Please note this is the first installment in a serial with multiple parts.
Surviving Shane, Volume One
Raurie Saxon
Chapter One
Mia glanced at her phone when it chimed to let her know she had a new text message. She was unsurprised to see her father’s number listed. As she started to delete it without reading, she saw part of the message: Must see you now. Urg… Devoid of a flicker of guilt, she removed it without reading past the preview. He’d been texting and calling for several days, and he would eventually realize she wanted nothing to do with him.
Slipping the phone back into her purse, she considered changing her number before discarding the idea. He’d be able to find it again if she did. Her father had a number of dubious contacts living in his shadow world that could easily find a new number, so what was the point? He would eventually go away. Vadim Kasilli had no trouble forgetting he had a daughter most of the time, so whatever his purpose for trying to reach her, he’d surely give up soon.
Entering the restaurant where she worked the evening shift as a server, Mia left her things in the break room and donned an apron over her serviceable black dress. She took a moment to eye her appearance in the full-length mirror, wanting to give Mr. Lovelle no reason to complain. The job was hard work, but lucrative and helped fund her college courses.
She looked neat and pretty, as she was supposed to. Her dark hair was confined in a tight twist, and the subdued makeup she’d used only just enhanced her blue eyes and made her lips look a bit fuller without being pouty. The dress was modest and well-fitting, but not figure-hugging. No one could complain about the length ending an inch below her knees. Her flats weren’t as sexy as some of the shoes the other waitresses wore, but she could still walk six blocks to her apartment each night after work without blisters or pain.
After straightening the ties on the white apron, she smoothed the wrinkles from the crisp accessory and left the break room. As soon as she entered the din of the kitchen to clock in, the atmosphere was chaotic, yet somehow soothing in its familiarity. They were busy tonight, and she started working from almost the second she timed in. Weekends were always crazy, but the tips were the best and provided easily forty-percent of her income from just Friday and Saturday nights.
Lovelle’s customers seemed to be more demanding than usual, so she was feeling frazzled by the time the shift ended at eleven. Without complaint, she worked alongside the other servers and bussers to clean the restaurant and leave it ready for Sunday’s brunch crowd. Mia was looking forward to sleeping in while all those customers came for their champagne, lobster tails, and lox.
Near midnight, she was back in the break room to remove the apron and toss it in the laundry cart as Jimmy did the same. She bit back a groan at the realization it was just the two of them in the small room. He was a sweet boy, but she had no interest in him. It didn’t matter they were practically the same age. Heck, he might even be older than her own twenty-one years, but he seemed so immature.
“Long night, huh?”
She nodded in agreement as she picked up her bag. “I’m glad it’s over, and I don’t work again until Tuesday night.”
His face fell. “Really? I have to work the next few days.” Looking nervous, he asked, “I was wondering if you—”
Before he could issue an invitation she wouldn’t accept and hurt his feelings, she deliberately knocked into a table while cursing her supposed clumsiness. After righting it, she sighed dramatically. “Well, good night, Jimmy.”
He looked disappointed, but had clearly abandoned the request—for now at least. “Hey, you need me to walk you home?”
She shook her head. “No, thanks.” Lifting her keychain, she showed him her pepper spray. “I’ve got it taken care of.”
He looked dubious, but didn’t push her.
Surviving Shane, Volume One
Raurie Saxon
Chapter One
Mia glanced at her phone when it chimed to let her know she had a new text message. She was unsurprised to see her father’s number listed. As she started to delete it without reading, she saw part of the message: Must see you now. Urg… Devoid of a flicker of guilt, she removed it without reading past the preview. He’d been texting and calling for several days, and he would eventually realize she wanted nothing to do with him.
Slipping the phone back into her purse, she considered changing her number before discarding the idea. He’d be able to find it again if she did. Her father had a number of dubious contacts living in his shadow world that could easily find a new number, so what was the point? He would eventually go away. Vadim Kasilli had no trouble forgetting he had a daughter most of the time, so whatever his purpose for trying to reach her, he’d surely give up soon.
Entering the restaurant where she worked the evening shift as a server, Mia left her things in the break room and donned an apron over her serviceable black dress. She took a moment to eye her appearance in the full-length mirror, wanting to give Mr. Lovelle no reason to complain. The job was hard work, but lucrative and helped fund her college courses.
She looked neat and pretty, as she was supposed to. Her dark hair was confined in a tight twist, and the subdued makeup she’d used only just enhanced her blue eyes and made her lips look a bit fuller without being pouty. The dress was modest and well-fitting, but not figure-hugging. No one could complain about the length ending an inch below her knees. Her flats weren’t as sexy as some of the shoes the other waitresses wore, but she could still walk six blocks to her apartment each night after work without blisters or pain.
After straightening the ties on the white apron, she smoothed the wrinkles from the crisp accessory and left the break room. As soon as she entered the din of the kitchen to clock in, the atmosphere was chaotic, yet somehow soothing in its familiarity. They were busy tonight, and she started working from almost the second she timed in. Weekends were always crazy, but the tips were the best and provided easily forty-percent of her income from just Friday and Saturday nights.
Lovelle’s customers seemed to be more demanding than usual, so she was feeling frazzled by the time the shift ended at eleven. Without complaint, she worked alongside the other servers and bussers to clean the restaurant and leave it ready for Sunday’s brunch crowd. Mia was looking forward to sleeping in while all those customers came for their champagne, lobster tails, and lox.
Near midnight, she was back in the break room to remove the apron and toss it in the laundry cart as Jimmy did the same. She bit back a groan at the realization it was just the two of them in the small room. He was a sweet boy, but she had no interest in him. It didn’t matter they were practically the same age. Heck, he might even be older than her own twenty-one years, but he seemed so immature.
“Long night, huh?”
She nodded in agreement as she picked up her bag. “I’m glad it’s over, and I don’t work again until Tuesday night.”
His face fell. “Really? I have to work the next few days.” Looking nervous, he asked, “I was wondering if you—”
Before he could issue an invitation she wouldn’t accept and hurt his feelings, she deliberately knocked into a table while cursing her supposed clumsiness. After righting it, she sighed dramatically. “Well, good night, Jimmy.”
He looked disappointed, but had clearly abandoned the request—for now at least. “Hey, you need me to walk you home?”
She shook her head. “No, thanks.” Lifting her keychain, she showed him her pepper spray. “I’ve got it taken care of.”
He looked dubious, but didn’t push her.
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