My heart hiccupped with the mentionof Derrek and the relationships I’d damaged when I was with him. It was hardfor me to forgive myself for not coming to Molly sooner or being honest withher. I hadn’t been the only one going through something at that time. Derrekhad shut me away from my friends and family, but Molly had lost her best friendtoo.
It would have been easy to blameeverything on Derrek. And don’t get me wrong, he was responsible for a lot. ButI also had to own up to my part. I had to be honest with myself about what I’dlet him do and say and turn me into.
If for no other reason than to makesure it never happened again.
“Well, I’m still paying you,” I toldher smartly. “So just accept it.”
Molly pushed the stool over and satdown next to the open window. “I won’t. It’s like stealing from a charity. Ifeel too guilty.”
“Are you calling me a charity?” Icouldn’t believe her.
She avoided my eyes. “You only justgot back on your feet, Vera. I’m not taking any of that away from you. Youdeserve every penny.”
My eyes misted with tears I refusedto let fall. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Molly. I probably couldn’thave come home if you weren’t here.”
“You would have come home for yourdad,” she chided. “That’s not even a question. How is he doing by the way?”
It was so like Molly to steer thefocus of the conversation away from her. She hated being the center ofattention. And she hated whenever anyone made a big deal about anything shedid. Which was why she was a graphic designer instead of an artist.
I took a deep breath and let it outslowly. “He’s okay. He finally gave into surgery. So that’s scheduled for theend of the month.”
“I thought he wasn’t going to doit?”
Swallowing through a lump ofemotion, I said, “Vann and I have finally convinced him to stick around alittle while longer. He’s doing it for us.”
She nodded, absorbing theinformation with thought. “And then more chemo?”
I mimicked her head bobbing. “Onlyif the surgery doesn’t work.”
Reaching out she squeezed my hand.“He’s going to pull through, Vere. He’s too strong to let this defeat him.” Ihoped she was right. “Oh.” Molly sounded so disappointed that for a second Ipanicked thinking her sudden emotional shift had something to do with my dad.
“What?”
She slid off her stool and walked tothe back of the truck. “You have a customer.”
Sure enough, I did. Ezra Baptisteapproached the window looking like an editorial for GQ. He fiddled with thecuffs of his crisp white oxford, tugging one in place above a matte blackwatch. He appeared bored and casually aloof, and so handsome it hurt to lookdirectly at him.
Molly had scurried to the back ofthe truck like a scared church mouse, and that left me in charge of the window.But my feet refused to move. Ezra was the most intimidating man I wouldprobably ever meet.
Almost as much as Killian had beenat first.
He didn’t wait for me to walk to thewindow. His shrewd gaze focused with laser-like accuracy over me in a quick,assessing glance. “Vera, right?”
I finally mustered the courage towalk over to him, wondering if this had something to do with Killian. “Yes.”
His expression remained serious.“What’s on your menu tonight, Vera?”
Narrowing my gaze, I tried to figureout if he was for real. He wanted to order from me? “Cubano and duck fatfries.”
His eyes flickered over the truck,the front, the signage, the inside through the windows. He took his timedeciding whether the dish sounded appealing or not. Finally, with a sharp nodand another tug on his sleeve causing his cufflinks to wink in the light comingfrom the truck, he said, “I’ll take it. One, please.”
This had to be a joke. “Are youKillian’s spy tonight?” I asked, mostly kidding. Killian stopped sending hisversion of secret shoppers a while ago. There was no need when he stopped byevery night to tell me his opinion in person. He’d also helped me craft theweekly menu option, so his opinions were a lot more positive recently.
He made a sound in the back of histhroat. “Killian’s spy? I’m not sure what that means, but I can assure you, no.Killian didn’t send me. In fact, he probably wouldn’t be the happiest if heknew I was here.” He held out his money, and since I had no idea how to respondto that ambiguous explanation, I took it.
Attempting a confident smile, Ipointed to the other window. “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll have it ready foryou down there.”
He nodded, taking a step back. Hisgaze once again inspected the inside of the truck, absorbing every inch hecould see through the windows. The second he found Molly hiding out in theback, his frown turned into… more of a frown. He glared openly, not seeming tolike seeing her at all.
