Chapter 8
Molly
“Can I get a rosé and any beer you have on tap?” the woman in front of me asks and I nod, turn to the fridge, and grab the only rosé we serve.
I pour half a glass, then grab a pint glass and place it under the tap.
I pour the beer, making sure there's hardly any foam on top like Jag taught me as music echoes around me, the room not as packed as it normally is.
Rylan is on the other side of the bar with Gabby, who keeps squeezing his ass despite his eyes keep coming my way. I ignore them both, trying my hardest to walk through the pain I’m currently in.
Between the cut on my hand, the sprained wrist, and now blisters on my chest, I am in a lot of pain which no amount of pain relief gets rid of.
After Abby spilled hot coffee all down my chest after I told her to get out when she wanted money yet again, I told Ace I had to leave through the bathroom door, where he was stuck.
He tried to demand that I stay, that he needed a word with me, which if I wasn’t having blisters building on my chest, I would have laughed.
I knew he was going to lay into me because he figured out I laced his coffee with laxatives and most likely realized I’m the one who left the custard balloon on his door.
But with the pain on my chest, I was ready to punch Abby which would mean I would have lost my dad's house to her and her mother.
Damn Dad and his stipulations.
I’ve thankfully managed to stay clear of her since yesterday. She spent the night out last night and after classes. I was at the diner from lunch until my shift tonight where Ace thankfully was not there, which made it perfect for my plan.
I smirk, knowing how pissed he’s going to be when he goes into his office, as I place the drinks down for the woman and say, “Sixteen dollars.”
She holds up her card and I grab the card reader, enter the amount, hold it out before she presses her card against it, and it beeps and I put it back before I quickly move on to the next customer, keeping on top of things.
It isn’t as busy as it normally is, but I don’t want to fall behind, I’ve seen how it can change in an instant and then we’re ran off our feet.
"What can I get you?" I ask as I reach the next person but someone shoves the guy aside shocking him while I groan.
So much for being able to dodge her.
The guy snaps, "What the fuck?" at the same moment, Abby's hateful pale blue eyes lock with mine and I roll my eyes and refocus on the guy.
He glares at Abby, then says, “Two buds,” and I nod and quickly grab them, uncap them, then pass them over to the guy, who hands me a twenty before I can give him the price.
"Keep the change," he mutters, his eyes still glaring at Abby as he walks away.
I snort as I go to the till, and put in the amount for two buds before taking the change and put it in the shared jar, mine and Rylan’s share, but I don’t miss Gabby glaring and I narrow my eyes at the woman.
“Problem?” I ask and she tenses, shakes her head, and returns to the customers.
Rylan put a small camera in our jar after she was caught trying to go in it all because she didn’t like that we had more tips than hers with ours combined.
Her job was threatened and she’s already on thin ice for calling in sick after she was denied time off for her birthday.
She had asked for it the day before and she knew it wouldn’t be enough notice.
Sighing, I walk to my side and huff—Abby is still there, tapping her foot.
“What do you want, Abby?” I ask, glancing at the guy next to her and he orders, “Four beers.”
I nod and get on with his order.
“I need food money. The stove is still broken,” she snaps, and I chuckle.
You’d think after all these years she’d realize I’m not her bank account, heck, even after my dad died, I didn’t give her or her mother a cent, only filling the cupboards much to their dismay.
Don’t get me wrong Ruth tried to use the parental card but all I had to do was call Mr. Chimes and she soon shut up.
“Your mother broke it, not me. I’m not your keeper.
Last time I checked, you two are living rent-free and I haven’t got two cents to rub together now that I need to pay Ace back for the repairs to his bike you caused.
If I want to get out of that aprons before five months and yet again, Abby, you’re not thinking about your repercussions,” I state as I give the guy his order and he holds up his card before I can even tell him the price.
Grabbing the card reader, I put the amount in before holding it out to him and he taps against it. I go to the next person as soon as he moves, but Abby shoves them away and I sigh as I look at her.
"Think you’re perfect, huh?" she sneers, her body vibrating with anger and I shake my head.
“No, Abby, I don’t. I’m trying to work where yet again, you’re causing crap because you can’t be bothered to get off your ass and get a job.
Now, either order something or get lost before I say screw it and give Mr. Chimes a call!
” I snap, finally having enough and I go back to the person she just shoved out of the way.
***
“Rylan, I’m just going to take five,” I say loudly as I walk past him half an hour later, and he nods as his eyes follow me, but I don’t pay any attention like normal, just like how I don’t pay attention to Abby glaring at me from the other side of the room.
