Snapshot Page 17

  “Idiota,” Tia mumbled under her breath, massaging her forehead with her fingers.

  “Then my car—”

  “I told you to get rid of that thing. Did it explode?” Rachel leaned in. “They’re all the time talkin’ on the news about how those damn Fieros keep catchin’ on fire. That thing is a death trap.”

  I was shaking my head no before I thought to agree with her. I only noticed my mistake when her brows drew together.

  “It was stolen.” Ugh, this wasn’t going well. The way both of their lips twisted into a frown was enough to tell me that I was crashing. “I don’t know who it was. Some old dude in a camo hat. I saw him take it, but I didn’t stop him because he was big and scary-looking, and I was alone in the middle of nowhere.” I closed my eyes and hoped they accepted that. It was the truth, for the most part.

  “What happened after that?” Tia asked, reaching across the table to lay her hand on mine.

  “I tried walking. But there was nothing around. I’d gone out west toward Kendall county. On FM473. Then I took some road. It wasn’t marked. I just wanted to get some good pictures on the new camera… I just didn’t think it would be a big deal. Nothing ever happens around here.” I took a breath, mentally preparing myself for talking about him. “There was a farm, but the guy didn’t have a phone. He only had a broken-down truck. He let me stay there while he worked on it.” I slid the keys onto the table. “He gave it to me, so I could get home.”

  “Was he hot?” Tia asked. Rachel jabbed her elbow into Tia’s side. “Ouch.”

  Rachel frowned. “He worked on his truck for a month while you just hung out at his place? Really? I mean, I can tell by lookin’ at you that you’re not seriously hurt. But nothing else happened?”

  “No,” I said, probably too quickly. I needed to not act like I was hiding something. “No, he was nice. I just cleaned his house and read books while he worked on the truck.” I shrugged and looked over at Ethel and June, both deep in concentration. “It was uneventful.”

  Neither of them stopped frowning as their eyes roamed over me, dissecting every subtle line and expression in my face. Or maybe that was my imagination. I closed my eyes and rubbed the heel of my palm.

  “He was a nice guy. We got along well, but he fixed the truck and it was time for me to go home.” I shrugged and laid my hands on the table in front of me, palms up.

  Tia gasped. “You like him… He was hot. I’d lay money on that.”

  “No. More than like. I’ve seen her like guys and this is different. She’s all subdued.” Rachel smirked. “Not that you’re usually chipper, but you’ve always had a certain air about you. That’s what had me worried that he had hurt you, but I see it now. You’re upset you had to leave.”

  “What?” I drew my hands back to me. “No. It wasn’t like that. We hardly even talked.” I shrugged.

  “Nope. She fucked him.” Tia tapped her long, manicured nails on the table. “You totally did.”

  I held my breath, trying not to react, but I could feel my face heat up. Which was weird because I talked with these girls about my sex life all the time. They liked to live vicariously through me. Why was I getting embarrassed now?

  “Oh, my God. She did,” Rachel gasped, reaching her hand across the table.

  Mine were still under the table, twisting my fingers into knots. I didn’t move. She rested her hand flat on the tabletop between us.

  Rachel’s head cocked to the side. “That’s what this is about? You’re not coming back?”

  I blinked, trying to figure out how she jumped to that conclusion. “No.” I cleared my throat. “No, I am coming back. It’s not… I never left. I just couldn’t get back. And no, the guy was…” I shook my head, searching for the right words. “…nothing. I’m back home now. I really just came to see if there was an ice cube’s chance in hell that I could get my job back.” The moment their faces fell, I knew I said the wrong thing. “And to see you guys, of course.”

  A grunt sounded from the next booth over. As the girls turned their heads to look behind them, my eyes met Oscar’s across the distance. His lips were turned down at the corner, and one eyebrow raised. Fuck. That was his pissed-off face. Really, the man had very few expressions and most looked unfriendly, but I’d learned over the last seven years of working for him to spot the subtleties. I’d no idea how to even start.

