Chapter 11
The thunderous pounding on my door jerked me awake. I blinked a few times in confusion, and then it came again.
Bam, bam, bam, bam
Bruno lifted his head off the bed next to me and barked. Jumping up, his tail wagging in the air, he raced over to the door and barked excitedly.
I rubbed at my bleary eyes and blinked at the display on my alarm clock. Six thirty-six in the morning. What the hell?
Bam, bam, bam, bam
“I know you’re in there, Emma!” Lydia shouted. “I can hear Bruno barking, and I know for a fact you’d never leave that monster behind.”
“Oh god.” I covered my face with my hands.
It was too early for Lydia’s bullshit. I hadn’t gotten back home until almost 2AM because of the traffic, and then I’d had to sort out Lucy and Bruno and overthink every decision I’d made yesterday—and my life, basically.
It had been exhausting, so I’d only had maybe two hours of sleep under my belt.
Definitely not enough for Lydia and whatever bullshit she’d dreamt up today.
“Emma! Don’t make me use my key.”
Rolling my eyes at her dramatic plea—I doubted she even knew where to find a key to my place—I stumbled out of bed and made my way to the door. I struggled with the locks for a second. And then I’d only gotten it open a crack when Lydia pushed her way inside.
“Finally!” She huffed, sweeping her sunglasses off her face to scowl at me. “What is wrong with you? You should’ve been at the diner half an hour ago. I sent you a text.”
I blinked a few times. That…wasn’t what I’d expected her to say. Finally, I shook my head. “We’re closed today. Gwen is sick.”
“Gwen is fired is what she is. Don’t think I don’t know about the stunt she’d pulled yesterday with her sudden “illness” and talking the other cook into closing the diner for the day. They’re both fired.”
“But…you can’t. Gwen’s been working at Dad’s Place for forever. She’s the magic that keeps people coming in. And you can’t fire someone for being sick. It’s illegal.”
“She’s not sick. She conspired with you so you could go to that stupid summer festival. Don’t think I don’t know about that either. Videos of your little stunt are everywhere.”
I flinched. The last thing I wanted to talk about was yesterday.
“So now you’re fired, too. You pulled a no-call no-show yesterday and today. You also committed fraud. No one called me, the owner, for permission to close yesterday or today. That’s unacceptable. And while we’re at it, consider this your thirty-day notice too.”
“You’re evicting me?”
“It’s not technically an eviction. I’m changing the function of this garage unit, so it’s no longer available for rent. You have thirty days to vacate. My lawyer will draw up the notice tomorrow.”
“ Fuck . You .” The words exploded out of my mouth, and I’d be damned if I was going to take them back.
Lydia reared back like I’d slapped her. “Excuse me?”
“No.” I huffed an incredulous laugh. “You’re not excused.
You’ve been a bitch to me since day one.
You made no secret of the fact that you couldn’t stand me.
I don’t know why Dad put up with your shit, but I’m over it, and I’m over you.
So you can take your shitty job and shove it.
I’ll be reporting you to the labor board.
And I’m going to talk to everyone else at the diner and get them to file complaints too. Good luck staying open after that.”
“You wouldn’t.” Lydia raised her eyebrows with a smirk, like she had me trapped. “You wouldn’t do that to your father’s diner.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t do that to my father’s diner. You did that. You cut our pay after he got sick. You skimmed our tips after he died. You pissed all over his legacy, and I hope the state takes it away from you because you don’t deserve any of it.”
Lydia flinched for a second like I’d physically hit her before she steeled her expression and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked every inch of the high society widow role she’d been playing this past year.
“Well, the joke’s on you because I got this shitty home and his business and his goddamn dog when he died.
It’s all mine, little girl, because he loved me more than he loved you. ”
I shook my head and my angry tears flung from my face. “If you can think that, then you didn’t know him at all.”
Lydia stared back at me, and her hand flexed like she was thinking about slapping me.
I’d love to see her try.
She must’ve been able to read the murderous intent in my expression, because finally she turned away and stalked back to the door.
“You’re fired and you’re out of here by the end of the month.
Good luck with whatever piddly shit of a life you’ll be able to cobble together.
And don’t even think of trying to take what’s mine.
I’ll sue you so fast, you won’t know which end is even up. Bruno, come!”
Bruno lifted his lip and snarled at her.
I had to laugh. Bruno never had liked Lydia. He saw through her bullshit on day one. My boy had good taste.
“Bruno, come!” Lydia yelled.
Bruno barked at her, the hair on his back standing on end.
