by Casey, L. A.
I was about to speak when my phone rang from inside of my bag. I hurriedly took it out, saw the call was from my boss, Joe, and sighed before I answered it.
“Hi, Joe.”
“Kid, I’m sorry to call you on your day off, but is there any way you could come in and help us? Tiffany finishes at lunch to go and take her kid to the dentist, Deena is here but I don’t know what’s going on, we have more people in for lunch than she can handle.”
I lifted my hand to the bridge of my nose.
“The twins aren’t around?”
“Their phones are off.”
Typical.
“Okay,” I relented. “I’ll be there in thirty, forty minutes at most. I’m visiting Mum.”
“I’m sorry, kid. I wouldn’t call if I had someone else to cover the shift.”
“Don’t worry about it, Joe. See you soon.”
I hung up and looked at Michael.
“Joe’s run off his feet at the diner, he needs another waitress.”
“Go,” Michael said. “She’ll be sleepin’ for a couple of hours yet.”
I nodded, leaned over and kissed Mum’s cheek, then rounded the bed and did the same to Michael. “I’ll call you later. Love you.”
“Love you to, little.”
I smiled as I left the room.
I spent the next thirty-five minutes rushing home so I could change into my uniform and get into work as soon as I could. When I showed up at the diner, Joe wasn’t lying. The place was packed with people. I didn’t have a chance to properly greet Deena, or Joe, as I jumped straight into taking orders, serving orders, then making milkshakes and desserts for those who requested them. Hours ticked by until the storm of customers had died down enough so Deena could clock off early to pick up her kids from her parents and visit her husband who’d had foot surgery the day before. It was near closing time by the time I felt like I could think straight.
“Frankie, order’s up!”
I sat back on my heels, placed my hands on my hips and, with a tired puff of air, I blew strands of auburn hair that had escaped my hair tie out of my face. I wasn’t sure what ached worse, my feet or my back. I grabbed the bucket beside me and tossed the rags I’d been using to clean the base of one of the corner booths into it. Not too long ago, some kid had been running with a chocolate milkshake in his hands and when he tripped the shake went everywhere.
I had been the sorry sucker charged with cleaning it up.
I stood up and softly groaned when my back clicked in protest. I rubbed the base of my spine before I grabbed the bucket and walked through the door that led into the kitchen. I placed the bucket in its designated spot, then headed back out front. When I was in front of the hatch that gave all the customers a partial view of the kitchen, I picked up the two plates of freshly made-to-order food. I checked the table they were for and headed in that direction.
“Here we go,” I smiled at the teenage boy and girl who looked up upon my arrival. “A double cheeseburger with everything on it and extra chips?”
“That’s mine,” the boy chirped.
He eagerly rubbed his hands together and eyed the plate like it was his very life force. I placed his food in front of him then with the other dish, I placed it in front of the girl.
“Can I get you both anything else? More drinks?”
“No, thank you,” the pair said in unison.
“If you need anything, just give me a shout.”
I glanced around the diner and when I saw I had no other customers I walked back towards the kitchen. Once inside I leaned against one of the counters, applying weight onto my hands, just to take some pressure off my throbbing feet. I had been working for nine hours straight, since I came in at one, and couldn’t recall sitting down once during the day. Things were so hectic that I had no other choice except to work through my breaks. I had one hour left on my surprise shift and I had never willed time to go faster in my entire life.
“This has been the longest shift in existence,” I proclaimed. “And the most uncomfortable, my bloody feet are throbbing. My back is hurting too and my back never hurts.”
Joseph Reeves, the owner and chef of Mary Well’s diner, grunted in agreement.
“Lunch hour was a nightmare,” he said as he cleaned down one of his worktops with a cloth. “I haven’t seen things that busy since the circus was in town a couple of months ago. It’s winter, I wonder what has so many tourists in town.”
I folded my arms across my chest and fought off a yawn.
