Chapter 4
Kenna felt almost giddy. She hadn’t been this excited about a guy in…
She wasn’t sure how long it had been, just that it had definitely been a while.
Marshall was funny, and clearly not afraid to admit when he’d made a mistake.
She’d been disappointed at the way he’d looked down on the fact that she was a professional waitress, but he’d seemed genuine with his apology.
And she couldn’t help but remember how good it felt to hold his hand. It was silly, but his thumb brushing back and forth over her knuckles had sent goose bumps racing down her arm.
She liked how close he seemed with his friends too.
She wanted any man she dated to have his own interests.
She’d seen how clingy Shawn was with Carly.
At first it had seemed romantic that he wanted to know where she was all the time and when she’d get home.
But then it had started to get…overbearing.
“So, that went well, yeah?” Carly asked when they had two minutes between orders to talk.
Kenna couldn’t keep the huge smile off her face. “Yeah, it did.”
“Good. I like seeing you happy.”
“Now, don’t go getting all crazy. We just talked for half an hour. We weren’t planning our wedding or anything,” Kenna warned her friend.
“I know, but seriously, you’re glowing,” Carly said.
“He’s a good guy. I mean, I know I don’t know him all that well yet, but he didn’t hesitate to apologize when he said something insensitive, and I honestly think he meant it.”
Carly wrinkled her nose. “Not sure it’s a good sign he’s already put his foot in his mouth,” she said.
“I know. But I’d much rather him be honest than blow smoke up my ass. He’s real, Carly, which I like.”
“True,” her friend mused. “Shawn did everything he could to be perfect when we first started dating, and it wasn’t until a couple months had gone by that he started slipping and being an ass.”
“Exactly,” Kenna said with a nod. “I mean, I don’t want to be with a guy who’s constantly a jerk and apologizing for it, but I also don’t want to be snowed by someone who’s going out of his way to say what he thinks I want to hear.”
“So…what’d he say?” Carly asked.
Kenna sighed. “He just made me feel as if he thought waitressing wasn’t a ‘real’ job. That it should be something I’m doing while I’m looking for some corporate career.”
Carly shrugged. “Lots of people feel that way.”
“I know. It just caught me off guard.”
“You made sure he knew the error in his thinking, right?” Carly asked.
“Yeah. We talked a little about his job as a SEAL, and I think he realized pretty fast that he’d been rude. I called him a snob,” Kenna admitted.
“You didn’t!”
Kenna shrugged. “I did. But in my defense, he kinda was acting like one.”
Carly studied Kenna for a long moment.
“What?” Kenna asked.
“You came back in here all smiles and glowy, like I said. So you obviously worked it out.”
“We did,” Kenna confirmed.
“I’m happy for you,” Carly said. “I mean, the fact that you guys could have a serious conversation like that and still like each other afterward…it’s…good, Kenna. Seriously.”
“I think so too,” Kenna admitted softly.
The two friends smiled at each other but were interrupted by Justin sticking his head into the kitchen and saying, “Carly, there’s someone here to see you.”
“Me?” she asked in confusion. “What do they want?”
“Don’t know,” Justin said. “Vera just told me to tell you that someone was here for you. That’s all I know. He’s up front.”
“Okay, thanks,” Carly said.
Justin disappeared and Carly turned to Kenna. “Seriously, girl. I like him. He was polite and courteous the whole time I was serving their table. They all were. I admit that I don’t have any desire to date right now, but if I did…I might give you a run for your money.”
“You aren’t interested in Marshall,” Kenna said with a smirk. “But Jag, on the other hand…” Her voice trailed off.
Carly held up a hand. “Nope. No way. Not going there.”
Kenna laughed. “Okay, okay. I’ll shut up about it. I’ll take the order to your table so you can go and see who wants to talk to you. I hope it’s an old guy with a million-dollar tip he wants to give to you for being such an awesome waitress.”
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Carly said with a smile. “And thanks for taking my order.”
“Anytime.” Kenna headed to where the orders were sitting under heating lamps, staying warm, and made sure she grabbed the right meals, loaded up a tray, and headed out into the restaurant.
After she’d dropped off the food to a very appreciative couple, Kenna heard a commotion from the bar area. Turning, she saw Carly talking with a man.
Her ex. Shawn Keyes.
Kenna had heard more than enough stories about how horrible he was to Carly.
When they’d first started dating, Carly had been flattered that an older man was interested in her.
