Page 11 of Worth the Wait

My girl liked to make elevated comfort food—that was what she always called it. This didn’t seem like her style at all. But maybe I didn’t know her anymore. Maybe she’d changed? It was possible.

I scrolled like a psycho toward the bottom of her feed. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected to see, but my heart raced when I realized all the pictures of us together were still there. At least she hadn’t deleted them.

I wasn’t sure what it meant, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t send a sliver of hope through my body.

Pressing on the Messages app, I read through the last texts we’d sent to one another. I started to type one out, but then I stopped myself and tossed my phone to the end of my bed, out of my grasp.

I’d keep my feelings to myself, the way I’d been doing for the last three years. I refused to be the reason she gave up on her dreams. Even though I used to be one of them.

DAY SHIFTERS

ADDISON

Ifinished getting dressed and marveled at the sunlight streaming in through my window. I always worked nights, closing the restaurant until some ungodly hour. But since there were multiple corporate events booked in the afternoons, I’d gotten a schedule change for the week. It was surprising how that little adjustment excited me.

Pulling open my bedroom door, I stifled the sound I wanted to make at seeing my mother sitting at the table, drinking her coffee. But when I noticed my sister next to her, my mood changed completely.

“Sarina, I work afternoons all week,” I practically shouted.

Her face lit up with my news. I had known she’d be excited.

“Yes! That means you can come out with me. And I mean, starting tonight.” She waggled her eyebrows at me, and I laughed.

“Yep,” I said, popping thePfor emphasis.

My mother finally looked up and acknowledged my existence. She probably wasn’t used to seeing me in the daylight.

“The two of you are going to go out together? To a VIP event? Please tell me you’ll lend your sister some clothes and do her makeup at the very least,” my mother said to Sarina before giving me a once-over.

“I think we all know I can’t fit in Sarina’s clothes.” I wasn’t trying to be a bitch, but Sarina was at least two sizes smaller than I was.

While I ate actual food, I thought my sister existed mostly on air.

“Addison, these events are very important. Your sister always comes home with a new client. And usually a date or two. Oh!”

I watched as my mother’s wheels started spinning inside of her head and knew right away what was coming next.

She reached across the table and grabbed Sarina’s arm. “Maybe you can find someone to set your sister up with. A rich New York guy is just what she needs to change her sour attitude.”

“I don’t need a man to be happy,” I bit back.

“I’m just saying, it would be nice if you could forget that O’Grady boy once and for all. How are you supposed to do that if you never meet anyone new?”

“I’ve met plenty of new people,” I argued because I had. At culinary school. During my externship. At the restaurant.

“Mother”—Sarina gave her a stern look—“I’ve got it covered.”

I hoped my sister was joking, but I had no clue if she was or not. Even after the wink she gave me, I still wasn’t sure.

“All right, well, I’m going to work, and I’ll be back later.”

“I’ll start planning,” Sarina said, and I shook my head as I headed out the door.

The afternoon shift at the restaurant was far less chaotic than the evening one. Tack on the fact that the whole place was shut down for a corporate event, and it was another beast altogether. Albeit a much easier one.

When the party ended and we finally got them to settle the tab and get the hell out, I went to work on cleaning up. Since the evening shift was already here, I had very little to do. It was weird. I’d gotten so used to deep-cleaning the equipment each night that just walking away from it was uncomfortable.

“Go. Your shift’s over, Chef.” Marco gave me a little push. “Don’t forget your food.” He gave me a wink, and I smiled.

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