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Glad somebody has something to look forward to.
“Sure. Where’re you going?”
She claps her hands together, bouncing up and down in her Converse Chucks. “EastSide!”
What? Did she just say EastSide? The business next door that’s become the bane of my existence?
She mistakes the surprise on my face for excitement.
“I know, right? Their prix-fixe dinner is five hundred dollars a head. I’d never go there if not for my mom.” Her gaze snaps my way as she corrects herself. “Or an event we’re invited to. Ya know?”
Yeah. I know. I can’t afford to fucking eat there either, having enjoyed the place only when the guys took pity on me and plied me with free stuff, probably leftovers, or food that was expired.
Yuck.
You can’t trust anyone who’s not a vegetarian.
44
LIVVY
The front doorbelljingles and for the first time ever, I suppress a groan. I am not in the mood to deal with the public, even if they’re spending money that is vital to my survival. I just want to go back home and crawl under the covers. Maybe eat those stale saltines in the back of my kitchen cupboard. Pretty soon, that’s all I’ll be able to afford.
I look up to see Tim the parrot guy walk in with his dirty-mouthed bird on his shoulder. I brace myself for it to say something about my tits, but it’s much more interested in Harry the cat, who’s sizing him up.
“Hello, Lovely Livvy,” Tim booms.
Cripes, he’s always so happy.
He puts on a fake-stern face. “I didn’t see you at my comedy show, Livvy. You should have been there, what with the coupon I got for ya. I killed it up there on-stage, Livvy, I really did. You should have heard the laughter. The applause.”
Behind him, Jewel is rolling her eyes so hard I don’t know how they stay in her head. But truth be told, his joy is so authentic I’m happy for him. I really am. It’s nice to see good things happened in the world, even if they’re not for me.
I’m not so bitter I can’t be happy for another person.
“Oh, Tim, that’s so awesome, I’m glad it went well. And I’m sorry I missed it,” I say, trying to shake off the heavy feeling weighing me down.
He cocks his head. “Say, are you okay? Coming down with something?”
Now I feel like a jerk. The guy might be a huge dork, but he’s never been anything but nice to me, unlike the creeps next door. And his concern now is just so… kind, when I’ve written him off time and again. Even if his bird does talk about my tits.
“I… I have a lot on my mind, Tim. There’s so much going on,” I say in a tired voice.
I need to perk it up. I mean, he’s a freaking customer. He doesn’t need to see me losing my shit.
“Oh. Of course. Like that developer nonsense? Yeah, that really sucks. But isn’t all the support you pulled together at Wine & Whiskers making a difference? I thought you had the whole neighborhood on your side.”
His bird craps down the back of his shirt and he doesn’t notice. Jewel does though and jumps back several feet.
“Yeah, I think people are on my side, but that only goes so far. I’m still hoping for help from the city, but it seems like when a developer has deep enough pockets, they can do anything they want.”
He reaches out and touches my hand, which I really appreciate. I just needed one person to be nice to me today.
“Livvy, if there’s anything I can do, please let me know. I know it must be extra hard with Bartlett Murray’s connection to the developer. I don’t know how you will overcome that.”
Wait. What? I knew Bartlett had some connection to them, but never managed to get any details.
I proceed carefully. “How is Bartlett connected with that group?” I ask casually.