  I slid out of my booth and sat across from him. “I’m sorry, Oscar, I am. I would’ve called if I could. You know that. I’ve never been late or missed work before this.”

  He was nodding, but his expression didn’t change. “I know, but I’m trying to run a business here. And I can’t set an example like this for others to follow. I already had enough trouble when Tracey and Ronnie quit, and I still hadn’t found replacements for them when you pulled this. I’m just lucky that Tia was willing to work. I was down to running this restaurant with three servers. And Rachel was willing to work, but did you know she had to bring her kid here and keep him occupied during those shifts?”

  “No,” I uttered, defeated.

  I knew my disappearing act would have consequences, but I honestly hadn’t given it much thought with all that had happened. This ugly feeling coiled tight in my belly and sank. I felt awful.

  At the time, the urgency of survival felt larger than concerns of what anyone back home would think. But having made it out to the other side, unscathed, just put a different, more selfish, color to my actions. And I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t tell them the truth—how scary it was—or even explain why my effort or excuses seemed lackluster.

  My vision wavered with the buildup of tears. “I’m sorry, Oscar. I wish I’d a better excuse. I wish there was something I could have done to change what happened. But I need a job. There aren’t many options in this town, and I thought that maybe… I don’t know. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for wasting your time.”

  I started to get up, but he raised a hand to stop me.

  “Hold on, now. I didn’t say no. I just want you to know what’s at stake. Up until this, you were my best worker. The only one willing to work holidays and late hours. And I’m still short-staffed. Not to mention that sales have slowed without you here. Your friend isn’t all that good—”

  “Hey!” Tia leaned over the back of my seat. “I already told you I quit.”

  “You’re not quittin’ ’cause she’s back,” Rachel interjected. “We still need you.”

  Oscar ignored the girls and continued to watch me, one eyebrow still raised but his lips slightly less pinched.

  “I could use the break on having to pay to train another. But this can’t happen again. I need you to know if you’re so much as one minute late, even once, that’s it. You hear me?”

  “Yes, sir.” I tried to fight back the grin, but couldn’t.

  His frown deepened. “Now get out of my hair and go back to your girl talk, away from me. I have checks to write and a schedule to fix. I’ll let you know when you need to come in, but you’re starting tomorrow.”

  I jumped from the booth and hugged the man. He grumbled but didn’t move, which was the Oscar equivalent of a welcome home party. “You won’t regret this. I promise. You can count on me. Thank you, Oscar.”

  He shoved me off him with a grunt, and I stepped back. The girls wore matching grins as they got up to move to a different booth.

  “I ain’t paying you girls to chat either. Polish silver and refill the ketchup, salt, and pepper while you talk about whatever.”

  “Sure thing, Oscar.” Rachel saluted, winked at me, then turned on her heel to do exactly that.

  Jack

  “What sides would you like with that?” I asked.

  “Ummm… french fries and…” I sighed, waiting for this customer to make up her damn mind. “What did you get?” she asked the man sitting across from her.

  He answered her, but I tuned them out. My mind had not returned to running full steam and it had been days. Long, tiring days, as my body remembered what it
was like to work again. Nothing eventful happened in that time. I never heard from Xander or saw anyone suspicious hanging around. Life was normal again, like it had never happened.

  Except it had. And I remembered everything in vivid detail. My dreams alone were proof of that. Daydreams too.

  “Can I get a salad?”

  “Yeah, sure.” I scribbled that down on the order check. “Dressing?”

  “Ummm…”

  Oh, my fucking God, lady! And that happened too. Things were the same and they weren’t. From the outside, all appeared as it was before, but I’d changed. And now I’d no patience for dimwits who couldn’t make a simple fucking decision. How hard was it to pick a dressing? We only had four options.

  She finally settled on ranch. Big surprise to all. And I made my way behind the counter to put the order in. I clipped it to the wheel and spun it until the check faced the kitchen.

  “Order up,” I shouted and then took a step back, leaning against the counter.

