another breath. “I’m not gonna let him get to me. I’m over him. His loss. I’ve moved on.”
“That’s my girl,” Elizabeth said as she gave me another squeeze before letting me go. She lifted my chin with her knuckles and scrutinized my face.
“I’m serious, Liz’beth. I’m done with him.” And I was. Ty Daniels was no longer a prickly thistle stuck to my heart.
Having grown up in the same trailer park, we’d known each other for as long as we could both remember. There’d been those couple of years Mama had moved us away, but as soon as we came back, Ty was knocking on the door, ready to play, no questions asked. That’s what I’d liked about him. We’d been buddies for years, and then in high school, it became something more. But he was never right for me and I wasn’t right for him, which he pretty much told me right after his graduation and right before he took off for the Army. He left me back home to finish my own schooling a year later, never sending word, even when he went off to Afghanistan. It took me a while to realize he was right. Ty Daniels wasn’t good for me. He wasn’t The One I was sure was out there, somewhere, looking for me.
So why did I have to react to him the way I had? If only my body would realize just how bad he is … and forget just how good he is.
“The big stuff’s all cleaned up, but I need a mop to get the rest,” Ty said as he came into the kitchen with the bus tray under one arm.
Elizabeth gave him a warm smile and took the container from him. “Thanks, Ty, but you don’t need to do that. You don’t work here anymore, remember? In fact, it’s been some time since you did.”
“Yes, ma’am, but I never forgot what you taught me. Never ignore a pretty girl’s needs.” His eyes cut over to me as one corner of his mouth lifted in a grin.
I snorted and rolled my eyes before taking the plate Aunt Faye had just placed on the counter. I’d rather put up with crazy girl than Ty and how my body betrayed me around him. My damn belly quivered with that one crooked smile. Quivered! But even with the threat of going to hell hanging over my head, a threesome with these guys would be much better for me than anything with Ty Daniels. They’d be on their way again afterward, and so would Ty, but only he would leave me with another broken heart.
Ty took a seat at a two-top table, and although Elizabeth waited on him, I was completely and fully aware of his presence. I’d barely even noticed when Mr. Hawtness and his girlfriend scooted out, although I did notice the nice tip they left me. I half expected a note to meet them at their camper, but there was none. Maybe I’d misread their intentions. Thank God and baby Jesus. The girl’s craziness had been enough to deal with when it came to those two. And with Sissy’s phone message she’d left here during this morning’s breakfast rush, then Ty’s sudden appearance, I really didn’t need anything more added to my plate today, thank you very much.
“Bethany, sweetheart,” Ty said after Elizabeth had cleared his table and disappeared into the kitchen. I’d been too busy wiping tables and checking condiments to notice we were the only two left in the dining room.
“Don’t call me that,” I said, and it came out harsher than I intended. The “sweetheart” part made my knees weak, which annoyed the crap out of me, and the “Bethany” part was like nails on a chalkboard. He was one of those bad memories tied to that name, but only a minor one. Mostly I hated it because it reminded me of the daddy I’d never really known, who’d given the name to me, and my mama, who used it against me every chance she got. I was sure she blamed me for his not being with us anymore. The way she used to draw out my name but cut it short at the same time— Bettttth’neeee —because she was too trashed to say it right still made my skin crawl. I’d gotten over it for a while—suppressed the memories, a fancy head
“That’s my girl,” Elizabeth said as she gave me another squeeze before letting me go. She lifted my chin with her knuckles and scrutinized my face.
“I’m serious, Liz’beth. I’m done with him.” And I was. Ty Daniels was no longer a prickly thistle stuck to my heart.
Having grown up in the same trailer park, we’d known each other for as long as we could both remember. There’d been those couple of years Mama had moved us away, but as soon as we came back, Ty was knocking on the door, ready to play, no questions asked. That’s what I’d liked about him. We’d been buddies for years, and then in high school, it became something more. But he was never right for me and I wasn’t right for him, which he pretty much told me right after his graduation and right before he took off for the Army. He left me back home to finish my own schooling a year later, never sending word, even when he went off to Afghanistan. It took me a while to realize he was right. Ty Daniels wasn’t good for me. He wasn’t The One I was sure was out there, somewhere, looking for me.
So why did I have to react to him the way I had? If only my body would realize just how bad he is … and forget just how good he is.
“The big stuff’s all cleaned up, but I need a mop to get the rest,” Ty said as he came into the kitchen with the bus tray under one arm.
Elizabeth gave him a warm smile and took the container from him. “Thanks, Ty, but you don’t need to do that. You don’t work here anymore, remember? In fact, it’s been some time since you did.”
“Yes, ma’am, but I never forgot what you taught me. Never ignore a pretty girl’s needs.” His eyes cut over to me as one corner of his mouth lifted in a grin.
I snorted and rolled my eyes before taking the plate Aunt Faye had just placed on the counter. I’d rather put up with crazy girl than Ty and how my body betrayed me around him. My damn belly quivered with that one crooked smile. Quivered! But even with the threat of going to hell hanging over my head, a threesome with these guys would be much better for me than anything with Ty Daniels. They’d be on their way again afterward, and so would Ty, but only he would leave me with another broken heart.
Ty took a seat at a two-top table, and although Elizabeth waited on him, I was completely and fully aware of his presence. I’d barely even noticed when Mr. Hawtness and his girlfriend scooted out, although I did notice the nice tip they left me. I half expected a note to meet them at their camper, but there was none. Maybe I’d misread their intentions. Thank God and baby Jesus. The girl’s craziness had been enough to deal with when it came to those two. And with Sissy’s phone message she’d left here during this morning’s breakfast rush, then Ty’s sudden appearance, I really didn’t need anything more added to my plate today, thank you very much.
“Bethany, sweetheart,” Ty said after Elizabeth had cleared his table and disappeared into the kitchen. I’d been too busy wiping tables and checking condiments to notice we were the only two left in the dining room.
“Don’t call me that,” I said, and it came out harsher than I intended. The “sweetheart” part made my knees weak, which annoyed the crap out of me, and the “Bethany” part was like nails on a chalkboard. He was one of those bad memories tied to that name, but only a minor one. Mostly I hated it because it reminded me of the daddy I’d never really known, who’d given the name to me, and my mama, who used it against me every chance she got. I was sure she blamed me for his not being with us anymore. The way she used to draw out my name but cut it short at the same time— Bettttth’neeee —because she was too trashed to say it right still made my skin crawl. I’d gotten over it for a while—suppressed the memories, a fancy head
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