9. Jace
NINE
JACE
The hurt on her face nearly broke me. I hadn’t meant to leave so abruptly, but after her confirmation, leaving was the only way to not reveal all my secrets. The only reason I didn’t act before we’re both ready.
Once night falls and I feel she’s tucked into bed, I leave a note on her porch for her to find in the morning.
I’m feeling hungry, little rabbit. Up to our own personal egg hunt?
Be on the lookout Saturday for further instructions.
If only I could witness her finding it, but coming by in the morning might mean being unable to walk away.
On my way back to my truck parked way down the road, movement in the bushes catches my attention. The cool night air makes my breath visible as white clouds and I pause, scanning the area again for what’s most likely a bird or small animal.
Still…my nerves tense, and I find myself striding in the direction I heard the noise from, hands sliding out from my pockets in case it’s something more dangerous than a small creature.
At the bush, there’s nothing obvious, and I scan the surrounding area before glancing back to Payton’s house, not enjoying the sensation of something being wrong . Having had enough, I decide I can’t leave her and double back, remaining in the treeline close to the house to keep an eye on things…just in case.
It’s hours later when I accept it must have been a squirrel or other small animal and head home, knowing work tomorrow will fucking suck after a short night’s rest.
Brad bounds behind me as I head for my truck after dismissing the guys for an hour-long lunch break. On the passenger seat, I grab the rag, wiping sweat, dirt, and hopefully exhaustion from my brow before replacing my hat and heading for the driver’s side. As I thought last night, by the time I returned home, showered, ate, and settled, sleep was too short to handle today.
By the time I’m behind the wheel, Brad’s slipping into the passenger seat. “I assume you’re going for lunch at Fawn’s, and it’s been forever since I had a grilled cheese from that place. Figured I’d tag along and watch you make an ass out of yourself over the pretty waitress.”
“Shut your mouth.” I shove his arm, his joke stoking my jealousy. He has no right thinking of Payton like that.
“Testy.”
Thankfully, his focus switches, mainly commenting on his wife’s hourly bathroom breaks all night and complaining about our lumber delivery, which was supposed to arrive this morning but is now delayed until after the holidays.
The complaints carry us inside the diner, where I immediately seek out Payton. She’s serving a family across the room, her movements jerky and hair frazzled as she heads to another table to fill mugs. There’s some twenty tables in the diner, and over half of them are filled, the restaurant a buzz of conversation in every volume possible.
“Busy,” Brad comments, leading us toward two free stools at the counter.
Payton spots us while cleaning a table before carrying a mountain of plates and cups to the back room. She returns after a moment, her breath a series of short puffs as she scrambles for her pad and pen in her apron’s pocket.
“Hey, sorry, what can I get you?” She glances back and forth, waiting for one of us to speak. I let Brad go first, studying her for any sign she’s hurt about last night.
“Grilled cheese and coffee for me, please.”
“Same,” I say, “and a glass of water.”
“Got it.” She jots it all down and quickly rushes to the back, presumably to put our order in with Jim. She’s back quickly, carrying a tray of food to another table.
“Jesus, you have it bad.”
“Fuck off.” There’s more I want to say, but Payton slips behind the counter again, reaching for two mugs and a glass to fill our drink orders.
“Sorry for the delay,” she murmurs, eyes low. She hasn’t looked at me yet, giving me the sense she is still bothered by yesterday—making me feel even shittier. She has no fucking idea how tempted I was to take our reunion, then skip over friendship and straight into having her ride me on that blue couch of hers.
I bring my mug close, and Brad takes his, but I nudge the water her way. “Drink,” I demand. “You’re run off your feet.”
She takes the cup with a smile before placing it onto her side of the counter and rushing to the back at a chime.
On and on it goes while Brad and I sip our coffees. He talks about the upcoming holiday while I visually stalk Payton. We were the last customers to enter for the lunch rush, so the last to get our food, which is perfectly fine since it means she’ll finally be free to stay in one place.
“I’m sorry.” She sets two plates in front of us before glancing at the clock. “You probably don’t have a lot of time to eat.”
