Page 191 of Nobody's Girl

The waitress’ hand lands on my shoulder and I jerk my head around to look at it. Her red nail polish is dull and chipped and she smells like cigarettes. How could she possibly think she has a chance in hell with me?

“Sugar, you want a beer, or something maybe a little stronger with your burger and fries?”

“I’m eighteen, ma’am,” I say as I look up at her to find her yellow teeth flashing beneath her red-stained, thin lips.

Perhaps the only thing thin on the woman, except her ultra-thin eyebrows.

Her finger goes to her lips as she says, “Shh, I won’t tell on you, handsome.”

“No, thank you, ma’am. Just the burgers, all the way with mustard, the fries, and her shake made with almond milk. I’ll have a bottle of water, please.”

She pats my shoulder. “We have curly fries, baby. Would you enjoy some of my curly fries?”

Are you kidding me!

“No, ma’am. The regular fries will do us just fine, I assure you.”

Her hand slides down my shoulder along my arm, leaving me with an itch to bathe. “I’ll be right back with your drinks then, cutie pie.”

I turn to see Alyssa watching the waitress walk away. “Wow!” she says with a shake of her head. “I never knew we had so many skanky women in this small town. Eden, you bring out the beast in females. You must get that kind of stuff all the time. You handle them so well. If a man did that to me, I’d probably slap him.”

I drag my knuckles across her firm cheek. “If a man did that to you, I’d punch him.”

Her giggle tickles at my ears. I love it!

“Neanderthal,” she says as she gently punches my arm. “I can’t believe she was willing to give you alcohol. Tell me what other things women have offered you for a moment of your attention.”

“You don’t really want to know that, Alyssa. Just like I don’t want to know why in the world you would frequent such an establishment as this,” I say as I scan the dirty bar.

The lights flicker over a pool table as the bikers swill from large glasses of dark, frothy topped beers. Their protruding bellies are a testament to their devotion to the fattening spirit.

Her smile dazzles me as she leans in a bit closer. “Watch how you talk about this place. Those bikers call this place home and anyone who speaks ill of their home usually finds themselves sprawled out in the parking lot with boot prints on their asses. Oops, sorry. Don’t want to offend your delicate senses by cursing. I meant to say bottoms.”

Placing my hand behind her neck, I pull her to me, leaning my head to speak in her ear. “It is not my delicate senses I worry about. It’s your honor I wish to protect by reprimanding your use of vulgar obscenities. With a mouth so beautiful, it’s a crime to let disgusting words flow out of it.” I leave a kiss on her cheek to soften my correction.

The glow of pink on her cheeks shows me she’s taken in what I’ve said and I’m pleased to see it. “How you speak is so … what is the word I’m looking for? Eloquent. Far beyond your years, Eden. I’ve never thought about the words I use making me seem dishonorable. You’re right, though.”

I’m right! That’s a step in the right direction. She’s beginning to trust me.

The cigarette smell is back and I turn to find the waitress back with our orders. She tosses my mates’ basket with her burger and fries in it and a fry falls on the table. I quickly pick the fry up and hold it near her face, which is much too close to mine as she leans over me to throw food at my princess.

“If you weren’t tossing things at this young lady, you might be able to keep the food where it belongs. See that you stop, or your tip will reflect my disapproval.”

Her eyes widen and she pulls her ample body up. “Sorry, sir. It won’t happen again. I promise,” she says, then her eyes dart to Alyssa. “Sorry, Ally. I didn’t mean to do that.”

Alyssa blinks back at her. “It’s okay. No big deal.”

No big deal! Really! So she feels it’s just fine to have someone treat her disrespectfully.

That is what he made her feel like when they came here. A common girl who is treated with no respect at all is what he’s made her.

“Mmmm, take a bite, Eden. It’s really good,” Alyssa says with a moan.

Not one bit mad. Wow!

“Okay, then, here it goes.” I lift the grease-laden mess to my mouth and take a hearty bite. I’m immediately sorry I took such a large bite of the foul tasting—dare I call it a burger?

Her face lights up. “See, it’s good, right?”