6. Payton
SIX
PAYTON
When the door to the diner swings open with extra gusto that blows the fake Easter décor around, I know who it is without looking up. She slips onto the stool across from me as I’m placing her customary croissant on a plate and sliding it over.
Gwen takes an animated bite, groaning loudly as she chews. “Always so tasty. It’s practically orgasmic.”
“Clearly. Seems like you’re on the verge of one. Please don’t, ’cause it’s not something I want to clean up.”
Placing the treat down, she looks up. “Speaking of messes, heard about the one you had in here earlier. It’s the buzz of the town.”
Damn it.
“Exes suck.” Thankfully, she doesn’t linger on the topic before launching into her day with the kids she nannies for, allowing me to hm and ah where appropriate while restocking sugar containers, rolling forks and knives into napkins, and a bunch of other afternoon tasks in the slow time between lunch and dinner.
Gwen finishes her story, then swigs the mocha she ordered in the meantime. “So, what happened this morning?”
“Couldn’t let that go, eh? You said it was the talk of the town, so you already know.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m nosy. Heard Jace Hayes came to your rescue. He’s yummy to look at. Sin wrapped up in a sexy package.”
Something twists inside me at hearing her talk about him. Something close to envy, which is ridiculous, because it’s never been like that with us. Besides, getting involved with anyone while my ex is bothering me is asking for more trouble.
“We’re old friends. Went to school together.”
She sucks her teeth. “Hm. Yeah, so when I see old friends, I don’t get on my hands and knees to clean the mess someone else made.”
“He’s nice, that’s all.” And intense. The years haven’t lessened that intensity at all. “And he wasn’t on his hands and knees. He used a mop and broom.”
“Mhm. If you say so. Remember what I said last night? Maybe make him your one. We all need a bit of rebound sex.”
Rebound sex with Jace? The vision makes me shiver more than it should, because the ideas don’t go together in my head. Sex and Jace maybe, but it only being a rebound? Less so.
What am I saying? Nope, not the purpose of life right now.
Especially when I don’t know Jace like that. I’ve never seen him date. And after the shit with Aaron, men aren’t on my radar for a while. Not until life gets back on track.
“Now that I got you thinking about it, maybe you should invite him to the hunt Sunday afternoon?”
“The hunt?” I ask before the date hits me—despite the Easter décor puked all over this place. “They’re still doing those?”
The annual egg hunt always occurring on Easter Sunday was fun as a kid. Being out all afternoon, hunting for small, ceramic eggs the members of town council hid. It’s a community-wide event, but was designed mainly for the kids, giving them something to look forward to. My last one was when I was thirteen. After that, I either hid in my room as an angsty teenager or camped out at a friend’s house.
“Right, forgot you grew up here. I vote dragging your ass from your house for at least one social event. That could be our weekend plans we agreed to. Maybe with Jace as your motive, you’ll show up.”
Jace at the Easter hunt? I’m trying to recall a time I’ve ever seen him at one. Maybe as a young kid, but I didn’t pay attention then.
“You said so yourself, P. He’s only a friend.” She leans closer, pressing into the counter. “Look, I know being home wasn’t on your to-do-in-life list, but I personally love that we’ve become friends. And if you and he were close years ago, what’s the harm in reconnecting and sparking that up again?”
Because this morning, he wasn’t looking at me like he wanted to be my friend.
For the sake of this conversation, I murmur, “Maybe,” but instantly regret it when her face falls. I’ve been a shit friend to her, always hiding in my house and acting mopey during our conversations.
My gaze goes to the booth Aaron and his friends occupied this morning. It’s all because of him. I don’t hate this place, even if it wasn’t a part of my grand plan. Gwen’s made being home more acceptable, and having Jace as a friend again would be nice.
“It’s Aaron,” I admit quietly. “Coming back was one thing. Took swallowing a bit of pride and all, but when he followed, it brought all the shit back. He’s the reason I’m in this mess; yet, he’s acting like I was the villain in the relationship. I appreciate you, though, and everything you’ve done.”
Once again, three scraps of paper come to mind, and I debate mentioning them to her. Knowing Gwen, she’d want to go after him or something when technically there’s no proof he’s even behind them. Being familiar with his handwriting is the only way I know for certain, but he could be getting a friend to leave them at my house.
“ Are you over him?”
That’s a definite yes. “I did a lot of thinking in the months following the breakup, and realized I only got back with him after grad because we’d dated before, and it seemed right. Looking back, we fought a lot. He liked to go out with friends, while I preferred staying home. Our sex life was not good. I’m a saver, he’s a spender. The differences were too much.”
So many differences, so why would he want me back? Cheating on me was sign number one he was done with me, so his harassment makes no sense.
“The guy’s a dick.”
“He is, but you’re also right. Yeah, let’s do the hunt. As for Jace coming…maybe.”
She winks and slides off the stool before tossing a bill onto the counter. “Alrighty, let me know. And who knows, since you’re new prey in town, you might be subjected to a whole other kind of hunt.” She breaks off laughing at her own joke.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, it’s this rumour floating around that, a few years ago, this guy came around at Easter time for a different kind of egg hunt, if you know what I mean.” She waggles her brows, but no, I really don’t know what she means. At my continuous blank expression, she sighs. “You search for eggs; he searches for you. Keep up, P. Apparently, he’s real kinky and shit—likes to play this game where he picks a woman and hunts her at night. Wears a mask so it’s anonymous.”
