CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Ember
What started out as a great opportunity has turned into a nightmare.
The diner itself is amazing, and the days Edgar isn’t there, I enjoy it.
Edgar is becoming impossible to deal with. What had started out as innocent flirting turned into him asking me out. I politely turned him down, but he took the rejection badly. Now, rather than being flirty, he’s downright crude. Normally, I have pretty tough skin. I had to in order to live with Devlin. Maybe that’s why it’s bothering me so much.
Lesson learned. No way in hell will I put up with that kind of behavior again—from anyone. For now, I can deal with it. Having Hazel by my side helps.
She’s sitting at the counter as I finish up my shift.
“What about this? Hot, single dad looking for a nanny.”
“That has to be a joke.”
“Nope,” she says, pressing her finger to the ad. “It’s right here in black and white.”
I pick up the paper and read the ad. “Who in the world would actually print something like this?”
“A hot, single dad?” Hazel tosses in a flippant shrug for effect.
“Sounds suspicious. I’ll pass.”
“I think you should go for it. Even if you don’t get the job, maybe you’ll land the hot, single dad, and he can rid you of your obsession with Ryder.”
“I’m not obsessed,” I argue, though maybe I am… a little. It’s hard not to be with a man like Ryder, who did things to me like he did.
She rolls her eyes. “Then why won’t you go out with any of the guys Joe and I try to set you up with?”
“Because I don’t want to go out with anyone.” It’s the truth, something I’ve explained to her repeatedly, but she just can’t seem to grasp it. I realize my presence on her couch is probably cramping her style a little when it comes to Officer Joe but trying to throw me to the wolves when I’m not ready isn’t going to help.
“After everything I went through, I don’t know if I can trust anyone,” I continue, lowering my voice.
“Not yet, at least.”
“Okay, okay.” Hazel sighs and nods. “I’m sorry, I get it.”
“Thank you,” I say as I toss the paper back onto the counter.
“But… Hot. Single. Dad.”
“With an ad like that, I’m sure he’ll be luring in all the candidates.” I grab my rag off the counter. “Come on, let’s get this done so we can go home.”
“You just want to fantasize about Mr. Hottie.”
“Mr. Hottie?” I laugh. “That’s the best you can come up with?”
Leaning over to wipe the counter, I hear a loud groan from behind me. When I look back, Edgar is making vulgar hand gestures in my direction, and the smile on his face unnerves me. I do my best to ignore him as I finish up.
Hazel and I exit the diner at the same time. Once we’re outside, I realize I left my sweater inside.
“I’ll be back in a second.” Making my way to the back storage room, where we keep our things, the door slams shut behind me. When I look back, Edgar is blocking the door, tall and looming, eyes almost sinister. I don’t speak, only stare at him. I can’t imagine he would do anything to me here in the diner, but then again, when it came to Devlin, my judgment hadn’t been the greatest.
“Hazel’s waiting for me.”
He presses forward, closer to me with each step. My back hits the storage shelf behind me, and a couple jars of pickles fall and crash onto the floor.