Page 30 of Wasted Memories
The waitress at the front walked away with a family of four to seat them, so I rested my arm on the counter, tapping my fingers to an invisible beat while I waited for her to come back. Emerson was walking past when she saw me, stopping in her tracks. My fingers paused their thrumming, catching the worried expression on her face before she pasted on a smile.
“Table for one?” She tried to sound cheery but it seemed like something was off. Maybe she felt awkward after our conversation?
“To-go order. I can wait for your coworker to grab it if you’re busy. I don’t want to bother you.”
She walked behind the counter, checking the names on the bags of food before grabbing the one for me. “Not a bother at all. I can ring you up.” Squinting at the receipt, she read off how much I owed. I handed her the cash, not missing the way her fingers slightly trembled.
She counted off my change and held it out for me, but she let go before I could grab the coins balancing on the bills. They clattered to the floor, bouncing in all directions. “Shit, sorry.” She crouched down to pick them up as I did the same.
I grabbed a few coins before looking at her with the intention of telling her she didn’t need to be sorry, but the words disappeared from the tip of my tongue. My eyes were glued to the purple fingerprints dotting her upper arm. She must’ve not realized her jacket had fallen off her shoulder because she didn’t move to fix it.
“Emerson.” My jaw was clenched so tight I could hear my teeth creak as they threatened to break.
She didn’t acknowledge I’d said her name as she gathered the last of the change. She held it out to me when she saw my expression, where my eyes were fixed. She followed my gaze to her arm. “Who did this to you?” I knew the answer, but I wanted her to admit it. She couldn’t stay with him. Not with fucking bruises on her arm barely a few days after her cheek was painted blue.
She quickly fixed her coat and stood up. She placed the change on the counter and went to walk away.
“Emerson, wait.” I could see her shoulders tense as I stood up as well. “Was it Jett?” My voice was barely above a whisper, trying not to bring attention to us. I didn’t have to ask her that question because I was one hundred percent sure it was him. I just needed confirmation before I planned how to fucking kill him.
Hurt flashed in her eyes before she looked away. “I can’t talk right now, Wes. I’m on the clock.”
“Then talk to me after. What time do you get off?”
She gave me this pleading look that read “this is none of your business.” I mean, she was right. It wasn’t. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t at least try to be there for her. Did she really expect me to just stand by and watch as new bruises formed on her body every day?
“I don’t need your help. Can you please just respect that?” She was asking for respect from the wrong guy, but I wasn’t going to point that out.
There was no point in fighting it. “Alright. See you around then.”
I walked out with the food and brought it back to Jim’s shop. I told them they could have my sandwich because I had to leave early to take my cat to the vet.
I didn’t have a cat.
Emerson would be seeing me around sooner than she probably thought.
Chapter Fifteen
Wesley
“Holyshit,Wesley.”Emersonhad her hand on her chest like she was trying to keep her heart from jumping out of it.
“You’re not on the clock now, so talk.” I wasn’t in the mood to dodge around the topic. I’d waited for her to get off work. I wasn’t going to let this go as easily as she wanted me to.
She blew out a breath, shaking her head. “Give me a second to clean up the shit you just scared out of me.”
“Okay, ew?”
She rolled her eyes. “It was a joke. Don’t take it seriously.”
I waited, staring at her expectantly.
“I’m not going to try to lie to you about what happened because I get the sense that you’re a very persistent guy, but I don’t need you trying to protect me from something I don’t need protection from.”
She couldn’t be serious. “It doesn’t seem like that’s the case based on the fifty shades of purple your arm is currently painted.” She narrowed her eyes. “Is it wrong for me to worry about you after witnessing what he did the other night?”
She sighed and sat on the step below the door to the back of the restaurant.
She was nervously twisting her fingers together as she spoke. “Please believe me when I say it's never been this bad until that night in the bar. I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately.”
