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“Right?So convenient.Anyway, I’ll stop talking your ear off.What’ll it be today?”
Clay places his order and then moves down to thepickuparea, his nose in his phone.A few more customers start to wander in, and the next couple of hours go by fast.
“You’re a rockstar,” Marion says with a smile as she joins me, ready to help.“I got so much accomplished back there.Thanks.”
“It’s no problem; the day is moving fast.Everything good with you?”
“Oh, yeah, everything’s fine.”
“I’m just going to run to the restroom really quick,” I tell her and move to walk to the break room, but the hair on the back of my neck stands up, and I turn to the door.
In walks Summer with a bouquet of roses.
“Shit,” I whisper and close my eyes.Like lightning, Bruiser is at the counter, taking the flowers from Summer.
He passes me the card.
“Sir, those are for Erin,” Summer says, ready to knock Bruiser for a loop.
“He’s with me,” I tell her quickly.I open the card and feel my stomach sink.
I can’t wait to marry you.
“Oh, Erin,” Marion says as I crumple the card in my fist.
“I didn’t think I should throw them away,” Summer says.“I called Chase, like he asked me to do, and brought them over to you.”
I close my eyes, ready to break down into sobs, but that won’t solve anything.
“Don’t throw that away,” Marion advises, taking the card from me.“Come on now, and sit down.”
“I can’t do this,” I whisper, shaking my head.I’m surrounded by the two women and Bruiser, and other customers are watching with interest.“I just can’t do this, Marion.”
“Oh, honey,” Marion says, but I take her hand in mine, my eyes pleading with her to understand.
“I need to take some time off, Marion.I know this leaves you in a bind, and I’m so sorry, but I just can’t deal with this every time I’m here.”
“I understand,” Marion replies, and I can tell by the tone of her voice that she means it.“Don’t worry, I’ll get your shifts covered.And this isn’t you resigning, sweet girl.This is a sabbatical until all of this is resolved.”
It feels like all I’ve done is cry over the past few days, but more tears well in my eyes.
“You know I’ll want to come back,” I say.“I love it here too much to stay away.”
“Good.”Marion smiles bravely, but I see the worry there, too.“Everything’s going to work out, honey.You just wait and see.”
“I know.”I nod, wipe at the tears on my cheeks, and stand to get back to work.“I’ll finish out today.”
“Oh, I’ve got this now that my office work is done,” Marion assures me.“You go on home, where you feel safe.”
The sound of that is music to my ears.There’s nothing I want more in the world right now than to be out at the ranch.
Bruiser’s been on the phone this whole time, likely with Remington, and he’s just hanging up when I turn to him.
“We’ll have to come back in an hour to get the kids.”
“Ms.Joy will pick up the kids today,” Bruiser says.“Let’s get on out to the ranch.”
“Okay.”I instinctively reach out and hug Marion.“Thank you.I’ll keep you posted.”
