Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Shaye
“You look happy.” Nate rolls his eyes as he walks by.
“Why do you say it like it’s a bad thing?” I scoop ice into glasses. “I like being happy.”
“I like it when you’re happy too. Except, when someone is happy, that means they’re setting themselves up for being unhappy because the only way to go is down.”
I gasp. “You’re such a downer.”
“More realist, but whatever you think.”
He sits across the bar from the drink station and watches me make an order.
I’m thankful we aren’t too busy tonight. A nearby festival has stolen many of our customers with their live music and fried foods on sticks.
Can’t say I blame them. Fried foods? Yum.
The clock has moved slower than ever since I got here. I swear I look at it every ten minutes. I’ve almost picked up my phone and texted Oliver a dozen times, but I really want to talk to him in person.
Things were left awkwardly between us. I’m not sure how he feels about that. I didn’t return his sentiments for good reason. But now that I know I want to, I want it to be special.
“You look happy,” Paige says, slipping by me.
I laugh. “You and Nate. Why do you both say ‘You look happy’ like it’s a death sentence?”
“You’ve caught me at a weird moment in my life,” she says, tying her waist apron. “But that’s a story for another day.”
“Great.” I make a face at her, undeterred from my quest toward being happy. Forever.
My hand stills over a glass of Coke as I replay my last thought.
Forever.
The thought of forever scares the shit out of me.
I wasn’t sold on the concept when I married Luca, but he was a good salesperson. Even if I didn’t go all-in on the idea of being with him for eternity, I took out a lease. I hoped I’d emotionally upgrade at some point. After all, it was the best thing that had happened to me.
And maybe it would’ve been that way for the rest of my life if Luca hadn’t changed.
But he did. So there’s that.
I place the glasses on a tray.
“Do you know about this mystery boyfriend of hers?” Paige asks Nate.
Nate scowls. “I’ve heard. Not sure I like him.”
“Well, he’s not sure he likes you either,” I say, laughing.
“Really?” Nate furrows his brow. “What’s not to like?”
“Oh, the fact that she works here with you and that you’re great friends—if I were a guessing girl,” Paige says.
I wrinkle my nose at Nate. “Accurate.”
“Well, fuck him. If he has something to say about it, he can say it to my face.”
Paige’s eyes go wide as she looks toward the dining room. “He might just be here to do that.”
“What?” I spin around.
My jaw tumbles to the floor.
I scramble to compose myself—to quiet the thundering of my heart in my ears. But there’s no way to play this off.
He’s here to see me.
Marius’s eyes lock with mine. A slow smile graces his lips.
“Holy shit, Shaye. He’s gorgeous,” Paige whispers, jabbing me with her elbow.
I unwind my gaze with his and turn to Nate. He’s watching me with a careful, knowing eye.
“Need help?” Nate asks, his voice calculated.
“That’s … that’s not Oliver.”
“My question remains.”
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, to run or attempt to defuse the situation that feels more and more like a ticking bomb.
Why is he here? Is he freaking serious?
Nate starts to get up.
“I got this,” I say, motioning for him to sit.
“Who is he?” Nate asks.
“Marius … something or other. I met him at the gala.”
“Oh.” Nate glances at Marius over his shoulder. “Nope. Don’t like him.”
“You don’t even know him.”
Paige giggles. “I like him. I mean, I don’t know what y’all are looking at, but if you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”
Nate glares at her.
She winces. “I’ll just go check on my tables.”
I give her an apologetic smile and turn back to Nate. “I’m going to go talk to him. He sent me thirty roses.”
His eyes shoot to the ceiling.
“I know.” I groan. “I gave them to Paige.”
“How’d Mason take that?”
I hem-haw around the question. Nate doesn’t miss a beat.
“You didn’t tell him?” He pauses, giving me a chance to answer. “Shaye.”
“No, I didn’t tell him. I was going to tell him tonight. I am going to tell him tonight. Right after I apparently tell him Marius came to see me.” I groan again. “I’m going to tell him to leave me alone. Get my point across.”
Nate grins. “I can get that point across.”
I smack his arm. “No. You aren’t hitting him.”
“I didn’t say that.”
Ignoring him, I walk around the corner. “Murray! Can you take these drinks to table sixteen?”
“Sure thing,” he yells back.
I wipe my hands on a towel and then toss it at Nate. He ducks the throw easily, snapping it out of the air and placing it in front of him.
My anxiety creeps up my spine as I get closer to Marius. I have no idea what I could’ve done, or said, to lead him into believing that I wanted flowers or a date. Regardless, he needs to stop this.
“There you are,” he says, his voice smooth. “How are you, Shaye?”
