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“Deal,” she says, squealing and pulling me into a hug.
I laugh, hugging her back, relishing in the human contact.
“Oh, hottie alert.” She wiggles her eyebrows as she watches someone come in the door behind me.
“All yours,” I tell her, winking and giving my attention to Oscar as I wait for the next order up.
Riley tucks her hair behind her ears, licks her lips to wet them, and grabs her order pad with a smile.
“Wish me luck,” she says before sashaying around me.
I turn to watch her, snickering at her antics. She’s young, five years younger than me, and on the hunt for a boyfriend. Next to her, I’m practically a spinster who has sworn off men, but maybe she likes that I’m not competition. She stops in front of a booth, blocking my view of her “hottie,” and I watch her as she cocks her hip out, then throws her head back with a giggle.
“I’ll be right back with your coffee,” I hear her say as she puts her pad away and turns, wiggling her hips in a dramatic fashion.
It’s then that I see who she was talking to, and I have to grab on to the counter to keep my knees from buckling.
His dark eyes meet mine, and I can’t breathe. His expression doesn’t change, but this new life I’ve created has been turned upside down. I’m not a fool. I’m still in Heywood, so it makes sense that we would run into each other at some point. At first, I needed money, and then I got into a routine with the diner and classes, so I haven’t planned things out further. I did find a guy to help me with a fake identity. But until I can get that, I can’t get out of here and escape my past. I’m stuck in stasis. Maybe I’m sabotaging my own future.
I don’t want to walk over there, but I can’t help myself. I find my legs carrying me to stand in front of him, and before I say anything, he does.
“Hello, Little Bird.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Enjoying some coffee and a delicious breakfast at my favorite diner,” he says.
I scowl. “I’ve never seen you in here. Are you keeping tabs on me?”
“Why would I want to do that, wife?”
“Not your wife,” I say, panic rising in my chest.
“According to the state of California, you still are. Tell me, why have I not been served with divorce papers?”
I go to answer, but Riley appears with a steaming cup of black coffee, which she lays in front of Connor with a flourish. She cocks an eyebrow at me and our conversation, but I give her a thin smile in return.
“Thank you, Riley,” Connor says, grinning broadly at her.
I want to stab him with a fork.
“Of course,” she says, her cheery tone grating. She hip-bumps me, causing me to move over, as she grabs her order pad again. “Now, do you want some breakfast?”
“No, he doesn’t,” I say at the same time Connor answers, “I’ll take the combo with extra bacon. Oscar knows how I like it.”
He hands her the menu, and she giggles again. I glare. She doesn’t look at me.
“I haven’t had time,” I tell him, but he gives me a knowing look.
He knows I’m full of shit. It’s been months. I honestly haven’t even thought about it. Sometimes, our whole marriage seems like a dream, not something that happened to me.
“Haven’t had time for what?” Riley asks, frowning between us. She’s starting to catch on that we know each other.
“Connor, my boy, is that you?” Martha exclaims, coming from the back.
Connor stands, pulling her into a hug.
“I was surprised to hear from you a few months back. It’s been a while.”
