Page 5 of Obsessions of the Heart

The door dinged as I put on my blue apron and called out to Mel, “You just keep those stoves running, and I’ll handle it out here, old man.”

He chuckled at my back. “Alright, sweets. You holler if you need anything, you hear?”

I nodded even though I knew I could take care of myself.

I turned just in time to see a pair of familiar greasy eyes that trailed down my body. “Hey, Layrin baby. How you been?”

My smile became forced, and I gripped a couple of menus as some of Finn’s boys came into view to back him up. “Fine,” I said in a clipped tone, moving around the station to motion to one of the bigger booths in the back. “I’ll put you at your usual.”

Finn stepped up right behind me, his breath hot on my neck, and I resisted the urge to scratch it. Setting the menus on the table, I turned to leave. “I’ll be back to take your drink, or—”

As his boys filed into the booth, Finn grabbed my wrist and tugged me closer. “Someday, I want you to join me in one of these booths as my girl. I bet you would like that, huh?” His body crowded around mine, but I kept my stance, not backing down like I knew he wanted. He whispered along my neck, and his overpowering cologne filled my lungs, making me want to gag. “I can give you more than you’ve ever had, darlin’.”

“No, thank you. I'm not interested in dating.” I kept my tone firm and curt before backing up and going to the kitchen. “I’ll be back to take your order.” I purposely walked slowly, back straight and my chin high. I was not about to let that fucking drug dealing wannabe gangster get one up on me. No matter how much money he waved in my face, I wasn’t about to be his “girl.” That just made my insides crawl.

The second my hand landed on the kitchen door, the jingle of the bell brought me back to the hostess stand.

“I know I'm late. I know!” A flash of curly blonde hair zoomed past me as Vivian chucked her little blue crossbody bag under the counter. She snagged an apron, furiously tying it on before she turned those baby blues my way. She threw her hands up, exasperated. “I’m done with Jimmy, by the way. Kicked him out. Fuck him. Fuck him in the ass!” She barreled past me to grab a mug off the shelf, pouring herself some coffee before doctoring it with so much sugar and cream that it made me wonder if it was even coffee anymore.

I didn't say a word about her tantrum. We had the whole day shift together, with her manning the bar counter while I took the booths and tables, so I knew she would eventually tell me everything once she calmed down.

She took a sip of her sugar and cream with a hint of coffee, closing her eyes for a second of reprieve before scanning the room. She rolled her eyes when they got to Finn and his crew in the back, unable to hide her disgust. “Ugh! Can’t we just tell them that we don’t serve slimy, disgusting pricks?”

I motioned to the door when the bell jingled, one of her regulars coming in and moving to the counter down the way. I huffed out a laugh. “I don’t think we can just turn someone away because they’re a dick. If only the world worked like that.” I winked at her before leaving to make the rounds at my tables.

For the next hour, I actively tried to avoid Finn’s table, only delivering curt questions and answers when I had to for service. His slimy, sickening gaze followed me while I worked my section. I wished he would just give up. I’d told him no a million times, but it hadn't stuck in that thick skull of his.

The regulars that I was fond of made up for having to deal with him. Earl, from the machine shop down the road, kept calling me back to refill his coffee. He would stroke his long beard as he mean mugged Finn’s table. Mrs. Mary, a forty-year-old blonde nurse, kept calling me over, asking me random questions to keep me away from that table. Every once in a while, Mel would bellow for me, and I would rush to the kitchen only for him to say he’d “forgotten” what he needed.

All the support made the hour Finn was here bearable, but as soon as they got up to leave, Finn sought me out, grabbed my hand, and kissed it. My insides knotted up in disgust. “I want to take you out, Layrin. I want to get you out of this hell hole and help you shine like the diamond you are.”

Yanking my hand back, resisting the urge to wipe it, I gave him a curt smile. “I like it here. Have a good day, Finn.” Then I booked it around the corner and into the kitchen before he could say another word. Mel was waiting, bat in hand, as he watched the door just in case Finn tried to follow me.

Vivian’s loud voice belted, “Bye, Finn. Have a good day!” I heard an angry scoff, then he mumbled under his breath about punching that loud bitch. I swore if he tried to hurt Vivian, I would grab one of the kitchen knives and stab him. I didn’t care. I’d bet the whole diner would turn their eyes away and tell the cops nothing.

“He’s gone,” Vivian whispered through the kitchen counter. Mel’s eyes burrowed into mine, wordlessly asking if I was okay.

I shrugged, giving him a wry smile because this was my life—bad luck and bad people wherever I went. Ducking out before Mel had a chance to lay into me, I was met with a different kind of trouble, the Vivian kind.

“When is that fucker going to take no for a fucking no! What an asshole!” she huffed, glancing at the door and biting her lip like she was debating doing something stupid. Something that could get her hurt. I had to turn this conversation around fast.

“So, what happened with Jimmy?” She whirled around, exploding into a fit of rage, her arms flying around everywhere. She’d caught him cheating on her with her cousin who lived down the hallway from them. To be honest, I could’ve predicted it. Her cousin was known for being easy, and she had always been very jealous of Vivian’s natural beauty.

Cue the typical bitch move to try to steal something from her. Partner her cousin’s jealousy with her horndog boyfriend, and it was a readymade disaster. The only thing that didn't make sense was that Vivian was so far and above Jimmy he should’ve been kissing the ground she walked on.

Vivian was gorgeous—beyond gorgeous for this kind of neighborhood. Her bright blonde curly hair flowed and bounced, just like in the movies. Her swirling crystal blue eyes were easy to fall into. She had this adorable button nose, high cheekbones, and lashes so long you had to wonder if they ever prevented her from seeing. To top that all off, she was fun, expressive, and criminally loyal.

“Good riddance. You deserved better than that douchebag.” The side of her mouth quirked up, but her eyes spoke the echoes of disbelief.

She didn't think she deserved better. She had grown up as the bastard child of an New York elite executive and his mistress. It was all good when he was spending money on her and her mom, living the good life… until his wife found out. She promised to rain down hell on them, and she did. Vivian’s dickhole father did nothing, claiming that her mom had always known the deal, and he would never leave his rich, powerful, and well-bred wife for a pretty face and a nice ass.

So he let his wife have her vengeance. She pushed Vivian and her mom into poverty until they moved states away where her mom had family, never to be acknowledged by him again. They had scrimped and scraped to get by until her mom was diagnosed with cancer and died a year ago.

“Right?!” She laughed, but it sounded hollow and forced.

I hated to see her like this, so bummed out over a stupid fucker like Jimmy. He was an unemployed waste of space, sucking up all her funds while she worked two jobs to keep a roof over their heads. Whenever I told her to leave him, she would always give the excuse that he had stayed with her while her mom was sick. Had been there to hold her when she was crying and sad at night.

Knowing that I needed to take advantage of this break-up before she caved and took him back, I blurted out something very unlike me. “Let's go out tonight! We’ll find you a new man to get under.” She cocked an eyebrow, and I amended my statement. “Or over. Depending on your mood, of course.”

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