AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Good morning, and thank you for breakfast. Just for future reference, you can wake me before you go. I’m usually an early riser anyway, but apparently having you in bed makes me lazier. I wonder why?
I sent it and retrieved my plate, slowly chewing through the fluffy goodness. I was about halfway through when my phone buzzed with his response.
I’ll keep that in mind, and no need to thank me for breakfast. I was actually planning on making that for you either way. Work may have dragged me away before I wanted to go, but I was determined it wouldn’t take that from me.
I smiled, the fluttery warmth of happiness filling me to the brim, and when his next message came through, a laugh bubbled up from my throat.
As for why you prefer staying in bed with me there, I have absolutely no idea, but you have the same effect on me, so it must not be too bad. I swear, I’m usually up at the crack of dawn, but getting out of bed this morning was one of the most challenging things I’ve done in a long time. You’ve made a monster, Jen.
When the chuckles died down, I bit my lip and answered.
There are worse things in the world than a partner who doesn’t want to leave your bed. I’m happy with the monster I made.
Eyeing the clock on the wall, I grimaced. I had work in an hour, which meant I needed to quit flirting with my boyfriend via text and get ready. Cursing the necessity that was work, I grabbed a clean uniform from my closet and headed for the bathroom.
Pausing at the mirror, I stared hard at my face, trying to see if yesterday’s scratch was visible. After a minute of hard staring, I nodded in satisfaction. It’d completely healed, thankfully. I didn’t want to answer the dozens of questions I’d doubtlessly get from customers if it hadn’t.
Taking a quick shower, I tugged on my clothes and brushed my hair. The entire process took hardly fifteen minutes, and then I was ready.
Or as ready as I’d ever be.
Nerves flashed through me, and my stomach rolled at the thought of going back. I quickly squelched both of them before they could get worse.
Diana wasn’t about to attack me again when she’d already been threatened with Mr. Hern taking it to the sheriff. Harvey wouldn’t bother me there either, thanks to the sheer amount of people that were always at the restaurant.
It was safe there.
I repeated that like a mantra, desperate to believe it as I stared at the door, willing myself to walk out of it.
Couldn’t I go back to just a few hours ago when I’d been blissfully asleep in Oliver’s arms?
Shaking aside the ache and the unease slithering through my veins, I walked out with my head held high. I just had to push through today, and it wouldn’t be so bad.
Chapter 18
The shift was, quite possibly, one of the worst I’d dealt with yet.
No less than two men grabbed my butt as I was walking away–they’d been drunk but Mr. Hern had handled the entire thing as quickly as it came up–and Emily was shooting me scathing looks at every opportunity.
She hadn’t said anything yet, but I doubted she’d stay so blissfully silent for long.
My feet ached something fierce, and the mild soreness from earlier had morphed into an almost tearing pain from being on my feet all day. The other waitresses shot me knowing looks, but none had outright said anything.
Carrying the most recent load of dishes back to the kitchen, I nearly toppled when an ankle stuck out in front of mine. I caught my balance,barely, and turned to Emily with a scowl.
“Please watch what you’re doing, I almost dropped these,” I said, my tone just as scathing as hers had been when she bothered speaking to me today.
Before I could turn and bring the dishes to the kitchen, though, she sneered. “I didn’t do anything. You must have imagined it. Maybe you shouldn’t come into work afterheworked you over so thoroughly if you can’t handle carrying some dishes.”
My temper sparked, sharpening at her acid tone, and I pointedly set the stack down on the counter and glared at her. I would tolerate many things, but her attitude toward Oliver wasnotone of them.
“I don’t know what your problem is with me and Oliver, but it has no business being in a professional setting. We’re adults, and I expect you to act like it.” I said, making sure I spoke as I would to a child who was misbehaving. If she wanted to act like a brat, I’d treat her like one.
Her face went molten purple, and she stormed forward until we were nose to nose. “You come into work limping like that, and you have the guts to chastise me about being professional?”
I didn’t bat an eye. “Yes, because what caused my limp ispersonal,and I wasn’t about to call in over it. I’m here, doing my job despite it, and while I don’t know what your problem is, I’d appreciate you acting like an adult and not pulling such juvenile tricks as tripping me as I pass. That's better suited for the high school hallways.”
I pointedly picked up my stack of dishes again, but she stepped in front of me, eyes blazing. “All the bravado about not sleeping with him, and then the second he gives you an opportunity you fall into bed with the guy, and poor Diana is in hot water with the sheriff, all because you didn’t keep your stupid mouth shut.”
