Page 11 of A Prince for Christmas

By now, I just wanted to duck under the table or go to the ladies’ room and slip out the back door, but everyone was covertly watching. I straightened my spine and told myself to get through dinner and then it would be over.

I buttered two rolls and offered Fred one. “Did I tell you Jenny’s mare foaled? She named the colt Aurora.”

He slammed the bread I’d offered him down on the table, picked up the drink, and downed it in one long drink. “Don’t try to change the subject, Emily. I know you’ve been fooling around with that new waiter! Everyone in town knows!”

I was sure they could hear him in the bar, which meant everyone in town would know by tomorrow.

“Everyone but me, I guess,” I said in my most conciliatory tone. “Mr. McGregor assigned me to train him, that’s all. There’s nothing between us. Can’t we just have a nice dinner? I’ve missed you.”

“Yeah, right,” he snapped. “You didn’t show up for even one of my games.”

“I have to work on Saturdays.”

“I’ll bet!” he sneered. “I bet it’s real hard work spending all your time with that English prick.”

I could hardly believe he, who was never available, was making accusations about me.

“I’ve had enough of this,” I said quietly. “I’m leaving.”

I stood to go, but he grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but he just held on harder.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he shouted. “Not sit down and eat your meatloaf!”

Seemingly out of nowhere, Nick appeared beside me and firmly peeled Fred’s hand off my arm. “What seems to be the problem?” he asked, interposing his tall frame between Fred and me.

“You know what the damn problem is, you… you… “ Fred trailed off as his alcohol-fogged brain searched for an appropriate expletive.

“I think the problem is that you’ve had a little too much to drink, sir.” Nick’s eyebrows drew together in what I’d learned to recognize as his stern look. “In fact, I’ve had several complaints. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave. Would you like me to call you a cab?”

Fred made several false starts, but nothing came out except inarticulate, angry sounds. Finally, he pulled himself together. He slapped a few bills down on the counter and pulled his tipsy body up to his full height, though he was a good six inches shorter than Nick.

“You can have the cheating slut,” he snarled. “Keep the tip. I’m glad to be rid of her.”

Nick’s fist balled at Fred’s slur, but I grabbed his hand before he could deck him. Fred headed for the door, bumping into chairs as he headed for the door. As he took his coat from the coat rack, he threw my grandma’s coat on the floor and ground his heel into it once or twice. Then he stumbled out the door.

I just stood there, trembling, tears pressing behind my eyes. All the dining room customers had witnessed my humiliation, and I wasn’t about to add to it by crying in front of them.

“So sorry, love,” Nick said, wrapping a strong arm around me and steering me to a quiet corner booth. He sat me with my back to the rest of the room, as if he knew I was about to lose it.

“Did he really leave?” I asked, my voice sounding pathetic even to my own ears.

“He’s gone, Em,” Nick said. “I’m sorry. Let me bring your food over here and check on my tables. No one can hear you here.”

He slipped out of the booth and left me alone with his words. He must have seen I was on the verge of bawling my eyes out. I let a few silent tears slide down my cheeks before Nick delivered my food and gave me my space.

He took my plate away after I picked at my food, then delivered another drink and a coffee. “Are you all right?” he asked, his voice warm with concern.

“No,” I answered honestly, “but I’m getting better by the minute.”

“What was he going on about?” he asked.

My first instinct was to hide the embarrassing truth, but Nick was involved, like it or not. “I guess he thought I was seeing you on the side,” I admitted.

“What ever gave him that idea?”

“I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve seen him in two weeks.”

“And he decided to end it by making a scene at your place of employment?”