by Sam Crescent
She felt odd. “Anyway, it was nice to meet you.”
“It was nice to meet you, Bethany,” Caleb said. “How long will you be staying in town?”
“Awhile, I’m hoping to settle down here. That’s the goal, anyway.”
“What about family?” one of his friends asked.
“Nope, it’s just me.” Where was her filter? She didn’t have anyone in the world, but telling a complete stranger who could be an axe murderer wasn’t going to help. She returned her attention to Caleb.
He was so handsome, crazy sexy, and for some reason, he made her feel safe.
“It was nice to meet you,” she said, repeating herself to prolong their encounter.
She held her hand out and he took it. She didn’t want to let go but forcing a man to hold her hand wasn’t exactly the politest thing to do.
“I hope I see you again soon,” she said.
Caleb made no move to pull away. “You can count on seeing me very soon. Of that, have no doubt.”
His friends got up out of the booth, complete with the order of goodies she’d given them. Caleb finally let go of her hand and it looked like he wanted to say more.
He didn’t.
She watched him go.
He didn’t say anything. Bethany had hoped he’d slip her his number, but no. It was over. She sighed her disappointment.
She wanted to go with them. Screw the job and follow her instincts.
Don’t. Don’t ever set yourself up for disappointment.
Bethany squashed whatever hope she had building inside her. Unlike the people in the diner, she didn’t have anyone. She’d come to learn it didn’t matter how nice or amenable she was, people didn’t like her. They used her for what they could get and then dumped her.
That was what she was. A dumped baby. Abandoned only a few days after she was born, starved and neglected. She didn’t even have any clothes on. Only a blanket and a cardboard box.
She’d been put in the system. Babies were supposed to be easily adopted. Not her. She stayed in the system until she was eighteen years old. Then she was on her own.
She could still remember the hope each time a new set of potentials came. How she’d look her best, always be nice. The foster homes only ever said nice things about her, but she was invisible, and no one had wanted to adopt her.
Not once did she step out of line, even as her smile dimmed and she stopped hoping. Some of the foster families she’d been with were nice. A couple weren’t, but at least being invisible meant no one had touched her.
She knew of the horror stories. She didn’t have any to tell. Her life had been a whole bunch of nothing.
Pulling herself out of her depressing thoughts, she grabbed the coffee carafe, forced a smile to her lips, and served customers. She was a pro at pasting on a fake smile.
Some of the men thanked her.
She made some good tips, but her life was invisible even as an adult. Only a few people took notice of her. She was plain and forgettable, and she certainly didn’t have a Barbie doll figure. Basically, she had nothing going for her. Being nice had only invited people to take advantage of her.
Had Caleb already forgotten her?
Did he even care who he’d saved? He probably would have helped anyone.
She had to wonder if she was ugly. Ugly would be worse than being plain. Maybe she didn’t see something others did. She tried to stop her rambling thoughts and focused on work.
The day wore on and her feet hurt from being on them all day.
Checking the time, she saw it was a little after seven. Even though customers begged for Joe to stay open, he never did. He only ever worked until seven, sharp. Most of the time, he was hunched over some numbers and paperwork. The man was paranoid and jumpy, always wanting to know what was going on in and around the diner.
She wanted to be out of the diner, along with the other waitresses.
Rushing toward the staffroom, she quickly untied her shoes, grabbing her bag where her clothes were kept. Joe didn’t like it when his waitresses took his property, meaning his uniforms. They had to stay on the premises and on a Saturday evening, he always took them, washed them, and they were neatly presented to them the next shift.
She hated handing her clothes over to him. Even though he wasn’t a creep, well, not too much of one.
Just as she’d pulled her sneakers on and was about to head out, Joe cleared his throat. “I want a word with you, Bethany,” he said.
The waitresses gave her a sympathetic smile. Joe didn’t pay them any attention.
All she wished to do was work, earn her pay, and leave. No drama.
“What is it, Joe?” she asked.
“Come back to my office. I want to talk to you about something.”
Her heart raced.
He stared down the length of her body. There was no revulsion in his eyes. She’d filled out with large hips, big tits, a small waist, and thick thighs that rubbed together if she wore a skirt without some shorts beneath it. She didn’t mind her body, content with how she looked, even if she wasn’t cover model material.
Grabbing her bag, she hoped whatever Joe had to say wouldn’t make her uncomfortable. This job had grown on her and she wanted to start a new life where maybe she’d meet a man who didn’t want to give her up.
She tried not to dream but there was still a smidge of fairy tales inside her.
End of sample chapter
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