AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Self-loathing kicked in at remembering the child Greer had saved because of the actions she had caused.
Not wanting Cole to see her cry, she looked out the window. Guilt ate at her. She had tried to change everything about herself, to accept every punishment given to her. She had tried to make amends the best way she could. It still wasn’t enough. It never would. She would live with the guilt for the rest of her life.
How could Cole’s mother not have protected her children, then went so far as steal from them? The longer she thought about it, the angrier she became.
“It’s okay, Megan. You can look at me. I’m used to people feeling weird about me when they find out I had damage—”
Her head whipped back to him. “Weird isn’t how I feel. I’m so darn angry I could spit.”
“You don’t look angry.” Cole reached out to gently brush her tears away. “You’re crying.”
“I cry when I’m angry.” She sniffled. “Your mother better hope she never meets me. I’ll … I’ll …” Megan broke off, falling under the spell of his angelic smile. “I’ll pray for her.”
Cole laughed. “That wasn’t what you were about to say.”
Wanting to fan herself at the tide of heat she could feel coloring her cheeks, she hastily picked up her soda to hide her embarrassment behind the glass.
“I’ve forgiven my mother. I don’t hold any anger toward her anymore. Casey is happily married to a man who would protect her with his dying breath. Mom can’t hurt either of us anymore. She’ll never have any contact with her grandchildren. And best thing of all is she has to live with her sister.”
“Do they not get along?” Megan asked, seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes.
“My aunt makes my mom look like a saint.”
Breaking out in laughter, they both jumped in their seat when Marty yelled at them as he was checking out a customer.
“You going to sit there all day, taking up my booth space?”
Both stared of him then looked at the empty booths and broke into laughter again.
Megan decided to put Marty out of his misery and rose from the booth. “I should be going. I need to put my business plan in action. Thank you for lunch. I enjoyed myself.”
“That’s not fair—I shared with you. At least go out to dinner with me tonight. I promise not to ask any questions.”
“I better not.” Sadly, she memorized his features, wanting to remember every little detail.
Cole started putting their used wrappers into the plain paper bag the burgers had come in, rising to throw it away. “Why not?”
“Because I’m no angel.”
Eight
Holding the paper in hand, Megan peeped through the window, seeing Marty sitting in one of the chairs beside the register. She really, really didn’t want to go inside the diner.
There has to be an easier way, she told herself. Darn, she …
Cutting herself off from saying the same thing, Megan forced herself to push the door open.
The dude didn’t bother turning around.
With lagging footsteps, she went to stand next to Marty.
“What you want?”
Yeah, he was going to be as rude today as he was yesterday. She had to take that as a positive sign, or she would shove the pepper shaker where the sun didn’t shine.
“I was wondering if I could—”
“Told you yesterday. I’m not hiring.” Marty ignored her, turning another page of his newspaper.
“I don’t need a job anymore. I went into business for myself. May I put my flyer in your window?”
“Knock yourself out.”
Was that a yes or a no? The dude was so mean he could literally be telling her to knock herself out in response to her question.
“Is that a yes?” she asked hopefully.
Marty looked up at her over his reading glasses. “Kid, you stupid?”
Angrily, she stiffened. “No.”
“Then don’t act like it. Put the damn thing in the window and get out.”
“Don’t you want to read it first?”
“Don’t have to. You were all over Facebook this morning, promoting your food delivery service.”
If Marty had told her he was from Mars, it couldn’t be more of a shock.
“You do Facebook?”
Marty got to his feet, wadding the paper into a ball. “Don’t worry; I won’t be sending you a friend request.”
“I didn’t expect you would. I just meant …” she ended lamely.
“I have friends I talk to on Facebook.”
Which were probably the only friends the disagreeable man had.
“Have a daughter around your age; helps me keep track of what she’s doing.”
Marty was full of surprises today. Not only was he sharing that he had a daughter, but he was also talking to her without being outright rude.
“A phone call would do the same.”
“Hollis’s battleax mother left me when the kid was six years old. By the time I was able to find where she had taken her, Hollis didn’t want to hear a thing I had to say.”
