Page 28 of Haunted

The bell over the front door jingled as one group of diners left while another entered. There was no rest for the weary.

“I wouldn’t mind taking a little of his goodness,” Jade muttered, her gaze swaying to the group of newcomers waiting to be seated.

On instinct, I followed her line of sight, nearly choking on my saliva when I saw who’d piqued her interest. For almost two months, I’d meticulously avoided going to places near the college so I wouldn’t come in contact with Chase, but it appeared my luck had just run out.

Goosebumps skated down my spine when Mitzy seated him and his two sidekicks in my section. I recognized them immediately. In the weeks leading up to my expulsion, they took great pleasure in my torment. Bullying was their weapon of choice, seeing as they lacked the required brain cells combined to form a complete sentence. They were everywhere; following me around campus. One time, theyknocked into me so hard I had road rash on my hands and knees from where I’d skidded across the asphalt parking lot.

Well, they were in for a rude awakening. I wasn’t the same naïve girl they were used to harassing. Something snapped inside of me that day in the dean’s office, when my hopes and dreams were ripped out from underneath me like an old rug. Now, I was all out of fucks to give or at the very least, I’d put on the performance of a lifetime.

Tapping out a quick text to Keaton letting him know how much I wished he were here, I shored up my defenses and marched my ass to their table, as if their very presence didn’t have me quaking in my bargain basement sneakers.

“Welcome to Over Easy. Can I get you something to drink while you look at the menu?”

“Coffee and water for each of us, sweet Henley,” Chase cooed, licking his lips while his eyes stayed firmly fixed on my breasts.

Whirling around, I came close to crashing straight into Jade, who’d followed me to their table. She frowned, but thankfully didn’t say a word until we were far enough away where we couldn’t be overheard.

“My creep-o-meter just spiked off the charts. What the hell happened back there?”

Retrieving three mugs and glasses, I ignored her question; not because I was being rude, I simply didn’t have an answer.

“Henley.”

Her voice was so quiet I barely heard her over the clattering of dishes and boisterous conversations from the busy restaurant in the background. When her gentle hand landed on my shoulder, a shudder ran through my body. I’d been preparing to lie, to—once again—hide from the truth, but when I glanced in her direction, there was no mistakingthe concern etched across her face. It was the kind of look I was used to seeing from Mom and Nana, or even the girls here at Over Easy, but since I’d never had a close friendship with a woman my own age, I was taken aback.

“Henley, talk to me. I get it, we haven’t known each other long, but I consider you my friend. And as my friend, I need to know which one of those pricks I’m spilling this hot coffee on. Accidentally, of course.”

She winked and I lost it. Throwing my head back, I laughed so hard my stomach muscles ached.

“God, I think I love you.”

“Whew,” she wiped her forehead with a hand, “that’s a relief. It’d be pretty awkward if my only friend thought I was nuts.”

“You could be batshit crazy for all I care.”

“So what’s the deal?”

While we finished pouring their drinks, I took a chance and laid it all on the line; skimming briefly over my mom’s death, being kicked out of school, and finally meeting Keaton.

“Holy shit, Henley. Does your new guy know all this?

“Yup,” I popped the P.

“Oh boy.” Her mouth slowly spread into a mile-wide grin. “I can’t wait to watch it all play out.”

Picking up the tray filled with beverages, I pivoted back around, cocking my head to the side. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Keaton’s a fed, right?”

“So?” Throwing my shoulders back, I lifted my chin and blew out a breath before moving in the direction of the assholes’ table. The faster we got their order, the quicker they’d get the hell out, I hoped.

She glanced toward the front door as we walked,another group of patrons setting off the bell as they entered. “He wouldn’t happen to be super gorgeous, incredibly tall, and looks like he could kill somebody with his pinkie finger, does he?”

Following her gaze, my steps faltered when I connected with Keaton’s heated ebony stare.He was wearing all black—his signature color—and looked even more delicious than he had when he kissed me goodbye that morning.

Unfortunately, I lost track of where I was and ran smack into the front of the table. Like the universe had heard our conversation and decided to take matters into her own hands, all three glasses of water tipped over the edge of the tray, releasing their contents directly into the lap of my worst nightmare.

Chase pushed out of the booth, knocking the tray out of my hand onto the floor, shoving me backward in the process. Thankfully the jeans I wore took the brunt of the hot coffee, though some of it splattered up onto my arms.

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