Someone tapped the microphone, and both of them turned to see Wolf close to where Dog had been standing when he gave his speech. Wolf, like Caroline, was a legend in the community.
“Old man speaking,” Q said with a laugh.
“Oh, you’d better be careful. If Wolf hears you calling him old, he would kick your ass.”
Q nodded. “That’s true.”
“It’s good to see everyone here supporting each other. Remember this support. This is what it’s all about. The work you do matters, but remember what it matters for. These people back home are able to take time for medical treatments, for children, their spouses, their family, because the work you do keeps everyone safe. Cheers to everyone who fights to keep our lives safe.”
Another cheer went up inside the bar as a door leading to the back of the place swung open behind Wolf. Cy could see the waitress who’d bumped into him earlier. She had a phone pressed to her ear. Her lips were down in a frown. Her shoulders were slumped, as if she’d suffered a defeat. Who was keeping her safe?
Willa Cagney couldn’t believeher ex, Robert, had shown up at her work. She’d told him multiple times to stay away, but the jerk wouldn’t take the hint. Now, he was threatening her ability to earn money. She needed this job, plus she really liked it here at Aces.
When he found her three days ago at the beach early one morning, she told him to leave her alone. He hadn’t liked what she said and threw a punch. It hurt, but no more than what he’d dished out when they were still together. He would have done worse, but someone had seen him hit her and threatened to call the cops. He’d taken off then, but now he had found her here at work.
Maybe she should leave? She’d left San Francisco, moving south to San Diego, thinking he would give up and stay away. But he hadn’t left her alone. Instead, he found out where she was and where she worked. He said he wanted her back, that he’d changed, and then he’d punched her, proving he hadn’t changed.
She’d had freedom from him for months. Why was he still chasing her? It was over, but she guessed it wasn’t over for him.
No doubt running again wouldn’t change anything. He’d followed her this far south. He would follow her across the country.
Telling him to stay away and leave her alone never worked, but she had to do something to shake him off. He was obsessed, and it was getting ridiculous.
She had no clue how he’d found her. In searching for how to escape a terrible ex, she’d taken notes, ditched social media, told very few people where she was going, and kept her plans private. She hadn’t even told her old work she was leaving town when she’d quit.
Very few people knew she’d moved to San Diego, and yet Robert had tracked her down. It had taken him months to find her, and she thought she was safe. When he’d walked in tonight,she’d almost dropped the beers she’d been carrying. Luckily, that guy hadn’t been angry she’d spilled stuff on him.
A shiver slid down her spine. She didn’t think Robert knew where she lived. At least he hadn’t shown up at her place yet.
For now, she was safe when she slept, but for how long? Would she wake up one day with Robert standing over her?
“Hey, are you taking a break?” Cindy asked.
Willa shook her head. “Not yet. Sorry, I was just thinking.”
Cindy had started working here just a few weeks before Willa had shown up. They were friendly, but Cindy seemed to toss out a few digs at her each night. Maybe she was a shit waitress, but she was trying.
Cindy’s lips curled into a sneer. “Think out on the floor.”
“Sure.”
Cindy was right. She needed to go out and take more orders, not sit around stressing about Robert. The group celebrating their friend’s clean bill of health wasn’t difficult. She’d dealt with some real jerks waiting tables both here and in San Francisco, but these people were nice.
She didn’t mind her job. Actually, she liked waiting tables. The money was good, and interacting with different people most days was fun. Sure, there were a few regulars she served, but there were always new people coming in, and most people were cool.
In San Francisco, there’d been tourists who came through, along with the rotating military members. Here, there were more regulars who came in. Since this wasn’t an officer’s bar, she met a lot of enlisted people. Some of the guys got a little boisterous, but so far, none of them had been disrespectful. The enlisted women were all cool. A few of them were awkward like her. Their stories that she overheard while working were funny.
She delivered six drinks to the crowd and was back by the storage room when she felt someone standing next to her. Sheturned, about to apologize to whoever it was, when she realized Robert had come back in. She’d told him to leave. But here he was again, and in her space.
“Why are you here? I don’t want to see you. Get out.”
He grabbed her arm, pulling her close. “You need to come with me.”
She yanked against his hold, not able to break free. “Leave me alone.”
Cy hadn’t beenable to get thoughts of that waitress out of his mind. When he saw the guy he didn’t know follow her down the hall, something didn’t sit right with him. Maybe he should mind his own business, but something felt off, and he needed to check on her.
He didn’t know the woman, and he certainly didn’t know the man. Maybe he should mind his own business, but something was off. He could always just head into the bathroom if nothing bad was going on between them.