I stiffen, a bolt of curiosity and intrigue shooting through me. I once asked Aaron to do the same, and him not wanting to was one of many things that led to our downfall. But, fuck, I dream about it: the fear of trying to escape from someone while hoping they’ll catch me, their sole intention to take me roughly.
“Sounds far-fetched,” I manage.
Gwen shrugs. “I said it more as a joke, ’cause no one knows if he’s real or not. I’ve only heard of it happening once since coming to town, and who knows if she was bullshitting for drama or not.” She glances down at her phone. “Oh, I should get going. Text you later.” With a final wave, she’s out the door, and I return to cleaning the front, getting it ready for the supper shift when Fawn takes over.
Time ticks away, five o’clock steadily approaching. Normally, this is around the time I get eager to be finished, but now I’m wondering what’s expected when Jace shows up.
If he comes.
Being with Aaron taught me how flighty men can be. How forgetful they are when they don’t really want something; surely Jace was only friendly because of the past.
When the door chimes, I glance up from mopping the entire floor, but instead of a customer, it’s my boss.
“Hi, you’re early.” She normally arrives around four-thirty, but it’s only four.
Fawn grabs the mop from me, already angling the bucket of dirty water to wheel to the back room, despite my resistance. “I would have been in sooner if I didn’t have an appointment. Jim called earlier and mentioned what happened this morning, you poor thing. That boy isn’t welcome here anymore.” She glances at the coffee stains near my ankles, a dried crustiness I’ve had to get used to. “I’m sorry you dealt with that. You can head home early.”
The tiredness from the day battles with my depressingly empty bank account, leaving me with no response other than nervously shifting my feet. Reality is a shitty thing, weighing on my chest. The constant emails reminding me of late payments are a reminder I seriously can’t afford to leave early. Hell, I should be begging her to work longer shifts.
“I, uh…can’t.” Because I can’t afford to. “I mean, I don’t mind working ‘til five. It’s only an hour more, and?—”
“You’ll be paid for the entirety of your shift, Payton,” she says in a deliberate, knowing tone. “Consider it an apology for my customers harassing you.”
My heart thumps faster, her kindness too generous for comfort. “Oh, you don’t need to. It’s okay.”
“It is okay,” she agrees. “It’s okay for you to go home early, have a break, and unwind from this morning without worrying yourself about a smaller paycheque.” She pats my hand as she passes, clearly finished discussing this. “Go home, Payton. Thanks for all your hard work.”
“Alright.” Who am I to argue?
I follow her to the back to retrieve my purse and hang up my apron. After a wave to both owners, I head for the front, noting it’s an hour earlier than when I agreed to meet with Jace.
I stare down the road like he’ll miraculously appear. Gwen’s voice slips into the crevices of my mind, rebuking me for not waiting, for not doing more to reconnect with him.
Old friends or not, who the hell would want to talk to me, mess and all? Besides, it begins with a conversation, then the egg hunt. Then he’ll ask for a date, the date will lead to a relationship, and then he’ll become a villain like Aaron is and?—
Holy fuck, slow down.
My heart beats so rapidly, it’ll burst through my chest if I’m not careful. My mind got away from me, anxiety driving it to extreme heights where I’m imagining every worst outcome.
Amidst my mini anxiety attack, I miss the person who appears in front of me until his sneer is impossible to ignore. His eyes are more manic than earlier, when he was feigning a guise in front of his friends.
Without speaking a word, I whirl on my heel to get away. He’s quick in grabbing my elbow, though, his fingers pinching me tight enough to gain my submission. For now, at least. After a hopeful scan of the area, I realize, depressingly, no one’s around to overhear or help.
“What the fuck do you want, Aaron?”
“You went to my uncle yesterday morning. Bad form. Keep acting like this, and I’ll have to remind you what little power you have.”
I jerk my arm away, bringing my purse between us as a form of defence. “After three creepy notes, I’m sick of whatever game this is.”
“Again with the notes.” His lips pull to the side in a smirk, but knowledge from a relationship with him proves he’s masking a lie, even though we’re alone.
“I know your handwriting. Leave me alone, Aaron.” I despise how my tone slips into old apprehensions. “What’s the purpose, anyway? You cheated on me, bankrupted me. Why the hell would you want to get back together?”
He sways closer, his unfocused gaze latching onto the ground. It’s then I smell what I missed before: the spicy whiff of alcohol burning my nose. He’s drunk. “Because you’ve always been mine, Payton. I was all your firsts, and I’ll sure as hell be your lasts too. You even think of letting another man touch what’s mine, I’ll gut him. And then you for being a whore.”
Fear has my blood racing, but I find enough strength to push him away, knowing very well I could be initiating a fight I won’t win— especially after his pitiful threats went full force into a real threat. “You’re drunk. Go home and sleep it off, and I’ll pretend none of this happened.” Fat chance, but I’ll give anything to end this conversation.
He sneers, his hand quick when he snatches my arm and drags me closer, our bodies touching for the first time in a year. I gag, both from the smell of alcohol and everything else to do with this cheating asshole.
“Only because you asked so nicely. I’ll see you tonight. Sweet dreams.”
Tonight?
My heart hammers as I watch him turn and walk away, disappearing around the corner. Tonight… What the fuck will tonight bring?
Out of seemingly nowhere, a black truck pulls up to the curb, its idling rumbles tuning every other noise out, even that of my racing mind. The passenger window rolls down, and I know whose face will appear even before he leans across the console.
“Fancy meeting you here, Thorne. Get in. I’ll drive you home.”