The poor woman has tears in her eyes, and I quickly put my hands on her shoulders and give her a little shake.
“None of that. The only responsible person is locked up,” I state firmly. “Besides, I’m totally fine. I think you’ve wasted enough energy on that man. Let it go. Fuck, let him go. Trust me on this.”
She blinks her eyes a few times, takes a deep breath in, and manufactures a wobbly smile.
“You’re right.”
“You bet I am, and tell your boy to put it out of his head.” I give her another little shake before letting her go. “One of these days, when we have a moment of quiet, I’ll tell you my story, but for now let’s get some food on those tables.”
Kim is at the cash register and eyes us closely when we approach.
“Everything all right?”
“Yup,” Shirley answers, making a beeline for the pass-through lined with orders.
I just give Kim a wink and grab the next order. It’s for the threesome of regulars at their customary table.
“Two eggs over easy, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy?”
“That’s mine.” Eddie Banks lifts a hand and I slide the plate in front of him.
“You know that’s gonna kill ya, right?” John tells him before turning to me. “Egg white, spinach omelet is mine, darlin’.”
“You bet.”
I serve him his breakfast and the final plate, a tall stack of pancakes, has to be Enzo’s. He smiles his gratitude and doesn’t hesitate digging in.
“Up for a game tonight?” he asks with his mouth full.
“Game?”
“Pool, girl. I hear you’ve been practicing quite a bit.”
I grin. Sneaky old geezer. I bet he’s seen my CRV parked outside the Dirty Dog a few nights a week. Not that I was practicing my pool, or even in the bar for that matter. I probably had my hands full with—or should I say of—the man living upstairs.
It had been Gray’s idea to stay over at his place when I have an early shift. Mostly because it saves me fifteen minutes in the morning, which he apparently likes to spend in other ways. The other nights he’s spent with me. There have only been a couple of nights we haven’t been together when our schedules didn’t align, and it was just easier to sleep in our respective beds.
Zeus is becoming a well-traveled cat, and has taken a liking to car rides. I may have melted a little when I discovered Gray had bought food and a matching bed for the cat to keep at his place.
“You just want an easy win,” John accuses his friend.
“So? You guys are a bunch of sharks,” Enzo fires back.
“Come on, guys, no fighting,” I admonish them with a smile. “Eat your breakfast.”
Eddie pulls his wallet from his pocket, takes out a twenty-dollar bill and slaps it on the table in front of John.
“Twenty on Robin.”
John glances at me before he turns to Enzo, who is busy glaring at Eddie.
“Now, guys…” I try, but already John is fishing money from his pocket.
“Enzo’s got this.” He slaps a matching bill beside the other on the table before he turns to me. “No offense, Robin, but you suck.”
“None taken, John. You guys want a top up?”
The collective mumbles are approving and I borrow the carafe from Shirley as she walks by.
“Enjoy your breakfast,” I tell them when I’ve filled their cups.
“Thanks, girl.”
“Bring your A game tonight, Robin,” Eddie says.
As I walk away, I can just hear John’s response.
“You are so going down, my friend.”
I pick up the next order with a grin on my face.
“Hey, sweetheart. How are you?”
I toss my purse on the couch and sit down, kicking off my shoes.
“I’m okay.”
Her listless voice sends off alarm bells. Paige has been home for a few weeks now and I’ve talked to her a few times, but haven’t heard her this dejected.
“Talk to me,” I invite.
“He showed up after work today. Let himself in while I was in the shower and was sitting on my bed when I came out. I almost had a heart attack.”
“Hope you took back his key.”
“Technically he threw it at me, but yeah, I got it back.”
“Little shit needs to—”
“Mom, it’s fine. It may have been after I pelted him with my hairbrush.”
“Tell me your aim was accurate,” I blurt out, pissed on my girl’s account, but I soften when I hear her snicker.
“Bloodthirsty much, Mom?” She falls silent after that, and I can feel the tension through the phone. “It was ugly,” she finally says in a subdued voice. “He came to collect the Kate Spade purse he got me for Christmas. Can you believe that?” I make a sympathetic sound, but I’m guessing she doesn’t really want me to answer. That is confirmed when she continues with a great deal more piss and vinegar. “I told him he could have the damn thing, but I wanted back the wireless Powerbeats Pro earbuds I got him. He got me a pink purse, Mom. Pink. You know I don’t like pink. It should’ve been a sign, but I guess I wasn’t ready to see it yet. He’s totally clueless. Guess what he said?” Again, I know better than to say anything, so I do no more than make an encouraging sound. “He said he’d be willing to forget everything and take me back if I apologized to his mother.”
“I hope you told him where to get off.”
“Well…sort of. That’s when I chucked the brush at him.”
“I don’t blame you, sweetheart,” I soothe, hearing the tears in her voice.
“He was right, you know?”
“Josh?”
“God,” she wails dramatically. “To think I used to like that name. No, not him, Gray.”
“You talked to Gray?” Guess I missed something.
“Yeah, at the diner. Remember? Before that woman—”
“Right. I remember,” I quickly interrupt, holding up my hand. Don’t want to revisit that scene.
“He said Josh was no match for me. That he wasn’t man enough.”
A smile spreads on