  I sighed and tucked the order pad in my apron, fighting the urge to rub my eyes. Not only would it destroy my makeup, but my hands were coated in grease. I’d learned long ago exactly how bad that was. I could feel a headache building, though, so I closed my eyes.

  “Sleeping on the job?” Rachel asked.

  I peeked one eye open to glare at her. “Hardly.”

  “Still pining for the mystery man?”

  I opened the other eye, still glaring.

  “One of these days, I’ll wear you down enough that you’ll talk about him. In fact…”—she bent down and rummaged under the counter, pulling out a bottle—“I have just the thing to ensure that.”

  She turned the bottle around until the label was facing me. Jack Daniels. Except it wasn’t her. I could see him clear as day, holding out the bottle for my inspection. Blinking until the scene faded from my mind, I frowned.

  “Not your drink of choice? S’okay. We’ll make do. You have off tomorrow. I don’t have to work until two. Gary took the kid to his parents’ place. And we close early tonight. Gotta love Sundays.” Her face lit up with a slightly sinister smile. “This is so happening.”

  I didn’t have it in me to argue with her, so I shrugged, grabbed a towel, and went to bus a few tables. The rest of the evening flew by as the dinner rush started. Before I knew it, I was busing the last table of the night while Rachel checked them out at the register. I dropped the tub of dishes at the dishwasher station for Hector and went back out into the dining room. We’d already wiped everything down and finished all the other closing duties. The only thing left was to stack the chairs on the table and sweep.

  When the bells above the door jingled, I was so ready for the night to be over.

  I didn’t bother to look up. “We’re closed.”

  “I didn’t know I was one of the rabble,” Tia said, cocking her hip and resting her hand at the top of her acid-washed miniskirt. Her full red lips were pursed into a frown as she watched me sweep.

  A smirk grew on my face as I continued my task. What was even funnier was watching her sweep. I didn’t think the woman ever did a chore in her life before working here. But I couldn’t give her too much guff for it; she did take this job to help me and Rachel. And I was grateful because things were a little less hectic since I’d been back. We were still short one waitress, but I wasn’t working doubles for thirteen days straight.

  The door jingled again as Rachel escorted the customers out and locked the door behind them.

  “Let’s get this show on the road.” Rachel clapped her hands together and skipped, literally skipped, in our direction. “I needs to get my drink on. This is my first day to celebrate having our girl back, and our first chance to get the skinny on the mystery man. And we will be finding out.”

  “Rachel…” I sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “You say that now, but I have to know. You’ve been moody and depressed since you came back. Not to mention you watch the parkin’ lot like a hawk, every shift, like you’re expectin’ someone to show up. My money’s on the fact that you’re hung up on this guy. Which begs the question: why aren’t you goin’ back to see him?”

  “Why won’t you talk about him?” Tia added, leaning against a table and crossing her arms.

  “Because there’s nothing to say that I haven’t already said.” I shrugged.

  Rachel bent down into my line of vision. “Bullshit.”

  “Okay, she doesn’t want to talk about it.” Tia raised her hands in surrender. “I’m ready to get this show on the road.” Her head swiveled back and forth as she inspected the rest of the restaurant. “I think we’re done here. Besides, I’m the one opening tomorrow morning. I’ll deal with it then.”

  Tia pulled the broom out of my hand and replaced it with a bag. My brows drew together in question.

  “Change. You look cute as-is, but I’m sure those clothes are coated with grease. Not to mention the smell.” She wrinkled her nose. “And hurry. Gruene Hall waits for no woman.”

  “Wait. We’re going to Gruene?”

  Rachel folded her arms across her chest. “You won’t talk about mystery man, you won’t stop moping either. So best thing to do is saddle you up with another hot cowboy.”

  “Now go.” Tia grasped my shoulders and turned me to face the bathrooms. “This is my first night out since before I was pregnant. I’m going to enjoy the hell out of this.”

  She was right. That was the main reason why I’d felt so isolated from them before. They had family barbecues and kid birthday parties where we once spent time together. And yeah, they always included me, but I just didn’t know how to do family stuff. It felt awkward.

