Page 2 of Catch and Release

And, well, Willa couldn’t stand for that level of entitlement.

“Willa?” Charlie tentatively asked. “You ok?”

Willa had forgotten she was there.

“I’m okay,” she responded, her voice hard. “I’ll be right back.”

Willa strode across the street. As she approached the outdoor hostess stand, she took a deep breath and thanked the universe that Becky was working.

“Is that…?” Becky trailed off as Willa approached.

Willa was a regular at Chadwick’s. Most of the staff knew her. Her apartment was right across the street, and she loved to have brunch here on the weekends or read a book here on weekday afternoons. So of course she’d brought her boyfriend a few times. Not all the wait staff knew him, but a few of them did. One of them was Becky.

“Yes, it is,” Willa responded, and Becky’s face went white. “Can I deliver some waters or something to their table?”

Becky bit her lip.

“I’m all for payback, but are you sure that’s the best idea?”

“I’m not going to make a scene,” Willa said. “Not in front of his daughter. But I’m also not going to let him get away with this. He just needs to know that I know.”

Becky nodded and flagged a waiter named José over.

“Willa, is that Leo?” José asked.

Willa nodded, shaking with rage.

God, Leo was playing with fire. Why had he come here? Sure, she usually slept in on Sundays when she didn’t have to teach a yoga class, so it was a fair guess that she wouldn’t see him here. But he was practically begging to get caught.

“Get her waters to take to their table,” Becky said, shortly after nudging him and giving him a pointed look.

José raised his eyebrows but said nothing. He reappeared a couple of minutes later with a tray of water glasses. Willa took it from him steadily, even though she’d never waited tables, and weaved through chairs until she reached Leo and his family. She started to place the drinks down in front of them, but neither of them looked up at her.

“What a lovely family you all are,” Willa said cheerfully.

Leo stiffened immediately. His eyes darted to her. His lips formed an “oh,” and then he slammed his mouth shut in an instant.

His eyes widened.

He cleared his throat.

“Thank you,” his wife said kindly, without noticing her husband’s odd behavior.

“Celebrating anything special today?” Willa asked.

“It’s our daughter’s birthday,” she said, turning to her daughter. “How old are you, Ella?”

Ella scrunched up her face like she was thinking very hard, then she showed Willa two fingers.

“Two!” Ella shrieked.

Willa was right.

That motherfucker.

“Aww, well happy birthday, sweet Ella!” Willa said, her eyes burning with unshed tears of anger and sadness for this innocent little girl. And for herself. “Two years! That’s a very long time to do anything, let alone grace the world with your lovely presence. And look how big you are! I would’ve guessed you were three.”

Leo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Willa smirked at him, then turned her attention back to his wife. She really couldn’t leave well enough alone; she had to know for sure what she’d gotten herself into.

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