“Good thing he’s boss,” Brad mutters with a nudge to my ribs. “Gets to decide when we start working and all that.”
While it may be true, the rest of the guys will return at one, so it’d look bad if we don’t. Besides, I’d rather do what we can today, considering the upcoming holidays and delivery delays.
“This place is packed, and we’re fast eaters. No worries.”
With a grateful nod, she goes and cleans up a few of the now-abandoned tables as people slowly finish their meal and leave. Brad and I finish eating, and Payton returns to ring up our bill. Before she finishes at the register, I slide her a fifty-dollar bill.
“I’ll get you change.”
“Don’t. It’s yours.”
Brad snorts while pretending to be suddenly interested in the cheap decorations, most notably, a plastic bunny nearby.
“Your total is just over twenty. You can’t give me a thirty-dollar tip.” She continues staring at the money like it’ll bite her.
“It’s already done. Get the change, Payton.”
Shockingly, she obeys, returning with two bills.
Her teeth scrape over her bottom lip, her inner battle wavering as she murmurs, “I don’t want your handouts just ’cause you know the truth.”
I take the cash before reaching for her, slipping a finger between the apron’s tie and using it to drag her close enough to slip the bills into her front pocket, lingering for a few seconds because I can’t help myself.
“They’re not a handout. They’re for being a kick-ass waitress.”
Her cheeks flush. “It’s not that difficult to bring people food.”
“It is dealing with the assholes people can sometimes be. Need I remind you about yesterday?”
“Fine,” she mutters with an eye roll that does things to me. It’s cute she thinks she had a choice.
A brief check of my phone tells me time is up, so I lift to my feet, Brad following me up. He takes my stare as a hint and shoots Payton a two-fingered salute. “See you around.”
“Bye,” she replies as he walks away, her attention lingering on me.
Once the door chimes shut behind him, I finally have her all alone. I want to ask about the note, but that’d defeat the purpose in anonymity. I also want to reassure her she didn’t scare me off last night—not in the way she assumes, anyway. I ran because I was scared to touch her before we’re both ready, and if I touched her, I wouldn’t stop.
But I don’t say any of that. Instead, my hands go for her apron again to pull her flush against the counter while leaning as close as I can. My fingers linger by her cheek, tracing skin so fucking soft, I can already imagine what she’ll look like beneath the moon. I tuck a few stray strands of hair around her ear before tracing down her jawline, pausing by her mouth.
“I’ll be seeing you soon, Payton.”
Outside, I nearly collide with someone passing the diner, and it’s his face that makes me wish I pushed the door open with more impact. Aaron Bennett sneers.
“She wasn’t yours then, and she isn’t now. She always comes back to me, so stop sniffing around.”
My fingers link into his shirt, and I yank him closer, aware of the slowing cars driving by anticipating a fight they’ll no doubt report to his uncle, the chief of police. Since we’re in public, I limit myself to a single statement, because I’ll be damned if the asshole gets me arrested for assault before tomorrow. The tiny police force will get such a hard-on for finally receiving actual work, I won’t see the outdoors for at least a day—and I’d miss my own hunt.
“Stay the fuck away from her. I’ll do more for her than you ever could. For one, I’ll fuck her in ways she’ll actually enjoy.”
Red creeps up his neck, and he pushes away, his fist swinging but easily impeded. “Fuck you. You know nothing about us. She’s a goddamn whore who can’t?—”
I don’t let him finish, hauling him closer, so he can see how fucking serious I am when it comes to her. A quick glance shows no one but Brad is paying attention, his amused face practically pushed against the passenger window of my truck.
“You say one more damn thing against her, and she’ll be gifted your teeth as a necklace. Do not test me.”
“You’re all talk, Hayes. You won’t do shit. I can have your business shut down like that.” He snaps his fingers, the reminder of what his daddy’s money, as town mayor, could be capable of with just cause.
“You touch my business or Payton, and it’ll be the last thing you do.”
Before I act on those dreams and ruin ones that’ll hopefully come true tomorrow, I release him and head for my truck.