She keeps to herself at first, fighting a war with her better judgment. She looks conflicted as to whether she can trust me with this. Can’t blame her. I grilled her about Haze so many times. I regret it now.
“Winter, please. Let me be there for you.”
She heaves a deep breath.
And tells me everything.
She tells me the day I walked in on them in the bathroom was when it all started. Haze had just taken her to a rooftop—more precisely the abandoned high school’s, a place well known around here for being nearly destroyed by fire—and from there, they started talking more and more.
Until she caught feelings, things happened between them, and then she found out about Haze’s terrible scheme to sleep with her, then dump her to piss off Kendrick. Not sure what he was trying to achieve. Maybe assert his power and dominance over Kendrick and the guys. Like an “I fucked your bitch” type thing. What upsets me the most is how she found out. Haze made it clear he didn’t care about her, or anyone—his words.
All I have to say to that is…
What a gigantic load of crap.
Fine, maybe Haze did want to use Winter to get to Kendrick, but… I saw the way he looked at her at dinner. I’ve seen this guy with Zoey, Bianca, and a never-ending parade of girls in the years I’ve gone to school with him, but I have never seen him look at a girl the way he looked at Winter last night. It’s so obvious the player lost at his own game.
“He didn’t mean it,” I state.
Winter glances at me through teary, wet eyelashes.
“He’s afraid, Winter. Typical boy.”
She scoffs. “Afraid of what? That I caught feelings and he didn’t?”
“No, dummy. He’s not afraid because you caught feelings. He’s afraid because he’s feeling it, too.”
My eyes jump to the clock, and anxiety grasps me when I realize I have to be at work in ten minutes.
To get fired, but still.
“Oh shoot. I’m late for my shift. I have to go. But please, call me if you need anything, okay?” I pull her into a tight hug. “Oh, and don’t text him. Let him be alone with his lies for a while. Might be exactly what he needs.” I swing the door open, my gaze flicking to her. “Never underestimate a man’s capacity to run away from something he’s afraid to want.”
She nods, dabbing at her tears with her sleeve. As I sprint to my car, I can’t help hoping, with all of my being, all of my bruised, control freak heart…
That this is why Will didn’t say it back.
Entering the shop with a sinking pit in my gut, I tell myself that this is for the best. That maybe getting fired from a job I got from a guy I rejected is not so bad. But I don’t mean it. Truth is, I’ve grown to love this job. I love my coworkers, the work itself. If it were up to me, I’d stay in a heartbeat.
Two steps in, I catch sight of the long line of customers stretching all the way to the door. Evidently, Ethan and Isabella are swamped, only taking notice of my presence when I pass them on my way to drop my stuff in the back store.
“Thank God,” Isabella rejoices when she sees me.
“Where’s Diana?” I ask. Diana is the store manager Isabella hired to replace Jenny. Haven’t met her yet, but the fact that Isabella, someone who never picks up shifts, is working right now tells me something is wrong.
“Sick. She’s puking her guts out,” Ethan replies, and Isabella reprimands his crude words when a judgy lady in line pulls a disgusted face. “Sorry, she is busy emptying the contents of her stomach,” he revises, and I barely swallow a laugh.
Even Isabella bites back a grin.
“Hurry, we’re getting destroyed over here,” Ethan presses, and I oblige, joining them at the front to start my shift. Around thirty minutes later, the store is empty, and we can finally breathe again.
Isabella doesn’t pull me aside. Not in the first hour. Not in the second. She acts exactly the way she always does, leaving me to wonder if she changed her mind about firing me. Ethan leaves an hour before me, but the end of my shift quickly rolls around and I close the shop per usual. I gather my stuff in the back, switch off the lights, and pad out of the building to lock up with Isabella on my tail.
I’m the first to gather the courage to say it.
“Thank you so much for this opportunity. I really enjoyed working here.” I force a smile, turning on my heels.
Her hand flies out to hold me back.
“Kassidy, wait. What are you talking about?”
This is weird?
“Well, I’m sure you know by now that Luke and I got into a fight. He told me that I was fired and—”
“He did what now?” She’s stunned. “Honey, he doesn’t speak for me. He’s my nephew, not my boss.”
“You mean… I’m not fired?”
“Of course not. He called me last night, telling me to let you go, but I told him I’m not losing the best employee I’ve had in years because he’s got a bruised ego. He’ll get over it. It’s not the first time he’s sent one of his crushes my way, you know?”
Her revelation shocks me.
“You’re the fourth. Two of them quit, the other one was let go because she was always late, but not because he asked me to fire them. Which he did. Every single time. What kind of boss would I be if I fired my employees without cause every time my nephew asks me to?”
I must have something in my eye, because a tear threatens to leak down my cheek. Embarrassed, I blink back my emotions. God, I’m such a baby, but I really thought I was out of a job. I’ve never been more relieved.
“Oh, honey, come here.” Isabella captures me into