I smile as politely as I can through my nerves. “I’m good.”
“Did you get my flowers?”
We step to the side to allow a couple to walk around us.
“I did,” I say. “They were beautiful and unexpected.”
“I realized that I didn’t leave my contact information on the card.”
This is true. Use it.
“Right. Um, I tried to figure out how to get in touch with you.” I shove a strand of hair behind my ear. “Marius, the flowers were beautiful, as I said, but I’m not sure why you sent them.”
“Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman.”
Nate’s gaze is heavy on my back as I try not to fidget.
“I …” I take a deep breath. “I’m in a relationship with Oliver Mason, Marius. And it’s not appropriate for you to send me flowers or for me to see you like this.”
He looks puzzled. “Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting. Are you sure about that?”
It only takes a second to look in his eyes and know he’s screwing with me. Why? Who knows? I don’t even care.
“It’s really none of your concern either way,” I tell him. “Thank you for the flowers and for coming all the way down here to see me. But I would really appreciate it if you would refrain from doing either thing again.”
I hold my breath and wait for his reaction. The coolness in his eyes scares me, but a smile spreads on his lips. It’s a strange contradiction that I don’t care to work out.
He grins. “I’m disappointed, but I respect your choice.” He slips a hand inside his jacket and pulls out a business card. He hands it to me. “In case you change your mind.”
I don’t know what to do so I take the card.
“For the record,” he says, leaning in close, “Oliver would be a fool not to see that you’re smitten with him.” He presses a kiss to my cheek.
“Marius,” I say, flushing, “I don’t …”
My voice drifts off as something pulls at my attention from the side. I look up and nearly drop the business card.
Oh. My. Gosh.
Ohmygosh!
Oliver is standing next to the door. His hands are curled into fists at his side. His hair is a mess, his eyes tired yet full of fury.
“Oliver!” I call out and step toward him.
He doesn’t move. Twitch. He doesn’t even smile.
His eyes stay on me, following me through the dining room despite Marius standing a few feet back. The closer I get, the depths of the emotions in his eyes become apparent.
It was easier just seeing the fury. It shatters my heart to see the sadness. The disappointment.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice sounding like I just ran a marathon.
Every cell in my body vibrates. The hair on the back of my neck stands. A franticness sweeps through me, and I reach for him, only to have him pull back.
He clears his throat. “I came to see you …” He looks over my shoulder and then back at me. “But it looks like you’re busy.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“What do I think, Shaye?”
He says my name like anyone else. Shaye. The warmth, the honey, the kiss that he usually puts on that one syllable is gone.
“I don’t know what you think, but—”
“Oliver, how are you?” Marius comes to my side.
The tension between the two of them is palpable. I can almost see the air scattering for safety.
“I just came to say hello to Shaye,” Marius says. “I hadn’t heard from her and I wanted to make sure she got the roses that I sent.”
Oliver’s jaw clenches. “Roses, huh?”
Tears lick at my eyes. My vision is blurry through the red-hot water rising quicker than I can blink it away.
“Thirty of them. Kind of hard to miss.” Marius laughs. “But she got them. No worries.”
“Marius, stop,” I beg, my body trembling.
“Stop what?”
“Shaye, don’t,” Oliver warns, his voice ice cold.
“I didn’t want your flowers. I didn’t even keep them.” I look at Oliver, imploring him to listen to me. “I gave them to Paige. She’s over there. You can ask her.”
“Perhaps not.” Oliver’s jaw flexes. “It’s clear that I didn’t read the room correctly at the gala. Again. My focus and attention didn’t satisfy you either. That won’t happen again.”
Marius steps to the side. “I think I’ll be on my way.”
Oliver steps in his path. “If I see you anywhere near her again …”
“What?” Marius asks, glowering down at Oliver. “She didn’t even tell you I sent her flowers. You think she tells you everything?”
Oliver’s face angers even more. His fist starts to rise.
I shrink back. Please don’t hit me.
Another step back.
Please, I didn’t do anything. Just don’t hit me.
Before I’ve taken a breath, out of nowhere, Nate is in my space. “It’s okay. I got you, Shaye.”
He puts his hand on Oliver’s arm, holding it down. Oliver’s head whips to see Nate begging him to say something.
“You two can piss all over each other,” Nate says. “You can either do it outside so I don’t have to clean up the blood. Or you can do it in here so I can knock you both the fuck out, which, in reality, is probably what you both need and deserve.”
“Is that a threat?” Marius asks.
“No, buddy. That’s a fucking promise.” Nate’s body shakes with anger. “Now hit the road while you have two legs to carry you out.”
Marius smirks and disappears out the door.