Page 24 of Still Bruised
A couple of months later…
The train doors swooshed open, and a small crowd jostled out onto the sidewalk—Foster among them. He walked the old cobblestone street a couple of blocks toward the diner to pick up dinner on his way home, as promised. His parents loved that place, but since his dad’s stroke, they went out less often. He pulled his necktie off, tossing his light suit jacket over one arm and shoving the tie into a pocket. The heat was near unbearable. He hadn’t missed the humidity of the East Coast, that was for sure.
As soon as he walked in, he noticed the place was packed and not too terribly much cooler than outside. He hoped he wouldn’t have to wait long. A beer and a shower were calling his name. The second he spied a table full of old friends, he cringed and turned his back to them, hoping none of them had seen him walk in.
Old friends had turned into new bullies.
Though, they hadn’t really been friends back then, if he was honest with himself.
Ashley had called all her old high school friends when she’d learned he’d returned to their hometown and gaveherversion of events, omitting her role in that. As expected. In the weeks since his return, he’d had familiar people cross the road to avoid him or look at him with disgust. Nearly everyone had sided with her and was making his life miserable.
He was nearly thirty-three years old and suddenly felt like he was back in high school again. Only this time, he wasn’t the beloved star quarterback dating the head cheerleader.
“Well, if it isn’t Foster Price,”a voice rang out behind him.
Stiffening, he glanced out of the corner of his eye and was relieved to find Cary Archer sidling up beside him. “Don’t say my name too loud.”
Cary frowned.
Foster nodded toward the corner of the restaurant.
Cary peeked that way. “Gotcha.” He moved a bit closer to Foster. “Your dickhead friends are still dickheads.How surprising.”
Foster rolled his eyes at the sarcastic tone to Cary’s voice. “Not like I picked them. They were my teammates. They came with the jersey.”
“I know you weren’t like them,” Cary murmured. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t call you a friend now.”
Foster smirked. Cary was one of the few who would still speak to him. The only one who’d go out and have a beer or two with himon occasion since he’d been back. Because of that, they’d gotten closer since he’d been home. He was glad to havesomeonestill in his corner until he could figure out where his life went next.
“Didn’t you have an interview today?”
Foster groaned.
“That good, hmm?”
He shrugged. “It’s the perfect job. I want it. But the owner knows Ashley’s father. Very well from the sounds of it. I suspect he’ll make one phone call, and I’ll be out of the running.”
“Shit,”Cary said. “Sorry to hear that.”
“Not the first time since I started the job hunt. Probably won’t be the last. It’s my fault for going to work for her dad after college. I put too many eggs in Ashley’s basket.”
“You doing okay? Moneywise?” Cary asked.
“Oh yeah,” Foster said.
Foster saw that look in Cary’s eyes. He’d seen it a few times since he’d been back in his parents’, too. The assumptions rankled.
“Just so you know, Ashley’s father forced us to sign a prenup, trying to cover her trust fund—but it helped cover me in the end. She got the house and that was it… which is fine by me. I had a decent-sized savings working under his banner, and she wasn’t able to touch it.”
“A banner that’s keeping you from getting hired elsewhere now. How long’s that savings going to last?”
Foster shrugged. “I’ve got time.”
“Have you thought about trading independently? If so, I could always send some money your way to invest.”
“I’ve done a few trades to keep fresh and made a few bucks, so I could consider doing some here and there for a friend.” He lifted a brow, glancing at Cary. “I didn’t think repo menmade that kind of money.”
“I’m not your average, run of the mill repo man,” Cary replied, grinning.