Everything had been all sunshine and roses for a couple months, until Shawn’s crazy started coming out.
Carly had tried to explain away his abusive and aggressive behavior, but eventually it became too much.
And when she’d come to work with a huge bruise on her upper arm, Kenna and the other waitstaff had convinced her to leave the asshole.
That should’ve been the end of it. But Shawn decided he didn’t want to break up with Carly, and he’d been emailing, calling, and texting her nonstop, apologizing and trying to get her to come back.
Carly had held strong, doing everything in her power to try to make him understand that they were over…but for some reason, Shawn wasn’t getting the hint.
And now it seemed as if he was escalating his campaign to get Carly back. Kenna couldn’t hear what he was saying, but he stood too close to her friend. At six feet tall, he was looming over Carly’s five and a half feet, obviously trying to intimidate her.
Kenna didn’t even hesitate. She was pissed on her friend’s behalf and determined to make Shawn understand once and for all that his relationship with Carly was over and done with. She headed straight for the pair.
When she neared them, she overheard Shawn say, “You’re acting like a spoiled brat.”
Kenna saw red. “No, she’s acting like a grown-ass woman who doesn’t want to be talked down to as if she’s a little kid,” she bit out.
Shawn turned to glare at her, and Kenna refused to back away, even if the hate in his hazel eyes made her want to.
He’d cut his dark hair short since the last time she’d seen him, almost a buzz cut.
He had on a pair of jeans and a polo shirt, making him blend in with the crowd of locals and tourists without any problem.
Kenna had to admit at first glance, the man seemed harmless.
Even though he was in his forties, he’d kept himself in shape, didn’t drink or smoke—according to Carly—and had a steady, well-paying job doing something with the local government.
But the crazy in his eyes, the way his hands clenched into fists, and the snarl on his face all showed his true colors.
“No one’s talking to you,” Shawn sneered. “Butt out.”
“I’m sorry, but no,” Kenna said, trying to sound braver than she felt. They were in a public restaurant with people all around them. Shawn wouldn’t do anything to her, she was almost certain of it. “Carly’s told you she doesn’t want to see you anymore. You need to move on.”
“Our relationship is none of your business,” Shawn retorted, then turned his back to her and reached out, grabbing Carly’s bicep. “I just want to talk,” he said. “You owe me that.”
Kenna ground her teeth together in frustration.
She was taller than Carly, but not strong enough to take this guy on.
She was also well aware that she was at work.
Alani was a great boss, but Kenna didn’t think she’d approve of her hauling off and hitting this asshole.
Not to mention, she was one hundred percent certain Shawn would call the cops and get her arrested for assault or something.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Carly said. “We’re through.”
“We aren’t,” Shawn insisted. “After all I’ve done for you, I can’t believe you won’t just talk to me. When we started dating, you were a na?ve little girl. I turned you into a woman. You can’t just throw me away.”
Kenna wanted to scream. Shawn had always belittled her friend. Tried to come off so worldly because of his age. He’d mocked Carly’s much younger age since almost the beginning. Yes, she was twenty years his junior, but in Kenna’s eyes, Carly was the mature one. His behavior tonight proved it.
“Give me a break. We didn’t date that long, and you didn’t turn me into anything. So I can and I am throwing you away,” Carly retorted bravely, lifting her chin. She tried to jerk her arm out of his grasp, but Shawn tightened his grip, pulling her closer so he could grab her other arm as well.
He physically shook her as he said, “You stupid bitch! No one breaks up with me!”
Kenna was done. She reached for Shawn and tried to push him away from Carly, but his grip on her friend was too tight. He stumbled and ran into a chair, making it tip over with a loud crash. “Let go of her,” Kenna ordered.
“Fuck you,” Shawn hissed, turning to Carly once more. He shook her again, harder this time. Kenna watched as her friend’s head bounced back and forth, even as she struggled in his grasp.
Desperate to help, she took a step toward them, but suddenly an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her backward, away from Shawn and Carly.
She fought for a second, then heard a low voice at her ear. “Aleck and Jag have this.”
Turning her head, she saw it was Mustang who’d pulled her away from what was going on. Midas was standing on her other side, posture tense, as if ready to make sure Shawn didn’t turn on her.
Glancing back, she saw that in the few seconds she’d taken her attention off her friend, Marshall and Jag had gotten Shawn to let go. Jag’s arm was around Carly’s shoulders and he was escorting her away from the bar area.
“We aren’t done!” Shawn yelled at Carly as she hurried away.