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“I’m sorry you had to go through that. Breakups are hard, especially on children,” she sympathized.
“My fault. I should have worn a condom.”
And there he was … the jerk was back.
“You going to order something or not?”
“No.” She took the tape out of her pocket and started for the door. “Thanks for letting me place my sign on the window.”
“Put the sign up and come back. I’ll make you a bag. You can pay me back when you get paid.”
“I can’t accept—”
“I’m going to put it on the counter. I don’t give a fuck if you eat or not,” Marty said, going into the back.
Blinking back grateful tears, she went outside to tap her ad on the window. She had made little cutouts on the bottom of the paper. That way, anyone passing by could tear one off.
She stood outside for several minutes once she was done, but finally threw her pride aside and went back in. There, where Marty had been sitting, was a bag of food filled so high that fries were peeking out above, and two sodas.
Megan walked toward the bag and started to pick it up when she decided to sit down and started eating.
While she ate, customers came and went, each time giving her side-eyes that she was brave enough to sit at the counter.
She was thoughtfully eating a French fry when Marty walked out with an order. When the customer left, Marty gave her look of displeasure. “I expected you to go somewhere else to eat.”
Megan lifted her chin stubbornly. “Why should I? There’s a perfectly good chair here.”
“Do what you want,” he snapped. “Just don’t try to talk my head off. I prefer it quiet.”
Bravely, she pulled out another fry. “Marty, I think you’re full of hot air.”
Marty’s beady eyes turned mean.
Her mouth snapped shut when she heard him blast a loud fart. Quickly, she crushed the bag of food closed, picked it up, took her drink, and ran out the door.
Gasping for air outside, through the window, she saw Marty laughing so hard he was bent over the register. Two customers who were waiting outside looked to see what she was staring at.
“What did he do?”
Megan took a step to the side, giving the men room to open the door. Not recognizing one of the men, she assumed he must be new to town.
The man who had spoken, she had to rack her mind to remember who he was. A minute passed before his face clicked into place. Silas Coleman.
The Colemans rarely left their land. To see one was like spotting Bigfoot in the wild. Debating the pros and cons of telling them what Marty had done could hurt business … or it could help.
She was going to go for the latter.
“He cut gas because I guess I was taking up his counter space.”
Both men went to the paper she had just taped to the window, tearing off slips that held her cell phone number.
Silas reached into his back pocket to take out his wallet. “I’ll give you twenty to go inside and get my order.”
The unknown man reached inside his pocket. “I’ll give you the same amount if you get mine.”
“Hold my stuff.” Megan handed Silas her food and drink. Then, taking the money, she took an experimental breath before closing the door behind her. She walked toward the counter and yelled out when Marty didn’t come out to see who had entered the restaurant. “I’m here to pick up Silas’ and the guy in the suit’s order.”
She was about to yell again when Marty came out, carrying the orders. His beady eyes followed her movements as she picked up the bags.
“They gonna pay you?”
“They already did,” Megan told him, watching for his reaction. It wasn’t what she was expecting.
“Good, then you can pay me what you owe me.”
She had been excited to have cash again, and it had gone out of her mind that she owed him. Nevertheless, she gave Marty one of her treasured twenties. “Keep the change.”
Making a sarcastic face at her, Marty opened the register to take out the change. “Here you go, big spender.”
Clenching the bags to her chest, she told herself he wasn’t worth going to jail for.
“Don’t forget their soda and water.”
She moved to the refrigerated cooler on the other side of the register to grab the drinks, aware of Marty watching her.
“Wasn’t a terrible idea to place your ad there.” Crossing his arms over his chest, he gave her a satisfied grin.
Megan couldn’t understand why he seemed so pleased with himself.
“I guess you could say your business is off to a booming start.”
The dude had a warped sense of humor.
Megan threw another dirty look at him. “I’d rather have my sense of smell back.”
Marty patted his stomach. “Don’t worry; it’s temporary. I didn’t give you a big one.”