  I sighed and dropped my head. “Fine.”

  Even then, I wasn’t sure why I agreed to it. I was definitely not in the right state of mind for dancing. But I’d nothing better to do. I would just end up at home, lying in bed, and staring at the wall until I fell asleep to the tune of Joanne and Billy’s fighting. Whatever the girls had in store for me couldn’t possibly be any worse than that. And this was what I wanted before…him.

  I pulled out items from the bag, realizing at some point she must’ve gotten my keys and gone to my house. Rachel had to have given them to her from my cubby hole behind the counter. Inside the plastic grocery bag was a white layered kerchief dress and my boots. The dress had an empire waist with layers of triangular crochet and lace panels that hung loose like flower petals. It was beautiful, but I never wore it because it was so short. I constantly feared a brisk wind would bare all.

  My head fell back against the stall as I clutched the dress in my hand. Did I really want to do this? Could I? I didn’t know if I was ready to get back out there. Was this what a breakup felt like? I’d never felt this level of uncertainty about anything. But it was ridiculous. We never had a relationship, so there couldn’t have been a breakup. Therefore, I was being weird about nothing.

  I was pulling the dress over my head when Rachel burst into the bathroom. She had my purse in her hand and paused to watch me pull on my boots.

  “I brought your purse, so you could freshen your makeup. Do you still have that lipstick?”

  She set the purse down on the counter and started rummaging through it. When she froze, my mind took a few moments to catch up to what was happening before she spoke.

  “Is that…? Why d’you have this?” She took a deep breath and stepped back from the purse, eying it like it held a poisonous snake. Her eyes found me in the mirror, and her brows drew together. “What are you not tellin’ me? You said nothin’ happened, but now you’re carryin’ that? Do you even know how to use it?”

  The gun. I nodded slowly. “I do. And I told you everything. But that guy that took my car… that was scary. I thought it would be a good idea.” I shrugged.

  I watched her in the mirror. The way her shoulders relaxed at that answer, the slight, almost imperceptive nod, indicating she accepted it. The world spun around me. I was going to hell because thi
s lying shtick was getting easier and easier. But the dizziness didn’t subside, and I turned, bolting into a stall just before my dinner made a reappearance.

  Rachel pulled back my hair and rubbed my back. “You feelin’ okay? Or was that something related to what happened to you? You started talkin’ ‘bout the guy who stole your car and your face went white as a sheet.”

  “I’m fine. It seems to have passed,” I said, rising to my feet.

  I went straight to the sink to rinse my mouth out. I frowned and felt the back of my head. The lump was gone. I’d no clue why I was still getting dizzy spells. But I was absolutely fine. Luckily, I had a toothbrush in my purse. I pulled it out and brushed my teeth, touched up my makeup. Rachel watched me the whole time, a frown pulling down the corners of her mouth as she studied me.

  “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, it’s nothing. I slipped in the shower a few days ago and hit my head. I’ve had a few dizzy spells since then, but other than that, I’m totally A-Okay.” I smiled at her, and her face softened, but she still looked skeptical.

  After a moment, she moved. Crossing the floor, she grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. “I just worry about you. You live in that shitty trailer park alone. I guess… I’m glad you got the gun—one less thing for me to worry about with you.”

  I pulled back and met her gaze. “I’m surprisingly good at it. I’m like Ellen Ripley in Aliens, total badass.” I grinned.

  Her answering smile was reluctant but grew to match mine.

  I nudged her shoulder. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Let’s.” She nodded.

  I shoved my uniform and work shoes into the plastic bag and grabbed my purse from the counter. She threaded her arm through my elbow and turned out the lights as we passed through each door on our way out.

  The parking lot was deserted, and the whole strip mall was dark, everything closed for the night. Clouds hung low in the sky, blocking out the moon. So, the only light was from the headlights of Gary’s car. Tia and Antonio stood, wrapped in each other, leaning on the bumper, while Gary, Rachel’s husband, sat on the hood, smoking a cigarette.