“I’ve been wondering that too.” I rolled my shoulders to stretch them out. “I had half a mind to ask people if something was going on, but I was too busy seating everyone and taking orders to get around to it. It was like a madhouse.”
“I saw.” Joe’s lips twitched, and that was as much as a smile as anyone could ever get out of him. “You were like a headless chicken running back and forth, Deena too. Best entertainment I’ve had in a while so thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I snorted. “I’m just glad we made it through it.”
“I know,” he agreed. “The one day we’re overwhelmed with customers and only three of us are working.”
“I’m still pissed about that,” I scowled. “And not for a second do I believe it wasn’t done on purpose by the twins.”
The two other waitresses at Mary Well’s were Anna and Hannah Porter. They were twin sisters and where there was one, there was the other. When they weren’t working, and sometimes when they were working, they had their phones glued to their hands so for the pair of them to have their phones switched off was suspicious. I had known both girls for years, I was a year ahead of them in school. Since phones and social media became a massive thing, I had never known either sister to have a blackout from both.
They disconnected their phones on purpose, I was sure of it.
“The upside is,” Joe winked, “you get to keep the rest of the tips since Deena already got her cut before she left for the day.”
The tip jar had had to be emptied into the collection bag two times after Deena left, and one of those times was because I couldn’t stuff any more notes into the jar. As crazy as the day had been for service, it had been incredible for tips. There was no doubt about that. I never expected tips, but when I got them, it put a smile on my face. Today’s tip load would have me grinning from ear to ear for the next week.
“Me?” I questioned. “You’re here, too.”
“Tips are for the waiting staff, you know that.”
“Yeah,” I began, “but you’ve been cooking up a storm in here all day. You deserve half.”
“You’re a sweetie, Frankie, but those tips are yours. You’ve worked hard today, I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
I felt heat stain my cheeks.
“Thanks, Joe, I appreciate it.”
“And I appreciate you, kid.”
I smiled as he turned and got back to work cleaning his workspace. Joe could hold a steady conversation, but he preferred to be alone in the kitchen with his thoughts for company as he cooked. I never felt brushed off by him. In fact, whenever I managed to get his attention and talk to him, he had a way of making me feel like a well-loved and appreciated little kid. I loved that about him.
I looked from Joe and focused my gaze through the hatch. I was glad to see no new customers had come into the diner. I leaned forward, relaxing when I saw my only table were smiling and chatting away as they ate their meal.
I studied the pair, wondering if they were friends, relatives or a couple on a date. From the way the girl kept stealing glances at the lad, and the way he kept licking his lips when he looked at her, I was edging more towards them being a couple on a date. Maybe even their very first date. Thinking of that made me think of my very first date, and funnily enough, it took place in Mary Well’s diner, too, in that exact booth.
I was a few days away from turning fifteen and I had been asked out by my long-time crush . . . Risk Keller.
&n
bsp; “Aren’t we supposed to share a milkshake?” I quizzed, trying to downplay the fact that I was so nervous that my palms were sweating. “All the romance movies I’ve seen will have been for nothing if we don’t drink a large strawberry milkshake with two straws while we stare deeply into each other’s eyes.”
Risk stared at me, unblinking. His bruised right eye making him look rugged, dangerous, and a hell of a lot more handsome than he already was. I didn’t ask how he’d gotten it because I knew it was his foster father’s fault. I didn’t want to bring it up and upset him so I kept my mouth shut.
“For that sentence alone,” he began, “I’m considering walking out of this diner and never contacting you ever again.”
“Considering the way you’ve stalked me lately, I find that hard to believe.”
“I can dodge you easily.”
“How easily?” I leaned forward. “How easy would it be to stay away from me?”
“As easy as taking sweets from a baby.”
“You’re a pig,” I said, fighting off a grin as I sat back. “I should have made you buy me chocolates to make this date bearable.”
