Page 140 of A Little Tempting

I ramble off the specials as well as some of my favorite menu items while ignoring the persistent stare from Officer Reeves. If I can pretend like he doesn’t exist, I might be able to hold back the bile coating my throat.Might,being the key word. Tonight is not the night to have to deal with him. Not when I already feel like shit.

The drumming in my ears makes it hard to focus, but I manage to write down everyone’s order until Officer Reeves is last.

“Country fried steak for me,” he announces, closing his menu. Instead of handing it to me, he tucks it under his hands and stares up at me expectantly.

With my hand outstretched, I say, “Got it. Now, if I can have the menu?”

“You’ll have to forgive me for dragging my son off to the station the other night.”

Lowering my hand, I slip my pen into my apron and fold my arms. “Why did you?”

“Well, you see, there was a fight, and with his history…” His words trail off, leaving me to fill in the blanks.

Honestly, it’s a little pathetic.

I know what he’s doing. He’s baiting me. Toying with me. Daring me to ask for details. For whatever twisted perspective he has on his son, hoping to scare me away. To make me want to leave him.

“I know everything about his past,” I lie. “And it’s no excuse. Yeah, he made a mistake, but you treated him like a criminal.”

“He is a criminal.”

Frustration bubbles beneath my skin, but I ignore it. “I’ll be right back with your dinner.”

I turn on my heel, ready to get the hell out of here and call it a night, when he calls, “Are you sayin’ you don’t agree with me? Caught him jaywalking the other day and?—”

“That’s nice,” I call over my shoulder.

“What about him killin’ his own mother?” he yells. “Doesthatmake him a criminal?”

A stone drops in my gut, and I face him again, keeping my head held high as the last of my patience evaporates into thin air. “Is that what you tell people? He killed his mom?”

His face is blotchy and red, his upper lip curling. “It’s the truth.”

“Bullshit.” Giving him one more glare, I turn to McDonnell. “She died in childbirth, but I’m not surprised your partner is so fucking delusional he believes an accident involving an infant constitutes murder since he spent the following eighteen years torturing his son physically, emotionally, verbally, and who knows what else? The fact he still holds a badge and has any right to carry a weapon in this town is not only absolutely disgusting, but so is the fact people like you clearly see how unhinged he is, yet you cover for him. Brushing off his shitty behavior under the guise of…what, exactly? Protecting your own? Well, call me crazy, but I think innocent children should probably be a priority, don’t you? Now, if you’ll excuse me.” My legs feel like Jell-O, but I force them to carry me away from the table while Reeves’ dad curses at me. Or at least, I think it’s what he’s doing. My throbbing headache drowns out his insults, and for once in my life, I’m grateful for it. Heading to the kitchen, I give the cook their order, then find Finley in her section.

When she sees me, her eyes widen. “Hey, are you okay?”

“I need to go home.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just…” I force my breaths to lengthen, terrified I might actually pass out. Tonight is not the night for a confrontation with Reeves’ asshole of a father. But even then, I can’t get his stupid comment out of my head.

What about him killin’ his own mother? Doesthatmake him a criminal?

Fucking asshole.

“Dylan?”

“Take over for me?” I dig my fingers into my forehead where the sharpest point of pain radiates, adding, “I don’t know who you have to tell or whatever, but I have a migraine and?—”

“I get it.” She rubs her hand along my back and pulls out her phone, requesting an Uber for me while guiding me to the front of the restaurant. When we reach the hostess table, she gives the girl at the front the license plate number to look for, then passes me off to her. “Go. I’ll take care of everything here.”

“Thanks, Fin.”

“I got your back, Jack.”

36

---