In the story, the heroine’s life had just gone to shit, and she had no choice but to turn to the hero she didn’t trust to help her out of her predicament. Relying on the hero wasn’t something she wanted to do, but not doing so would be much worse for her. Just as in life, she had to choose the lesser of two evils.
The girl in the book didn’t know it, but her choice would lead her to a happy place in the end, even if she couldn’t see it now.
A few days ago, I’d counted my stash of getaway money and decided it wasn’t enough yet. That had led me to the decision to stay a little longer to build it up. Where had that gotten me? In deeper shit than I’d been in a week ago. Too bad my decisions didn’t make my life rosier, as the book’s heroine’s did for her.
Once again, life didn’t imitate art—not my kind of life anyway. Books had happy endings. The girl found the boy, the girl got the boy, the boy was perfect for her, and the book ended with sunshine and happiness in their future, not the prospect of prison time for a crime she’d been forced into.
As if to echo the reality of my life, thunder sounded in the distance, and rain started to fall.
At times like this, I wished I had a sister, or even a cousin, to talk to. I had Annie, but I didn’t feel comfortable confiding in her when it came to my fucked-up family. That was the problem with moving as often as we did. I didn’t have friendships that lasted.
When I’d been going to school, it had been hard, but manageable. Now that I was working, the opportunities to meet people were fewer. I’d only known Annie for six months.
“We have enough for now,” Mom yelled loudly enough for me to hear through my door and over the sound of the rain and my music. “I’m not doing this again.”
“We could use some more,” Dom countered.
“Drive yourself, then,” she responded. “I’m not doing another one.”
A door slammed, and I didn’t hear anything more.
She’d stood up to him. Even if being wanted by the cops was two steps back, her standing up to Dom was one step forward.
Chapter 7
Luke
I cut the engine of the Harley outside the Hilltop Diner and climbed off. A tasty piece of apple pie called to me from inside. The dinner rush hadn’t started yet, and the parking was almost empty this time of the afternoon.
A guy I recognized as Gus from the gas station sat at one end of the counter talking on his phone, and two girls occupied the back booth near him.
I took the other end of the counter from Gus, not just because he tended not to shower as often as he should, but because I preferred privacy.
The long-haired blonde of the girl pair shyly averted her eyes when I caught her watching me walk to my seat. She was a cutie, and oddly familiar, but I wasn’t here for the girls. She whispered something to the redhead opposite her that I couldn’t hear over the noise of Gus on his phone.
Embarrassing girls by staring too long came easily to me. Being locked up with over a thousand men and zero women made you appreciate the female form. If they couldn’t take an admiring look that lasted more than a glance, tough fucking shit.
“You’re here late,” Nell said when she appeared through the door that led back to the kitchen. “We’re fresh out of hash browns.”
“Very funny. I missed your smiling face too, Nell.”
That pulled a grin out of her.
I’d eaten a lot of breakfasts here: two eggs over easy, hash browns, and wheat toast, every single time with my special coffee.
She had her pen and pad at the ready.
I pulled a menu from behind the condiment rack. “A cup of decaf to start.” I opened the menu.
She got the hint and put her pad away. “Special on the coffee?”
“Always.”
She brought it quickly.
I sipped it and savored the chocolaty taste. “How’s the apple pie?”
She beamed a bright smile. “Fantastic as always. My sister bakes ’em for us.”
I folded the menu and returned it to its holder. “I’ll take a piece of that pie then.”
She left, and I stirred the brown liquid in my cup while I listened to the two girls. I hadn’t seen her face from this angle, but the voice was familiar. The redhead facing away was Debbie from the Minimart, and Shy Eyes, the blonde, also worked there.
With the way Debbie looked, I’d never paid much attention to the blonde.
Shy Eyes said something about Romeo and giggled.
When I glanced over again, Shy Eyes averted her gaze quickly. The two girls exchanged a few giggles.
Another meeting with Debbie wasn’t on my agenda today. I had a more important reason to be here.
Nell returned with my pie. “Hope you like it.” It had some strange greenery on top.
I lifted my fork and cut off a bite while she watched. It melted in my mouth, sweet and juicy enough, and just a bit of firmness to the apples. “Tell your sister I’m a fan. I especially like the cinnamon and nutmeg.” I touched my fork to the little green leaf on top. “Why is there salad on my pie?”
“Mint leaves. Try it.”
I took another bite, this time with the mint leaf. “I like it.”
My praise earned me the appreciative smile I’d hoped for. Always get on the good side of the one serving you your meals, I’d learned. “Say, when is Spencer back? He said he had some work for me.” This was true enough, and as his woman, she’d be the one to know when the Howlers were due back in town.
“Four weeks—maybe more, maybe less,” she moaned. “Even longer than last year.”
The bell over the front door jangled, and she looked toward it.
“Let me know if there’s anything I can help with,” I added before she left me to my pie.
When I turned to look, Cliff was walking my way. Just my luck. So much for avoiding the angry man. He patted Gus on the back and said something very softly that I didn’t catch. He lifted a chin when he noticed me, then walked over and took the second stool over from mine. As big as he was, he needed the extra room. “What’s good here?”
I kept it simple. “I’m usually here for breakfast.” I tapped the pie with my fork. “The apple pie hits the spot.”
Cliff grunted and opened his menu.
When he finished choosing, Nell came by and got his order for pot roast.
He eyed the girls in the booth more than a few times.
After a few minutes of silence, Nell delivered his plate.
Instead of a thank you, he laid a hundred-dollar bill on the counter under his meaty fingers. “I’m stayin’ with my brother.” He nodded toward Gus. “Why don’t you come by later and we can party.”
Nell had the good sense to ignore him. “Enjoy your pot roast.”
Cliff huffed as he put the money back in his pocket. “What’s her problem?”
I shrugged. “Guess she thinks one boyfriend is enough.”
Cliff didn’t know how lucky he was that Nell hadn’t taken serious offense to his offer.
“Why aren’t you eatin’ with your brother?”
“Brother from another mother.” He laughed. “Dumber than a fencepost, and he’d expect me to pay.”