“Don’t go breaking anything while you’re trying to fix this place up. We don’t need you knocking the entire thing down.”
I flip him off as he gives me a shit-eating grin. “I don’t plan on it.”
“Good. I’ll see you around.”
He’s off, leaving me alone again with my thoughts.
That inevitably circle back around to Presley.
Fuck. I can’t get her out of my mind. Is this what it’s going to be like every day? Me stressing about seeing her? Seeing her daughter?
Hell, maybe evenmydaughter?
Fuck it. I can’t keep doing this.
I need to talk to her. No matter how badly it hurts to see Presley, I have to have a conversation with her.
Grabbing my keys, I head to my truck.
Because this can’t wait a minute longer.
Chapter Nine
PRESLEY
Finally.Finally.The last person leaves the diner, ending what feels like the longest shift ever. My feet are aching and the burn mark etched into my forearm still throbs.
All because I was too busy thinking about Kade.
Damn him.
I don’t want to be thinking about him. But I can’t stop. He’s consumed my every waking thought since the minute he showed up at the diner. Hell, he’s even showing up in my dreams.
That Kade is mean. Yelling at me for making him leave town and not telling him about Poppy, then turning her against me before the two of them move to Mars.
Not that I have to worry about them moving to Mars, but at least real-life Kade is nicer than dream Kade.
I drop down onto one of the bar stools, catching my head in my hands.
“You want some help closing up?” Rylee yells from the kitchen. Betty’s already left, leaving the two of us here on our own.
“I’m good. I just need a minute.”
“You sure?”
Looking up, I wave her off. “Go hang out with Chase. At least one of us can have a life tonight.”
She winks back at me. “I owe you one.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
The sounds of her dropping things in her locker filter through to the bar before I hear her lock the back door as she leaves.
The overhead lights turn off—set to a timer—casting everything in pink and blue hues. It’s quiet. Silent.
It’s one of the few times where it’s just me and I can catch my breath. With Poppy at the babysitter for another hour or so, I can take my time going through the motions of closing the diner.
Wiping down the tables one last time. Counting the register. Making sure the dishwashers are running before the morning rush.
