Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
What he didn’t realize was that I was his. Completely. I had fallen for him without knowing. The day he walked away, I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle it. I would have to leave Niagara Falls and everything behind. The thought of it saddened me. I no longer got excited when I stashed my tip money away. It wasn’t a fund to do something thrilling or save for my future.
It was the fund I would need when I left Aldo and his world behind.
Because, despite his words, I was worried that day would come. I wasn’t sure he would ever be comfortable enough to share his feelings. To completely open up to me. It bothered me, thinking of him alone for the rest of his life.
That made me sadder than anything else.
CHAPTER 12
VI
The deli was crazy tonight—even more so than normal. The weekends were always busy, but it had been particularly warm and people liked to be inside where it was cool. Still, the lingering heat outside made them cranky. I had more than the usual number of complainers tonight. And one man who was seated in my section had been a pain in my ass from the moment he’d sat down. His water wasn’t cold enough. Then I added too much ice. The coffee was too strong. Then tepid. He stared at me incessantly, making me uncomfortable. There was something about his stare that creeped me out. The words thank you and please were not in his vocabulary. He was rude and condescending, barking at me constantly. Wanda had already spoken to him, but we agreed quietly between us he was one of those people who would never be happy. He’d been angry when he walked in, and he was looking for someone to take it out on.
I was the lucky one tonight. All I could do was smile and grit my teeth. He’d be gone soon enough, and I could forget him.
When I slid his burger and onion rings in front of him, he scowled.
“Is there a problem, sir?” I asked politely, adding “dickhead” in my head to the end of the sentence.
“I said extra onions.”
“They added extra, and I will bring you more when I come back with your fries.”
“You call this an order of rings? What are there—six? With the prices you charge, there should be more. What a rip-off joint.” He jerked his thumb toward the casino. “Just like them, the fuckers.”
“Let me fix that for you.”
In the kitchen, I took a deep breath and counted to ten—twice. I got more grilled onions, another plate of rings, the fries, and poured him a fresh coffee. What he thought of this place didn’t matter, and I knew better than to take it personally. But it pissed me off.
And the extras I brought to him didn’t even make him happy. His snippets of complaints became louder.
“You spilled my coffee. What the hell kind of waitress are you?”
He had jostled my arm while I filled the cup. I got him a fresh one.
“This table is wobbly.”
He’d pushed it around so much, one of the feet had fallen off. I had a busboy help me put it back on. There was no way I was kneeling in front of that asshole.
“Who decorated this place? It looks like the fifties threw up in here.”
I resisted telling him his mother had.
“This burger tastes like shit. You’re serving crap.”
Other diners were looking at him, a few glaring. He was bothering everyone and I wanted to tell him to leave, but it wasn’t my place.
Wanda spoke with him again, even comping his meal, but it didn’t help. He became angrier and belligerent. “The fucking casino stacks the decks and fixes the machines so they take all your fucking money, and now they serve shit food too?”
“I’m sorry you’re dissatisfied. Is there anything I can do?” I asked, barely holding on to my temper.
He sat back. “You could get on your knees and suck my dick.”
I heard Wanda gasp, and I was done.
I leaned close. “I doubt I could find it without pepper and tweezers.”
He narrowed his eyes and grabbed my arm, squeezing it tight. “What did you say, bitch?”
I tried to shake off his hold. “You heard me. You can leave now. Your meal is on the house. Don’t worry about a tip.”
He yanked me closer. “You wouldn’t be getting one, you self-righteous little fuck. But I am going to give you something you won’t forget.”
I laughed. “I doubt that.”
“I don’t know who owns this shithole, but I have a thing or two I’d like to tell them.”
A voice spoke up behind me. “Well then, today is your lucky day. I happen to own this shithole, as you call it, and I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter. But first, get your hands off her.”