Page 84 of Grounded
"Hey, we made $50. Sure you don't want to split it?"
"Nope, managers don't get tipped out. But wow, $50? I've never gotten that much in a day. What are you doing, giving away free drinks?"
I've had it with the hostile behavior. She hasn't been friendly or even kind to me since day one, and I'm over it.
"Okay, what's wrong? Do you not like me? You don't even know me."
She gives me a onceover and clicks her tongue.
"I haven't decided yet."
"Are you holding it against me because my stepb—I mean, Theo—stopped texting you?"
"That's none of your business."
"Great, well, I'm too old for this drama, okay?"
I walk away and put the $50 in my pocket right as Theo enters the store.
"Wonderful," I groan under my breath.
Tawny sees him enter and practically runs to the back. Second shift can take his order; I've already clocked out.
Maybe he's here to get a coffee and leave. Maybe he wants to reconcile with Tawny because he got a taste of me, literally, and decided I'm not worth it.
I’m beginning to realize my self-esteem has gone to shit thanks to Beckett. Maybe I need to stop inventing scenarios in my head and get out of here.
I take off my black apron and throw it into the bin where they get washed at the end of the night. I've been bringing a change of clothes with me because I'm sick of coming home smelling like dried milk and coffee.
Going to the back of the store to our private bathroom, I remove my sticky jeans and put on the one pair of shorts I've been wearing these sweltering days. I pull out a flowy tank top and toss my worn clothes into my oversized purse.
Before I leave the store, I grab the iced coffee I made myself for the end of my shift. I'm going to need caffeine if I plan on surviving the rest of the day.
To my surprise, Theo is on the other side of the store, watching me.
I feel his gaze travel up my bare legs. I'd adjust my shorts to ensure they're not too short, but the insecure gesture would be noticed immediately. I don't need Theo homing in on my fragile ego. I'm still trying to process what the hell happened last night.
I grab a straw and head for the door, unsure if Theo is waiting for me or wishing to drink his coffee in peace.
But right as I'm about to step through the open door and let it shut behind me, Theo runs after me. "Hey, can we talk?"
My iced coffee all but disintegrates in the heat.
"What do you want to talk about?" I ask as I put on my sunglasses. The temperature outside is vastly different from the glorious AC inside Roasted.
Theo's proximity to me is closer than I'm used to, especially in public. We keep a fair amount of distance between us on even good days, so I'm thrown off by how near his chest is to my face.
Theo has at least eight to nine inches on me. He's built solid, you can tell by the way he carries himself. I'd be violently knocked down by the rough ocean waves crashing in the distance. But Theo could shatter each cresting break with his shoulder and power through the water.
"Can we talk somewhere else?" he asks.
"Yeah, let's walk the sea wall," I suggest.
My heart is beating ferociously in my chest, and caffeine is the last thing I need at the moment, but what the hell could we talk about? Maybe he's moving out?
Theo's long legs are about to take off sprinting while my short legs and tired feet are strolling at a leisurely pace.
"I have a favor to ask you, and yes, I know it's weird."
