Page 22
“Looks like your secret admirer finally bailed,” Shaun says and I look at him before turning toward the dining room. Table thirteen is finally empty and I sigh. He sat there through most of my shift and alternated between reading the newspaper, working on something, and watching me. He was never obvious about it but I knew each time his eyes would find me across the dining room and I spent a good part of the night wondering what his deal is. I mean, who just sits in a diner for seven and a half hours?
“Good riddance,” I reply and Shaun scoffs.
“Sure, you keep telling yourself that, girl.”
“Gigi just called and said she’s running ten minutes late,” Roger says from his spot at the counter. I sigh.
“So you need me to hang around?” I ask and he shakes his head.
“Nancy is already here and we aren’t too busy so you can go ahead and clock out whenever.”
Releasing a breath, I nod and head into the back before grabbing my time card and clocking out. Grabbing my purse, I say good-bye to Roger and Nancy as I head outside, pulling my coat tighter around me. I consider just going to my apartment but decide against it. I haven’t been back there since the night Detective Rodriguez knocked on my door and I have no desire to go back. I’ll need to find someone to take over my lease, though.
Whatever.
It’s not something I want to deal with tonight.
As I walk away from the diner, I sense someone behind me just before I hear footsteps. My heart rate quickens as I reach into my bag and wrap my hand around the bottle of pepper spray.
“Tate!” a deep voice calls and I peek over my shoulder, groaning. Table thirteen.
“I was hoping you’d left.”
He laughs, closing the distance between us and his golden eyes look even more intense under the glow of the streetlight.
“Do you need a ride?” he asks, ignoring my question and I shake my head.
“Nope, I’m good.”
I start to back away from him and he arches a brow. “You gonna walk home at this time of night? In the cold?”
“That was the plan.”
“Let me give you a ride.”
I scoff. “Not going to happen.”
“Please?”
“If you’re looking for money, I don’t have any,” I announce, looking him square in the eye as the envelope full of cash feels especially heavy in my bag.
“Yeah, think I gathered that from your place of employment, Darlin’. And I’ve got plenty of my own money.” His eyes seem sincere but it goes against everything I’ve ever been taught.
“Then what do you want?”
He smiles, a soft smile that strangely puts me at ease. “Just want to make sure you get home okay.”
I release a breath and stare at him as I reach for the phone in my purse. On the one hand, this is exactly what the stupid girl is not supposed to do but I don’t really feel like walking tonight and he doesn’t feel threatening.
“Why would I accept a ride from you after you were such a dick?” I ask. I’m going to get a ride from him but there’s no reason I have to make it easy for him.
He nods. “I am sorry about that. It was that damn voice and callin’ me Darlin’. It really threw me off.”
Oh, I see.
He’s a player and the second a girl doesn’t follow one of his scripted conversations, he hasn’t got a fucking clue what to do with himself. It’s sad, really.
Pursing my lips, I pull my phone out of my bag and unlock it, typing out a message to Mia before meeting his gaze again.
