what the house special is and can’t help laughing. “Fuck! I love my food but not sure even I could manage all that.”
The waitress comes back ready to take our order, and as Everly orders, I say, “Make that two, please.” The waitress nods, topping off our coffee then leaves.
We chat while we wait, and I catch her up on where I’ve been, telling her about my day job and Charlie. She fills me in on her new house and her boyfriend, who apparently is popping in during his lunch break.
She avoids anything to do with my dad or brother, and I’m thankful. Although she does ask me about the night I came back to Silverbell with a humorous smile on her face.
“You knew he was there, didn’t you?” I ask her.
“Yeah…no…well, I had an idea he might be. What happened?”
I tell her about the next morning, and she bursts into laughter before apologizing. “I wish I’d seen that. I am sorry I didn’t warn you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I kind of deserved it.”
