Page 53 of The One I Hate
“Oh. Ouch.” He steps away, holding his heart as if I hurt him, but the smile on his face says otherwise. “This is going to be so much fun.”
“Just leave me alone, Simon. I’m going to be here and living here and working here. I’d like to just run my restaurant without having to worry about you.”
He shrugs and leans back in. “Can’t do that, Bug. Sorry. Welcome to Rolling Hills.”
And with that Simon strolls out of the diner like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
Asshole.
“Oh, this is good,” Mona says with a laugh.
“What is good?”
She nods to the door. “You and Simon. I didn’t know you two knew each other. I also didn’t know for a second there if y’all were going to fuck or fight.”
My eyes go wide, a little taken aback by Mona’s phrasing. Also wondering if somehow she knows. “Fight, Mona. Definitely fight.”
“Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night.”
“You have it all wrong,” I say as Mona comes around and takes a seat next to me. “He’s my mortal enemy.”
“You keep telling yourself that,” she says with a laugh. “I know I need to retire and take a vacation, but this makes me want to stick around. I’d love to see how that plays out.”
Chapter 13
Simon
“Holy shit, it’s packed in here.”
I look over to Oliver and Izzy, who are trying to push their way next to me and the rest of the crew who have gathered at Mona’s for her final day of operation.
“Why are you late?” I ask. The festivities started ten minutes ago with a speech from the mayor—which is still going on.
“We got…busy,” Oliver says.
“Oh, the honeymoon stage,” Wes says, slapping his back. “Nothing like it.”
“How many honeymoon stages does he get?” Shane asks. “The oops wedding? The upcoming, kind-of real wedding? The engagement that’s not really an engagement?”
“As many as we want,” Oliver says, pulling Izzy to him for a quick kiss. He doesn’t let her go as she stands in front of him, his arms wrapped around her waist. He’s probably doing it because the man would touch his wife twenty-four-seven if he could. But in reality, it’s necessary for how many people are packed in here.
I think every person who is living in Rolling Hills is in attendance. It’s likely a fire hazard, but considering the fire chief is now shaking the mayor’s hand to begin his speech about how many years Mona has served him and his crew, I doubt he’skicking anyone out. We’re in the back, which is good. I wanted to blend in today, which is not normally my mode of operation. But today is about Mona.
And about Bug, who’s officially being introduced to the town of Rolling Hills.
“Which one is she?” Oliver whispers.
“The one next to the counter,” Shane answers.
“Cute,” Oliver says. “Different from the normal girls he goes for. But also seems completely like someone he’d pursue.”
“Right? That’s what I thought,” Shane says in an excited tone I’ve never heard from him in all our years of friendship. “When we met her at the taste testing, I was confused, knowing the women we’ve seen him with. But then when they started talking, I knew something was between them. There were sparks. I saw them with my own eyes.”
“Shut the fuck up.” I slap Shane on the arm, which makes the entire crew laugh.
“What’s the matter, Simon?” Wes asks. “Not so much fun when you’re on the receiving end of the jabs?”
“Will you three shut your traps?” I whisper-yell, not wanting to draw attention to us. Though I can’t help but glance at Charlie for likely the fiftieth time today. She’s only caught me twice though. Which I think is a pretty good success rate.