Bruno was the definition of all bark, no bite kinda dog, but even I wouldn’t test him right now. He clearly didn’t want anything to do with Lydia.
She backed away, keeping a wary eye on the dog. “Fine. But don’t even think this is over.”
“Oh, it’s definitely not over. I’ll be seeing you in court, remember?”
Lydia tossed me one more glare then stumbled her way through the door.
“Who are you?” She gasped.
I shoved the door closed.
“Looks like we’re moving, Bruno.” I patted his head. “You’re such a good boy. And good news, neither one of us is going to have to put up with her bullshit anymore. Or see her demonic cat again.”
Knock, knock, knock
“Oh my god.” I rubbed at my tired face again. I really didn’t have the energy for anymore of her bullshit. So I yelled, “We’re moving out today! Just fucking go away!”
“I’ll help you pack!” Ben shouted back.
I jolted at the sound of his voice.
Fuck me sideways. So far today was starting out to be even worse than yesterday. I just couldn’t do this. I was so freaking tired.
“Go away!” I shouted. “We’re full up on bullshit here. Try the farm on the corner. I bet they’re in need of some for fertilizer.”
A bark of laughter came through the door. “Christ, you’re cute. Just…open the door, Em. Please.”
I closed my eyes as tears pooled in them again.
Every time he spoke it felt like a stab to my gut.
I so wanted everything that’d happened yesterday to have been real.
But I knew better. And it hurt so much that he was here, trying to smooth things over.
Like it didn’t matter he had lied to me.
Like I should be happy that he was really Reuben Bello and not Ben Bellomo.
“Just go away, Reuben,” I whisper-shouted. The pain in my chest made it too hard to speak.
Bruno whimpered and snuggled into my side. He licked my foot, then blinked up at me with his mellow brown eyes.
And I hated that they weren’t the same hawkish golden brown as Ben’s. Reuben’s. Whatever.
Clearly, I had issues.
“Fine. If you’re not going to open the door, then I’m going to yell what I want to say to you. If we’re lucky, the neighbors will call the cops, and then the fun will really begin.”
“Good. They’ll arrest your ass and take you away.”
“You think I’m afraid to get arrested? You really aren’t a fan. Otherwise you’d know my criminal history.”
“Way to sell yourself to me. Maybe I should call the cops.”
I jumped as my door suddenly opened, and then Ben—Reuben—was standing there, his palms lifted in a placating gesture. “I swear I’m not dangerous. Most of the charges were for drunk and disorderly or resisting arrest. Once for assault, but the asshole deserved it.”
“I was wrong. That’s clearly the way to sell yourself to me. Now fuck off. For real this time. Before I actually do call the cops.” I rubbed a hand over my stinging eyes, trying and failing to hide how much it hurt to see him again.
“Just listen to me, Em? Please. And if you still think that after I’ve had my say, I swear I’ll go.”
“Fine.” I stomped over to the tiny sofa shoved into the corner of my apartment and tried not to be embarrassed that Ben was seeing where I really lived.
How I lived.
For the next twenty-four hours. I tried not to crumble at the thought.
Bruno jumped up after me and nestled close to my side. I smiled as I rubbed behind his ears. He’d been such a good boy today.
“Who’s this?” Ben asked as he followed us and knelt in front of us. Reaching out, he held his hand in front of Bruno.
After a couple of sniffs, Bruno’s tail thumped against the couch, and he licked the back of Ben’s hand.
Traitor.
“What do you want, Reuben? Don’t you need to get on the road and onto your next con, I mean show?” I leaned back against the couch and crossed my arms over my chest.
Ben sighed and sat back on the floor with his legs extended but his knees bent. He stared at me for a long moment before sighing again. “It was never a con, Em. I just…liked being a regular guy with you.”
“You were never a regular guy.” I laughed incredulously. “I thought you were a producer, remember? Actually, I thought you were a model at first. You can’t not stand out. I mean look at you.” I gestured at him.
He shook his head. “I’m still just a guy. The fame, the money, and all the attention don’t mean anything if you don’t have people in your corner. And I was hoping that would be you.” He paused and waved a hand. “When you’re not busy touring yourself, that is.”
“You don’t need me. You have your dad. And Roscoe. And all those other people I saw all over you last night.”
“Every single person you saw last night were there for a paycheck—including my father. I fired him last night, by the way.”
“What?” My eyes widened. “Why?”
“Roscoe told me what he’d said to you.” He said it simply like that was explanation enough.
“So?”