“How about I give you a kiss instead?” Risk waggled his thick, white-blond eyebrows. “Right here and now. I’ll make it quick in order to put a smile on that semi-decent face of yours. I still remember how much you liked my little peck when I asked you out yesterday.”
I yawned, feigning boredom but Christ, my heart was pounding.
“I agreed to this date because I felt sorry for you. If my answer was based on that embarrassing thing you called a kiss then I wouldn’t be here. For future reference, I need a little more time and appreciation put into my kisses. So unless you can kiss me until I’m weak, thanks but no thanks, rock star.”
Risk, who was looking at his nails, looked up at me and blinked, “I’m sorry, did you say something? I tuned you out; your voice is so bloody annoying.”
“That’s funny,” I blinked. “I was going to say exactly that when you sang earlier.”
Risk sucked in a sharp, dramatic breath. He even placed his hand on his chest in shock. “That was too far,” he scowled. “There is a limit to sarcastic insults and you just exceeded that limit with the biggest lie ever.”
“Who said I was being sarcastic?”
“I am, because you’re obsessed with my voice and you know it.”
“And how do you know that?” I questioned, trying not to let on how close to home he was with that comment. “I could only be on this date because I know you’re gonna be a rich and famous rock star one day and I want you to buy me some pretty things.”
“I know you’re obsessed with me,” Risk smirked. “Because you talk in your sleep.”
I froze. “You lie.”
“I would never.”
“You would too and you know it.”
“I’m a midnight slasher, and when we were camping on our last school trip, I walked right by your sleeping bag. You talk in your sleep, Cherry.”
I felt my cheeks burn. He had recently started calling me Cherry because of my hair colour and each time he called me it, my heart pounded because of how much I loved it, but of course, I couldn’t let him know that.
“You shut your stupid mouth, Risk Keller.”
“You spoke clearly,” he continued as if I hadn’t bellowed. “I stopped walking when I heard my name. My name being moaned from your sweet lips in a deep sleep.”
I choked on air. “Liar.”
“Truther,” Risk grinned. “Why do you think I asked you out yesterday?”
“Because you’re in love with me and always have been!”
“Maybe,” his lips curved up at the corners. “But also because I want to hear you moan my name again, but this time, while I’m looking into those pretty green eyes of yours.”
My cheeks were absolutely scalded.
“You’re a dumb arse.”
“And you have a nice arse.”
“You’re not allowed talk about my arse, Risk Keller. I’ll thump you something fierce otherwise.”
He pointed to his blackened eye. “Get in line, Cherry.”
I scowled at him and he cheekily smiled, making my pulse spike. He sat up and leaned right over our empty table and brought his face so close to mine that I could feel his breath on my skin and count each of his freckles if I wanted to. I could feel my body tremble.
“You want me to admit how much I like you, Frankie?”
Wordlessly, I bobbed my head.
“You’re not just my muse, you’re my music,” he said. “And I want you to be my girlfriend . . . will you?”
He had barely finished asking me when I blurted, “Yes.”
Risk’s face lit up. “Told you that you were obsessed with me.”
“Shut up.”
“Time and appreciation,” he said, his ice-blue eyes locked on mine. “That’s what you want put into your kisses, isn’t that what you said?”
I couldn’t speak, the ability was suddenly lost on me, so I only barely managed to nod.
“Good, because Cherry,” he slid his tongue over my lower lip. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
His lips pressed against mine then and if I thought the little peck we had shared previously was something to gush over, Risk was about to show me that I had seen, and felt, nothing yet.
I was jolted back to the present when loud laughter snagged my attention. I blinked, focusing on the young couple who were beaming at one another and playfully throwing chips, before having the good sense to tidy up after themselves. I swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in my throat and forced myself to relax. I closed my eyes, hoping to regain some sense of calmness, but I knew it was futile so lifted my lids.
Risk Keller.
