“Christian,” someone says, and I’m pulled out of my Lana trance.
I turn with a sigh, ready for the teasing. “Natalia.”
“So,” Natalia says with a shit eating grin, wiping her hands on a towel. “I’m glad she isn’t bored in her office anymore. Has something to…relieve all her stress.”
I shake my head, pressing my lips together to keep from laughing, even as my face flushes. I can’t face Natalia, instead I pretend to be busy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure.” She giggles and starts putting her freshly baked pastries in the pastry case. “I’m glad you’re here, by the way.”
I leave the wet rag on the counter and face her. “You are?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
I lift a shoulder and mumble, “Team Lana.”
Natalia chuckles. “Right, yeah. Well, that is still a thing.” She dusts off her hands, slapping them against each other gently and comes up to me. She’s a bit shorter than Lana, probably the shortest of the bunch, but she can still scare the life out of anyone if need be. Natalia points her finger at me, all in my face, and says, “But if youeverdo anything to hurt her again, you will be erased from history and all of your descendants will be haunted by me and all the ghosts I can call on. Iwillmake sure of that.”
My eyes widen slightly. “Okay.”
Natalia smiles, happy with herself. “I’m glad we’re on the same page then! See you whenever!”
She saunters off with her bag on her shoulder, the bell chiming as she exits, and a new customer comes in. I get behind the register, which is just an iPad, type in Lana’s login she gave me earlier, and greet them. “What can I get you?”
I finally look up and it’sgolden boy. “Hey, man.” He chuckles. “This your new part-time job?”
I exhale heavily through my nose. “Something like that.”
Levi laughs again. “That’s great. Finally you can do something with your life, I guess, right? Instead of living in your car?—”
“What can I get you?” I ask through my clenched jaw. I’m not a violent man…
The mother fucker laughs again. “Bro, come on. We all know what happened to you. No shame.”
I sigh. “Just tell me your order so you can leave, man?—”
“You should have stayed in New York,” he huffs. “Way better than this place. I mean, you could have done way better than Lana over there. Plus you’re rich! Why even come back?”
Does this guy have a death wish?
I sigh heavily and he chuckles like he’s fucking hilarious.“She had nothing, she was broke. Her mother was the help, I mean, really. I don’t know who is better off without who?—”
“Get out.”
He laughsagain.He has an incredibly punch-able face. “Bro?—”
“I really don’t know when your privileged ass thought it was okay to come in here to talk shit to my face about my girl, or myself, for that matter, but?—”
“Get out.” My head snaps to the right and Lana stands there with her hip cocked and arms crossed. She’s so hot when she’s mad. And when she’s throwing shoes at me. “Get. Out.”
Levi has the audacity to smile at her. “Hey Lana, I’m just ordering my usual.”
“You won’t be ordering anything anymore, get out.” She points to the door and he rolls his eyes. Her stillness is terrifying.
“Lana,” he tries to reason, “we’re friends. You even said that Christian?—”
“I haveneverbad-mouthed Christian in my life, much less to you, so get out or Iwillkick you out myself. And believe me, you won’t like my methods.”
“Lana,” Levi says, his tone almost convincing me she should be with someone else. “This guy is the joke of the town. He’s a drug addict for god’s sake. You deserve better than that.”
