AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I pull back a fist, whirl around, and swing as hard as I can right at his smug face. I make contact square between his left cheek and his nose, and I can feel something give, either in my hand or his head. I hit him so hard it spins him around and he slams chest first into the counter, spilling drinks and plates everywhere.
My sight and mind clear, briefly, but it’s long enough to think, Wow. That does hurt your hand.
And yes, it was worth it.
Jay stumbles to his feet, aimlessly grabbing for something to hold him up, knocking more things off the counter. Blood pours from his nose, and I can see his cheek already discolored.
He immediately covers his nose with his hands. “Seriously, Eloise!?”
“I’m sorry,” I say, cheeks flushing again. I glance over at Gray, who looks . . . impressed?
“Don’t apologize,” he says quietly. I see the hint of a smile on his face.
It flushes me with a different kind of confident heat.
A waitress rushes toward us. “What is going on back here?”
“I’m so sorry,” I say to her.
The waitress looks over at Jay. “Huh. You.” Then to me, “Honey, it’s about time.”
I frown, confused.
“I see him in here with a different woman every week,” she says. “I’m sorry if you were one of them.”
I go still.
“But . . .” She gives Gray a once-over. “Looks like you got an upgrade. Good for you.”
“We’re not—” I shake away my reply and realize that my hand really hurts. I glance at Gray. “Can we get out of here?”
He shrugs. “Whatever you say, champ.”
“This is assault, Eloise!” Jay says, holding a napkin to his face with blood on his shirt. “Assault! I’ll press charges!”
“No, you won’t,” I hear the waitress say, as another waitress comes alongside her. “I didn’t see who did it, did you, Eva?”
The other waitress shrugs. “Hm. My memory’s a bit fuzzy. Couldn’t tell ya.”
I don’t know who these women are, but I love them. The sisterhood is strong when it comes to creeps like Jay.
“Hurry up and finish your meal, sir,” she says to Jay. “There are people waiting for your table.”
I smile to myself as Scarlett runs over to us. “That was crazy. Are you okay?”
“My hand hurts,” I say.
“I bet! You hit him so hard, and then he did this, and this. . .!” she spins around and flops around and punches the air.
“Oh no, honey, no,” I say. “I did not handle that well. It was a very bad example. You should never punch people, even if they deserve it.”
She frowns as I push the door open and step out onto the street. “Dad gets in fights all the time.”
I look at Gray, who shrugs. “She’s got a point.”
I turn to Scarlett, ready to tell her what a completely poor choice I made, when Gray kneels in front of her. “Sometimes grown-ups lose their temper. Somebody says something that pushes their buttons, and they know they shouldn’t react, but they do.”
Scarlett narrows her eyes. “And that’s what happens with you?”
