Page 33 of Fierce-Matt
“Three hundred and eighty-seven each.”
“Sweet,” Justin said. “Good day.”
Justin put the money in his apron.
She knew the salary wouldn’t be high if she worked full time here, but the tips would more than make up for it.
She’d get medical insurance on top of it rather than paying for it herself.
It was something to consider for the short term once she got her parents’ business sold.
No, she thought to herself.
There she was always thinking short term and not her future.
That was how she ended up not doing what was sustainable long term.
“Are you leaving now?” she asked Matt when he moved off the bar.
“As I said, no reason to stay.”
He looked so out of place sitting there in his work wear.
No tie or suit jacket. She’d bet he’d left them in his car.
But his pink button-down shirt made him look like a man who was confident in himself enough to wear a toga to Sunday mass.
He didn’t seem to care if he stood out.
Or that he was letting her know the reason he stopped in for a beer.
She had her purse on her, her money stuffed in there while she clutched it tight in front of her.
Just a habit more than anything.
Matt ended up next to her walking out. When they cleared the noise of the people, she said, “Thank you for being so good with my father.”
“You’re welcome,” he said. “I can’t imagine how hard it is to see him like that.”
“You have no idea. He was having a good day too.”
“I always liked your mother,” he said. “She was nice to me.”
“She liked you,” she said.
“More than her daughter did, I’m sure.”
It was the dry tone he used. His smile was gone.
His shine too.
Wounded Matt was tugging at her heartstrings.
“I told you why,” she said.
“And I said I’m sorry.”
“I believe you are. What’s going on? You seem down. It can’t be because I’m not giving you what you want.”
