He sniffs, pausing before shoving a crispy piece of bacon into his mouth. “Word has it you’ve been paying for Darby Abernathy’s meals.”
I glare at him, my hand landing on my hip before I can stop it. “I’m not payin’ for yours.”
“Well, I might just have to make a customer complaint, then. Go and get me one of them forms.” He lifts his chin toward the front counter.
I roll my eyes. “Stop foolin’ around and just pay for your damn food.”
Earl crunches on his bacon, leaning back against the booth like he’s some high-and-mighty king I’m supposed to grovel to.
“Annabelle Mae, you get me one of them forms.”
“I’m not gonna let you complain about me when I haven’t done anythin’ wrong.”
He snickers and shakes his head. “Oh please. Everythin’ about you is wrong.”
My nostrils flare at the insult, and I just can’t help myself.
Slapping the table, I bend down low and look him right in the eye. “Were you born an asshole, or was it somethin’ you grew into?”
His eyes dance, like I’ve played right into his hands.
I could just slap that smirk off his face right now.
“I don’t think you should be talking to me like this, Annabelle Mae.”
I hate when people call me that. It’s never because they want to be nice!
“Sounds like you owe me an apology. Just like you owed Darby one.”
Gritting my teeth, I seethe out the truth. “Like I said to her, I’d rather eat pig shit.”
His smarmy smile disappears, his eyes glinting before he shoves my hands off the table, then throws his plate on the floor.
The ceramic shatters at my feet, splattering my legs and shoes with egg yolk and ketchup. I hate to think what kind of germs are sitting on my skin right now. Anything that’s come close to Earl’s mouth has got to be contaminated.
“Ugh!” I screech.
“Whoops. Well, that’s gonna cost you.”
He bumps the coffee mug with his elbow and sends it flying. My lips part in horror as the hot liquid arches in the air before splattering across the table I recently wiped down. The mug then hits the floor and cracks in two, spilling the dregs of Earl’s coffee across the floor.
“Looks like that was your fault too.”
I clench my fists and glare at him, frustrated that no one around me is standing up to help, enraged that Earl is most likely gonna get away with this!
I hate feeling this small and helpless. I wish I was big like Dean. I’d grab Earl’s collar and haul him out of here so fast he wouldn’t know which way was up!
“Hey!” A shout across the room makes me flinch.
I turn on my heel and watch Michael stride around the tables. His face is mottled with anger, his eyes sparking bright.
“I think it’s time you left.” His steely voice sends a shiver of desire racing down my back.
I’ve never seen anger look so sexy on anybody before.
Maybe that’s because for the first time ever, the anger isn’t directed at me.
I can’t remember the last time someone actually stood up for me. It’s making my heart do funny things in my chest.
Earl eyes Michael up and down like he’s a maggot before slowly moving out of the booth and turning to leave.
“You forgot to pay!” Michael calls after him.
Earl jerks to a stop, then digs into his pocket, pulling out his finger to flip us off. “Oh, you want a tip too? Well, here’s one for you, Annabelle. The customer’s always right. The customer! Is always! Right!” he shouts before slamming out of the diner.
The thick silence that follows his outburst is suffocating.
I glance up at Michael, who is still staring after Earl. The muscle in his jaw is working hard, his nostrils flaring.
I gently squeeze his wrist and murmur, “Thank you… for your help.”
He scoffs and shakes his head. “It’s not like I did much.”
Shuffling off to the kitchen, I gaze after him, wondering why he still looks so annoyed. He just stood up for me. He’s like a freaking hero. He should be strutting back to that kitchen right now.
A little throat clearing grabs my attention, and I look to my right.
Miss Powers, the spinster nurse who works with Trudy Keyes, gives me a disapproving frown before laying down her money and walking out of the diner.
My shoulders slump with a sigh as I bend down and start cleaning up Earl’s mess.
All I want right now is to get in Grandpa’s old Dodge with Michael and Jackson and drive as far away from this place as I can.
31
A Promise in the Darkness
I lie on my back with my arm resting behind my head, staring up at the ceiling.
Annie’s nestled up beside me, her silky hair running through my fingers as I play with it.
It’s late and she should probably get to bed, but after closing she popped by to see me, and I just couldn’t bring myself to say good night to her. She looked sad and restless. Earl’s abhorrent behavior earlier today was eating at both of us.
I’m ashamed at the way I just let him walk out, stealing Annie’s pay in the process. I offered to give her all of mine, but she shot me down with such venom I shut up immediately. I probably should have waited until she was calm before saying anything. But it just came out as she was dropping the shards of ceramic into the trash and muttering something under her breath.
Dammit. I should have chased the guy down and shaken the money out of him. That’s what Deeks would have done. Hell, it’s probably what any of my brothers would have done.
Live justly.
The words are a clanging gong in my head.
Annie’s life is unjust. Is that why I’m here? Is it some twist of fate that brought me to her diner? Is my mission to take her away from all this? To give her a just life? A free one?
She could come with me to the ranch.
Her and Jackson.
The idea inspires and frightens me.
What if I can’t make it work?
I can’t run a ranch on my own. And I have no idea what I’ll find when I get there.
Will the memories slaughter me before I can even get through the door?
I shudder and am instantly comforted by Annie’s soft sigh.
When she first turned up at my door, I thought she was there to talk, but she didn’t need words tonight. She needed kisses, comfort, distraction. And that’s what I gave her. Our make-out session sent me right to the edge of my willpower. If it hadn’t been for hearing Dean’s truck pulling up outside, I don’t know how far we would have taken it.
Annie froze against me, her eyes wide with fear until the back door slammed shut.
“I’ll wait ’til he’s in bed,” she whispered. “He doesn’t usually check my room. I can sneak up there once he’s asleep.”
“Okay. No rush.” I tucked her into the crook of my shoulder. “You can stay as long as you want.”
A ragged sigh came out of her, but then she started to relax.
Now I think she’s falling asleep.
A smile pulls at my lips. I could get used to this.
Her body fits perfectly against mine, her leg curling over my thigh, her arm getting heavier across my belly. I can feel her drifting into slumber and don’t have the heart to wake her. She can sneak up to her room before Dean gets up in the morning.