My first and only boyfriend. I had never been interested in another relationship after we broke up. What started out as light-hearted and fun coupling turned into an intense burning passion very early on, and it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with Risk. It was the reason why letting him go hurt so much. My heart needed an abundance of time to heal from the break that letting Risk go caused. Nine years later and I was still no closer to putting myself out there again.
I lifted my hands to my face and scrubbed my skin, trying to put all thoughts of Risk and our previous relationship to the back of my mind where it belonged. Another glance at the smitten kids in the booth Risk and I always shared was like a smack in the face and I willed my shift to end faster than ever before. I wanted to go home, take a shower, and put this day, and my thoughts, behind me.
I looked up to the door when the bell rang and I smiled when Enda Peterson strolled in. She was somewhat of an adopted auntie to me, she had been best friends with my mother since before I was born. I loved Enda . . . most of the time. The woman was as loyal as they come, but Lord, she was also a nosy old goat.
“Frankie, honey,” she smiled, her brown eyes gleaming. “Can I get a cheeseburger to go? I’ve just come from bingo. Before that I was visiting your mummy and I’m starved.”
“Coming right up, Auntie,” I chirped. “How is she? I haven’t spoken to Michael since this morning. It’s been a hectic day here.”
“She was in fine spirits. After she was bathed, she rested a lot.”
I was happy to hear that.
I turned to tell Joe what would likely be the last order of the night when the door opened once more and in ran an out-of-breath, red-faced, teenage girl. Once she spotted the young couple, she darted to their booth.
“I have tickets to see Blood Oath at Wembley this coming Monday!” she screamed with excitement. “My dad got them for us, isn’t he the best? But wait, it gets better! The band is coming to visit tomorrow, they’re rumoured to be attending the retirement ceremony for Mr Jones. He was the one who gifted them their first instruments, you know? May, Hayes and Risk are coming home! I bet Angel will be with them too!”
My heart stopped at her declaration and I knew good and well it had nothing to do wit
h excitement. I felt Joe’s eyes on me from the kitchen, as well as Enda’s. The kids paid for their meal, then left the diner amidst laughter and excited squeals all the while tapping away on the screens of their phones. When the door closed, silence filled the space. I stared at the booth the kids just vacated and my heart began to pound.
“Frankie.” Enda tentatively inched her way closer to me. “Sweetie, are you okay?”
“No,” I answered honestly. “I’m not.”
I wasn’t okay. Nothing was okay and both Joe and Enda knew it. It’d been nine years since I saw him in person and not on the cover of a magazine, or on the evening news in passing. Nine whole years and I still wasn’t ready to face him. It didn’t matter what I wanted because one thing was certain and it was one thing that I couldn’t change.
Risk was coming home.
CHAPTER TWO
RISK
Fourteen years ago . . .
“Risk! Get out here, ye no good wee bastard!”
I waited for Owen Day, my foster father, to stop banging on my bedroom door before I opened it. I didn’t brace myself quick enough because as soon as there was space Owen’s hairy, fat arm jerked through the door and his hand clamped onto my hair. I shouted with surprise as both of my hands shot up to his, where I automatically tried to break his hold, but couldn’t because he was a strong man. Tall, heavy set and as mean as they come. I was starting to take a stretch, but I was skinny and no match for Owen’s brute strength and he knew it.
“I didn’t do anything!”
It was a phrase I had come to squawk almost every single time my name was bellowed.
“Yer were warned not to answer my wife back, boy.”
“I didn’t!” I panicked. “She told me to get my bag and get to school and I said okay!”
“Ye said it with an attitude, ya wee prick. I heard ye. Ye think because ya turned thirteen yesterday that ye can act up?”
“No! I don’t. I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry.”
He twisted his hand and it made me scream. I could feel strands of hair being ripped by the root from my scalp and it burned like hell. I smacked on Owen’s wrist twice before he forcefully pushed me back by the head and let go of my hair. I stumbled, tripped over my feet and landed flat on my arse. I groaned in pain as I lifted my hand to my head and rubbed, trying to lessen the stinging pain.