1
“What the hell do you want now?”I asked my ex-piece of shit as I answered my phone.I’d let it go to voicemail the previous dozen times he’d called.Guess he wasn’t getting the hint that I had no desire to talk to him.He was going to force me to be mean to get my point across.Yippee.I hadn’t let my bitch out in a while to play.She needed to stretch her muscles.What better way to do that?
“Don’t be like that, sugar.”
“Ugh, don’t call me that.I didn’t like the nickname when we were dating, and I sure as hell don’t like it now.”The sound of the so-called sweet endearment coming from his lying mouth made me want to hurl, and I’d just eaten a damn good lunch with my friends.No way I was wasting the money I’d just spent on that burrito.
“You know you miss me.We should get together and hang out.”
“Thanks, but I’d literally rather have a root canal.”I rolled my eyes at his suggestion.“Why do you keep calling me?We are done.Over.I don’t want to talk to you.I don’t want to see you.Please, just leave me alone.”I was trying the nice route.Though my bitchy side was screaming to let him have it.
“God damn it, Audrey.I need to see you.I told you that I’m sorry.I don’t know why you can’t accept my apology and just let it go.We’re great together.Besides, who else would want you?I’m your best option, and you know it.”
“Oh, fuck that bullshit,”my bitch snapped inside my head.
“Lookie here, James.Don’t fucking call me again.Don’t fucking come near me.Leave me the hell alone.”I pressed the end button and looked around my crappy apartment.I wanted to break something.Anything.But that would mean I’d have to pay to replace whatever I broke, and well, I’m too broke for that.I don’t know why I even bothered to answer the damn phone.I should have let it go to voicemail again.
“How dare he?”I shouted.
“Meow.”
“Sorry if I scared you.”I picked up Muffin, my fluffy black rescue cat, and gave her some cuddles before grabbing my coat and purse and heading to my suck-ass job.“I’ll be back later.You stay out of trouble.”I blew her a kiss and locked the door behind me.
My drive to work was short and sweet, just the way I liked it, but that was to be expected in the middle of Podunk.The most traffic I was likely to face was a backup of farm equipment and tractors during the harvest.I pulled into the parking lot of Jane’s Diner and sighed.I really didn’t want to paste another fake smile on my face and walk through the door.I wanted to go back to my apartment and wallow in my own damn misery.Instead, I was sitting here in the parking lot of the only diner in town, contemplating my crappy life choices.I’d always expected my life to be something more than waitressing at the local restaurant and dating the biggest losers that seemed to walk the planet.I really had envisioned so much more for my life.
“You’re late!”Jane screeched as I walked through the door.
“I know.I’m sorry.It won’t happen again.”I tossed my purse and jacket in my cubby and tied on the cleanest apron I could find.Grabbing my order pad and pen, I headed out to the floor to start another day of misery.
Hooray for me!
But at least I had a job.Even if I hated it more than life itself.
It wasn't even half-past noon, and already, I’d extinguished any remaining will to live.It was impressive, even for me, but if you’d spent two hours listening to Sandy Shultz recount, in graphic detail, her ingrown toenail surgery and then tip you with a handful of loose change, you might also consider a swan dive off the building.Never mind that we were a one-story building.I’d likely just twist my ankle.
By mid-shift, I’d downed four cups of coffee and a fifth of my self-respect.The lunch crowd had thinned, morphing into early-bird regulars.They didn’t need menus.Hell, they didn’t even need to speak.They communicated through the ancient art of aggressive eyebrow gesturing, and if you failed to interpret it correctly, you risked being written out of their collective will.I could only hope Sandy’s toenails haunted her in the afterlife for that.
I was elbow-deep in clearing the remnants of a chaotic lunch from a table occupied by three moms and their horde of chaotic, loud kids, who had left a disaster zone of spilled juice, Cheerios, and crumpled napkins.We didn’t even have freaking Cheerios on the damn menu.
Just as I was about to haul away the last of the mess, the door flew open with a bang.My heart sank as James swaggered in, his presence as unwelcome as fire ants at a picnic.
He strutted past the tables; a cocky grin plastered on his face.I wondered if he was always that ugly.How had I been so blind to who he really was?
“Hey, folks!Hope you’re ready for some entertainment today!”he announced, his voice cutting through the diner like a knife.
The regulars turned their heads, eyes narrowed, as he bumped into a chair, causing it to scrape loudly against the floor.
Was he drunk?Already?
“Whoops!Sorry, didn’t see you there, Grandma!”he called out to a woman he’d knocked into, a sarcastic inflection in his tone.
I rolled my eyes, wishing I could just disappear forever.“Fucking fucker,” I muttered under my breath.
“Audrey!”his voice boomed as loudly and annoyingly as possible, finally spotting me across the room.“I need a coffee!And make it quick—these old timers might keel over before I get my caffeine fix!”
I shot him a scowl that could cut through steel, but he just laughed, making his way to an open table in my section, completely oblivious to the daggers being thrown his way.
Jane glared at me, and that glare made it crystal clear what her unspoken words would have been had she opened her mouth, “Get rid of him, now.”
