“Hurry up, Daisy Duke,” says Kurt. “Daddy’s hungry.”
Gag.
“Why don’t we talk after you guys finish your meal?” I say.When I’ll be certain to make myself scarce.“Now’s not really the best time.”
“It is if you want our money,” says Christian, and a few of his friends laugh. It’s not a joke, though. I can tell by his eyes that he’s dead serious.
My smile falters, and my palms grow sweaty. I have no choice but to agree…right? “Okay, fine,” I blurt, ignoring the way my insides twist, sick at the thought. “We can go out. Now I’ll go find your server.”
He grabs the sleeve of my shirt as I turn away, tugging on the fabric. “Not so fast. Friday. Eight o’clock. I’ll pick you up. You’ll send me your address, won’t you?” I nod. What else can I do? “Perfect. See? Not so hard to be agreeable, now, is it?”
I don’t deem his question worthy of a response. “I’ll go get Oliver.”
“We don’t want Bean Pole. We want you.” Christian snaps his fingers at Kurt. “Tell Daisy your order and make it quick. She doesn’t have all day.”
My teeth clench, and I feel a flare of annoyance, but I push it down, rein it in, focus on the positive, and smile wide for the group. I have a job, I’m making friends, I’m starting over, and I won’t let a nuisance like Christian McCoy ruin that, no matter how much it kills me.
FIFTEEN
When I finally make it home from work, I’m ravenous and toting a bag of Chinese take-out. I finally got around to calling my dad on the drive home, but our talk was brief. There’s not much to say. His life is the same as always—work’s going fine, and Becca’s doing well—and I can’t bring myself to tell him the truth about what’s been going on in mine. Instead, I keep it surface level—things with Mel are good, I’m making great tips, I love my new friends, Florida was an awesome decision. I don’t mention Christian’s unwanted advances, or my awful fight with Landon, or my ongoing hunt for an apartment. Idefinitelydon’t mention Mel’s trip.
I feel bad about the omissions, but it won’t do any good to upset him. Right?
Right.
I’m still trying to convince myself I’m doing the right thing as I step outside, but my focus shifts when I find the pool area occupied. Eli’s lounging on a raft in the water, a craft beer in his hand and a glass of golden liquid—tequila?—sitting at the edge. It’s the first time I’ve seen anyone use the pool since I’ve been here, and I feel a pang of jealousy as I watch his free hand glide through the water’s surface, creating ripples in the glassy exterior.
I debate whether to head back inside so as not to bother him—I don’t want to encroach on his space the way I’m sure I do Landon’s—but his voice booms across the water before I can make myself move. “Pepper Spray! Come over here!”
I groan at the nickname. “I’m really sorry about that, again. I should have realized who you were.”
He laughs. “Nah, it’s fine. I’m messing with you. What’s with the uniform?”
I glance down at my black slacks and untucked white button-up. “Oh. I came from work.”
“Where do you work?”
“Golden Palm.” I flick my name tag. “Waitress.”
“Noshit. Dealing with those uptight assholes all day? Talk about the worst job on the entire fucking planet.”
I shrug. “It’s actually not that bad most of the time, and I make decent tips.”
“You couldn’t pay me to step back into that place, even if I was allowed.”
“So, it’s true then?” I hedge and take a seat on the edge of a lounge chair, setting the bag of take-out beside me. “Your membership was revoked? I’ve heard rumors.”
He snickers as though recalling an amusing memory. “Nah, not revoked. At least, not officially. They’d never ban a member of the prestigious Blair family from their precious little club, no matter how much stupid shit I did as a teenager. It’s the ‘rents who don’t want me there.”
“Really? Your parents?”
“We don’t speak,” he says, his voice flat. “Landon’s the only one I talk to willingly.”
“Why?” The question’s out of my mouth before I can stop it, the intonation a clearwhy Landon, of all people? I feel my face heat, and I start to backpedal. “I mean…I didn’t mean it like that. Only that Landon’s…um, he’s great…sometimes, but…” Eli watches me trip over my words with a huge smile on his face, clearly finding my rambling hilarious. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Just wanted to see how long you’d go on for.”
“Gee, thanks.”
