Page 4 of Biker's Baby

“Just came in to see how the world’s most beautiful woman is doing at work today,” he said. “You don’t have to be so rude about it.”

“Like I said, I’m working,” I replied. “I’ll get in trouble if I stand and talk to someone for no reason while I’m on the clock.”

“You do have a reason,” he said. “I’m here to talk to you about us.”

“Now isn’t the time or the place,” I replied. “I have customers to tend to, and if you aren’t going to buy anything, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

“Oh, don’t be so black and white about it,” he said. “That’s no way to treat a guest.”

“You’re not a guest if you’re not buying something,” I said. “Now please, excuse me!”

“Why don’t you find a place for me to sit down, and I’ll take a look at that menu?” he asked.

“Single seating is up there by the soda fountain,” I told him. “You know that. You can see yourself there. You don’t need anyone to seat you.”

“But I want the best service this place has to offer. You’re not doing a very good job of showing me any of that hospitality,” he continued to argue.

“Joel! This is the last time I’m going to tell you before I have you removed from the property!” I snapped. “If you’re not going to sit down over there and buy something, you have got to get out of here! I’m not going to talk to you about anything while I’m on the clock, and you’re taking time away from my customers!”

I pushed past him, glancing over the tables on my way by. I didn’t want to make a scene in the middle of the dining room, but I also had to make sure none of my tables were waiting for service, either. Though I could sense Joel was going to continue to follow me, I still scanned the tables, almost begging anyone with my eyes to call me over.

But, without being needed anywhere out in the dining room, I decided the best way to get rid of my ex was to head back into the kitchen. That would make him someone else’s problem, and if he still insisted he wasn’t going to get anything until they seated him, they could be the one to decide if he was going to be escorted off the premises or not.

Joel, however, had other plans. He wasn’t about to let me slip into the kitchen where he couldn’t keep an eye on me. That was just the way he had always been. He was controlling from the beginning, and it hadn’t gotten any better. Not even after I broke up with him.

He still kept tabs on where I was and what I was doing, and he would often show up at my work or even my house if I refused to answer his text messages. But today, he hadn’t even given me the warning of sending a text message before he chose to just show up.

And that was infuriating.

He grabbed my arm, and I nearly screamed.

“Let me go!” I snapped at him. “You have no right to be here, and if you think I’m going to keep quiet just because we’re in public, you’ve got another thing coming!”

He opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off when Wilma, one of the other servers, smacked him on the back of the head with the spatula she held in her hand.

“I believe you were told to get out of here,” she said. “And if you don’t, I’m calling the police.”

“This isn’t over,” Joel growled at me as he put his hand to the back of his head. “You’re not getting away from me, Iris. That’s a fact.”

I watched him walk out of the restaurant, then I let Wilma lead me back to the kitchen. I was shaking without even realizing it, and she looked me over with compassion in her eyes.

“Who was that?” she asked.

“My ex,” I said when I could speak. “I broke up with him a couple months ago, but it doesn’t seem to matter what I do. He keeps stalking me.”

“Have you gone to the police about it?” she asked.

“They haven’t done shit for me.” I shook my head. “Say I don’t have enough proof.”

“What more proof do they need?” she asked, her face grim. “Him to kidnap you?”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I admitted. “I’m scared he’s going to do something violent before they actually do something to help me.”

She sighed. “I was in that same position myself before.”

“What did you do?” I asked. “I’m about willing to try anything at this point.”

“You might not like it,” she warned.

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