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Sighing, I run my fingers over my forehead, “I’m not being sarcastic about this. I can tell this happens to be an important part of your restaurant’s culture. I just want to make sure I can do everything I can to fix it.”
I can visibly see that the assholish attitude leaves his body. At least for a little while. His shoulders relax, and his posture seems less stiff. The frown on his lips becomes more of a smile, almost. “I’m sorry. You’re right, you didn’t come across as sarcastic. Calzone day itself isn’t something we would celebrate, but it happens to be Grandfather’s birthday as well as the one holiday he always went above and beyond with at Mohagen’s. The community enjoys it.”
Oh shit. I feel even worse now. Fucking Adam. “Okay, well get those hammers and let’s get going. We’ve already wasted enough time making up.”
A deep chuckle echoes in his chest and his deep brown eyes almost glitter. “Yeah, okay.”
I watch as he walks off to get the needed tools while I set down my bag and place the envelope on top. I quickly scribble his name and a little note on the outside, so he knows it’s for him, before placing it under the cash register.
Roman comes back with a cart of tools and paint. I eye the rollers and materials and inwardly sigh. He hands me a hammer and a handful of nails. “Let's start on the booth.”
ChapterFive
Roman
I’ll give it to her that she’s a hard worker. I don’t know what I was expecting when she offered to help. I thought maybe she’d be more like my sisters who usually just agree to hold tools, or hand me nails. The minute I showed Becca the state that the booth was in, she took over on her own. It took less time than I expected, and before I knew it, we were staining the wood. More than that, we talked. I learned a little about the girl who crashed into my world and what I found was that she was a genuine person. She was nice and she was funny. I hadn’t laughed so hard as I did while we were practically playing Twister over the booth, making sure every inch was perfect.
We were already a day early on the repairs. Hope fills my chest for the first time since the accident, that all of this would be complete, and fixed before the holiday. About one more day of work and we'll be open again. If Leo can just come through with the window then everything will be perfect. The window is my biggest concern. I have no idea how he’s going to come up with a window as priceless as that one.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I grab it before having a chance to screen the call. “Hello?”
“Ah, morning Rome. How is it going over there,” Chris, a friend of mine from the bank responds and I let my guard down a little.
“It's going. What's up?” I ask, while finishing getting things ready for the day.
“I was checking to see if you still need the loan or not, now that the lady is paying for it,” He rattles off and I stop for the first time, pausing.
“What are you talking about?”
“The girl, the one who crashed into your restaurant. Look, I probably shouldn't be telling you this but she made a large cash withdrawal yesterday, and then set up payments to start going into your account in January. I’m assuming that's to pay the rest,” He explains.
My body goes still while I process his words. I walk over to the cash register where I saw her slide something over there yesterday, but had assumed it was until she left for safe keeping. My fingers run along the edges of the white envelope. I pull it open and find a stack of crisp one hundred dollar bills. Also inside is a pink sticky note and on it is written IOU in black letters. Well, fuck.
“Rome?”
“Ah, yeah. I guess it might be. Just let her do whatever she wants, okay?”
“Sure thing,” He replies and soon the line goes dead.
I slip the envelope around in my hands and feel the pangs of regret and a healthy dose of humbleness. She hadn’t been lying when she said she would pay for the damage. She also hadn’t ducked out of helping fix what was broken. I yelled, glared and did my best to make her feel small and incompetent, and all along she was going to help me anyway.
With a sigh I roll my shoulders back and vow to do better today. That thought barely leaves my mind when there’s a knock on the front door. Glancing up I’m surprised when my eyes collide with a pair of intense blue ones. She came back. My head tilts to the side, taking in her leggings and off the shoulder t-shirt. Speechless, I make my way to the door and unlock it.
“Good,” She whistles, while stepping into the restaurant, “You haven’t started yet. I was worried you would keep going without me.”
I can’t stop staring, unable to believe that she’s here. “I didn’t think you’d be back today.”
Her brow quirks and her eyes twinkle, “We still have painting to do today. Plus I wanted to see the delivery of this grand window.” Her shoulders rise and fall. She’s looking at me again, waiting for me to speak, but words keep failing me.
“I got your envelope,” I tell her holding it up, “You don’t really need to be here.”
“I want to be,” She argues, “I keep my word. I’m glad you got the money, I plan to pay it all back, but it has to be in installments.”
I can feel my guilt churn in my stomach. Mom will probably skin me alive when she finds out that not only did Becca work hard to fix the booths, but that she also gave money to help out. “Its fine.”
She nods like my words are a relief before they dart around the space. “Should we get started then?”
I follow whatever she says, and soon I have all the painting supplies out and we’re painting the booth legs, taking turns holding it for the other while one of us bends at odd angles to get every last part. While we work she chats about the town, and parts of it she likes so far. I fill her in on my knowledge and history of the area. Becca hangs on every word, as if learning about Candy Cane Key is the most exciting thing in the world to her. I take great pride in where I am from, but I know not everyone does. Some people can’t wait to leave here, while others are only here to vacation.