I swear Rylan should just keep screwing Gabby or better yet, screw Abby and get her out of my hair then both my problems are solved.
I move past some people waiting outside the toilets and head to the staff room trying my hardest not to scratch my chest. I need some more cream.
As soon as I walk inside, my phone vibrates against my thigh, and I groan, thinking maybe it’s Ruth because let’s face it, it wouldn’t surprise me if Abby has complained yet again. Even though Ruth is fully aware of what her daughter did yesterday, she’ll still side with her daughter.
I’m just the unwanted child she wanted her husband to put in boarding school, though her anger may also have something to do with the fact that I turned around and told the woman to get a job and stop leeching off me.
Since I refused to buy all the groceries for her yet again or buy her takeout after she got in my face when I walked through the front door because I hadn’t replaced the stove yet.
Stoves cost a fortune and I don’t have a fortune right now, not with this bike repayment hanging over my head and college.
Abby has made me reach my breaking point, especially for making me work another job where I don’t see a cent because I’m paying for her mistake, and I’m done playing nice to keep the peace just so I don’t end up on the street until I graduate college.
I’d rather sleep on a park bench than put up with them any longer.
Shaking my head, I grab my phone from my pocket as I walk over to my cubby to get my cream, and my lips tilt with amusement at the caller ID.
Prick
“Hmm, I wonder if he’s found my lovely surprise,” I chuckle to myself before I answer the phone and put it to my ear just as Rylan walks into the staff room with his mouth open like he’s about to say something, most likely try to hit on me again now that I’m alone just as Ace demands, “Did you fucking smash several stinks bombs in my office?!” before I can tell him to get lost. I smirk, causing Rylan to pause seeing my most likely deranged look only to raise a brow as he slowly backs away, before leaving the staff room, and I chuckle.
“It isn’t fucking funny, Pidge, the whole place fucking stinks!” he shouts, and I move the phone from my ear before I state, “I have no idea what you are talking about,” as sweetly as I can all while wearing the biggest smirk.
He growls, “Custard balloons, laxatives in my coffee, salt in my sandwiches, now this!”
I sigh, “Maybe you should just fire me,” while biting hard on my lip, waiting for him to agree.
I keep gravitating towards him, even though he’s mean.
My body wants to lunge into his and beg him never to let me go, and that is a frightening thought, especially when he’s screwed my stepsister, when he’s been a prick to me and the scariest thought of all, he makes me want to cook, and I can’t have that, dammit.
I don’t even know him, and I only know his dad because I’ve met him a couple of times before my dad passed.
“So you wreck my fucking bike, and instead of working off what you owe, you decided to make my fucking life hell?” he sneers, and I just shrug, even if he can’t see me.
He never asked what really happened he just assumed Abby was telling the truth, so why would I make his life easy? Besides, he’s making me feel things I don’t want to feel, especially when his personality sucks.
“Pidge, I swear to fuck, the next time you do something I’m going to make your fucking life hell,” he threatens, but I just smirk.
“Is there a reason why you’ve called, Ace? Or are you finally going to fire me and let me just set up a payment plan for your bike? I need to get back to work,” I sass back, ignoring his threat, and he growls.
I think I like pissing him off. That thought makes me smile.
“Tomorrow morning, you’re on fucking shift, Blue has called in She can’t do it,” he snaps, and I snort.
“I have two classes in the morning, so no can do,” I reply as I undo the cap on my cream, putting some on my hand as I place my phone between my ear and shoulder, and ever so carefully, I put some cream on my chest underneath my shirt, and I flinch but just manage to swallow my gasp.
Ace is quiet for a moment before he finally snaps, “It is one fucking shift, Pidge!”
“And my college comes first, Ace!” I grow back, “I’m not going to let you try and derail my future, all because I knocked over your bike accidentally and you didn’t get both sides of the goddamn story!”
He’s quiet for a moment and I sigh as I quickly put the cream away. Just as I’m about to tell him to go screw himself, or Abby, and get the clap, he demands, “Come as soon as you’ve finished,” then hangs up.
I swallow back the growl that wants to come out while I envision putting hot sauce in his coffee tomorrow.
Locking my jaw, I put my phone back in my pocket, ignoring the sudden vibrations that this time I know are Ruth, and I leave the staff room to get back to work.
I think maybe, instead of buying cheap ingredients to cook, I need to put my tips into a pot to help Ace pay off his repairs faster.
Maybe I need to discuss with Mr. Chimes about selling the house so I can get the hell out of Wincher and away from Ruth and Abby.
And preferably away from whatever feelings I’m having towards a guy that hates my guts.