Page 113 of DadBod

Walking up, I scan the booth in search of the kids. “Where are the kids?”

“Home.”

“Alone?”

“Yes.”

I remember. He fired me. I shouldn’t be here. “Do you want me to leave?”

“No.” He points to the seat across from him. “I’d like for you to sit with me.”

“I can’t. I’m busy.” Looking at the table on my right, I see Jackie talking to them. My other tables look to have been taken over by two other servers.

“Please?” He nods to the open seat at his table.

“I’ve only got a minute.”

“Thank you.”

Placing my hands on my legs, I rub up and down. Nerves. When Jeriann passes by the table, she winks.

Ah. I see. “This was a setup.”

“In a way. Jeriann wanted to rehire you. I saw no reason you shouldn’t come back since I overreacted that night.”

“Understatement of the year.”

“I heard that.”

“Good.”

“These are for you.” Rome reaches to his right and pulls out a large bouquet of roses. Roses of every color in the rainbow. Placing them on the table in front of me, he adds, “And these are for you.”

A large box of candy is placed next to the flowers.

“And finally, this is for you to read later. When you’ve got a chance.”

A letter.

Reaching out, I take the letter, the candy, and wrap an arm around the flowers and start to slide out of the booth. “You’re leaving?”

“Look around.”

He does.

“This place is packed to the gills with a wait a mile long. You need to either go home to the kids or get to work.”

“All right.” Reaching out, Rome touches my hand. “I need you to know something first.”

I wait.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong. Very wrong. I overreacted. I listened to the wrong person. I should have given the woman I love the benefit of the doubt, but I let old habits take over. Please read the letter, Elizabeth. I meant every word. I need you to give me another chance, honey. I need you.”

“Y-You love me?” Sure, I know he said a bunch of other stuff, but all I heard was the L-word.

“I love you. With all my heart.”

Giving myself a minute to let that sink in, I say the first thing that comes to mind. “You don’t treat the people you love like you treated me a week ago, Rome. You just don’t.”

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