Page 40 of The Captain's Little Girl

CHAPTER14

The incessant beeping of her phone woke her up. Immediately, she checked for messages and exhaled a deep sigh when she realized it was just the alarm she’d set so she didn’t oversleep. Tucking Buttons into place with his head on the pillow, Cricket rolled out of bed and hurried to get ready for work.

Once at the large establishment, she raced around, taking care of her normal busy area. Meeting River at the bar, Cricket said, “Thank goodness you’re here. It’s a madhouse in here tonight.”

“I haven’t stopped running all night. Have you had anything to eat today?”

“Yeah,” Cricket answered before teasing, “I’m okay, Mom.”

River laughed as she hoisted the heavy tray of drinks and disappeared into the crowd.

Cricket waited for the last of her order before turning back into the melee that the place had become on Friday night. She’d eaten breakfast before that knock on the door, so she hadn’t lied. Since she’d gotten the news, the lump in her stomach had kept her from being hungry. Cricket pushed the thought from her mind that Mark would be angry that she wasn’t taking care of herself.

By the time she’d stacked all the chairs on the tables, Cricket’s energy had evaporated. She clocked out and grabbed her keys. The weight of her apron stuffed with her tips for the evening challenged the last of her muscle power as she walked to her car parked at the end of the lot.

“Hey, beautiful. You look like you could use a hand,” a masculine voice called to her.

Cricket just waved him off and continued toward her vehicle. All she wanted was a shower and to curl up in her daddy’s bed with Buttons. Drawing on the last of her energy, she sped up her plodding steps to get away.

“I said, hey.” A large body loomed into her path, making her skid on the graveled parking lot.

“Sorry. I’m headed home,” Cricket told the familiar face before stepping to the side to go around him. To her annoyance, the man moved with her, remaining in her path. She looked around the parking lot to see that very few people remained. A few couples and small groups gathered here and there.

She looked back at the man before her. This time he hadn’t worn his uniform, but she remembered his name. “Zimmerman. Leave me alone.”

“Your boyfriend caused me a lot of problems when he notified my commanding officer,” the young man sneered at her.

“Avoiding me sounds like a good idea,” Cricket suggested, trying to move around him once again. When the man shifted with her, Cricket knew she needed help. Pushing the panic button on her key fob, Cricket welcomed the loud racket that drew everyone’s attention.

“Get away from me before I call the cops.” A few people called her name and started moving toward her.

“I haven’t done anything but talk to you. I don’t think they’ll ruin my career like you tried to do,” Zimmerman smirked.

Cricket looked up at his unpleasant face and felt her fright turn to anger. She shifted her hold on the apron full of coins and bills. It could be a weapon if she needed it to be. “Look, you complete idiot. No one made you come on to me despite my polite answers that I already had a boyfriend. No one made you touch me without permission. No one made you come back here. No one but you. All these bad decisions were made only by one person. You. Get over yourself and get away from me.”

“You heard the lady,” a deep voice came from behind her. Cricket looked over her shoulder to see one of the Harbor’s regulars and two of his buddies standing behind her. “Get out of here and don’t return.”

“Thanks, Eddie,” Cricket said when the jerk in front of her suddenly whirled and headed away.

“Drive home carefully, Cricket. Make sure he’s not following you. Want me to see you home?” Eddie asked.

“No. I’m fine,” she assured him. “I’ll keep an eye out. Thank you all.”

“We were glad to help. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, nodding his appreciation for the backup to the other men.

Under Eddie’s watchful gaze, Cricket reached her car and started it to turn off the alarm. Halfway home, the rush of adrenaline evaporated, and she clung to the steering wheel for support as she turned the last few corners. Dragging herself into the quiet house, she locked the door behind her before collapsing in her uniform on the bedspread. Too tired to shower, Cricket cascaded into sleep.

* * *

The following day dragged by with Cricket checking her phone frequently to make sure she hadn’t missed a phone call. The other Littles checked in on her throughout the day. Cricket wondered if they had organized a time schedule to contact her. She bet they had. They were that wonderful.

By the time she reported for work that evening, Cricket had resigned herself that no news of Mark would come that day. After stowing her belonging and clocking in, she stopped at the manager’s office to see what section she’d been assigned.

“Any reason I’m in the section closest to the bar tonight?” Cricket asked.

“Eddie called this morning and reported the jerk in the parking lot last night. You should have let me know as well,” her manager reprimanded her with a stern look.

“I was glad Eddie was there, but it wasn’t that bad,” Cricket reassured him.

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