Page 167 of It Should Have Been You

“Liar.”

Head colds can kiss my ass.

I managed to get through the morning rush in one piece, but now I have time to sit, I can’t help but notice the excruciating burn across my back every time I take a deep breath, and my throat feels like I’m swallowing shards of glass. I clench my jaw shut, hoping she doesn’t notice the sound of my teeth chattering.

“That’s it.” I raise my head just as she meets my watery eyes. “You’re sick, and I’m making the call. Go home. You need to rest.”

“I can’t go home. It’s not lunch time yet. I can’t leave you on your own.”

“I’ll call Maria in. Besides, you’re useless to me in your state. Having you drop dead while serving a chicken wrap isn’t going to do my business any favors.” She props her hand on her hip, but humor glistens in her eyes.

“Who knows, it might become a tourist attraction. Lots of people are into that kind of thing. You can tell them that my ghost haunts the place. And let’s be honest, if I die while serving a chicken wrap, I’m going to haunt the place. I was hoping for my death to be more eventful.”

She rolls her eyes before tossing the towel at me. “Go. Home.”

I sigh, puffing my cheeks as the door opens and Logan, Archer, and Skip walk in.

“Fine,” I agree. “After I get their order.”

“Ladies,” they dip their chin like a clone of each other. Logan and Archer might not be Skip’s biological children, but he sure has done a good job of passing on his mannerisms. It’s uncanny.

Archer leans over the counter and kisses Molly’s cheek. She accepts it, but her eyes drop, and she immediately begins fidgeting. I can’t be sure, but I swear there’s a brief flash of hurt over Archer’s features before he adjusts his mask to smile at me.

“Boys,” I greet them.

“Morning,” they say in unison.

Logan is the last to sit, and I don’t miss the slight brush of his thumb along my lower back.

I smile at him and whisper, “Morning, Twinkle Toes.”

The look he casts my way makes it clear that his threat of putting me over his knee was serious.

He doesn’t miss it either as I shiver, and the heat rushing to my cheeks has nothing to do with how sick I feel. I glance at him over my shoulder before grabbing my order book from my apron.

I only have the order book to distract myself and hope he doesn’t see a lone tear sliding down my cheek from my burning eyes. I already know what they’re going to order.

These men are as predictable as they are gorgeous, but they look at the menu regardless. I place an inner bet. Which one will surprise me today?

Skip smiles at me, placing the menu back on the table. “I think it’ll be the pancakes all round.”

No surprises today, then.

“Coming right up.”

I turn, almost escaping without one of them noticing the sweat breaking out on my hairline, but Logan has been eyeing me since he walked in here.

“Beth?”

Shit.

I close my eyes before forcing my lips into a smile, praying my teeth don’t start clacking again.

“Yep?” I spin around, ignoring the pain as I do.

“You good, pretty girl?”

“You don’t look so good,” Skip joins in.

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