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Authors: Monica Murphy
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don’t feel the same way she does. And that’s why she’s leaving. She can’t take it anymore.”
“Can’t take what anymore?” I finally ask, my voice cracking. I almost sound like I’m ready to break down and cry.
“Jen can’t take being in love with you when you don’t feel the same.” She peers at me with those all-seeing eyes. I don’t know how Drew can stand it sometimes. Her unconditional love knows no bounds for him but Fable’s gaze is damn near penetrating and I want to squirm where I stand, like a little kid caught doing something bad. “So. Do you feel the same? Or are you just stringing her along?”
“I—”
“If you say ‘I don’t know,’ I swear to God, I will knee you in the balls.”
Swallowing hard, I realize my voice has up and disappeared. I don’t doubt Fable’s threat for a second. My balls are shriveling up in fear at this very moment, for the love of God.
“I know I’m crossing the boss-employee line but you need to hear this, Colin. And I think you get that, too. That’s why you’re not saying a word. Why you’re not getting pissed at me for being such a rude little bitch and calling you out on your shit.” Fable steps closer, scaring the hell out of me, but I stand my ground, bracing myself for the next round of physical blows.
But she delivers it with words instead.
“If you don’t want Jen to leave, then you need to find those balls you’re so afraid I’m going to demolish, man up, and tell her. Don’t let her go. Tell her how you feel.”
Ah, she makes it sound so easy when it’s so . . . not. “She’s already looking for another job,” I protest weakly. “She wants to go apartment hunting this week. Roommate hunting.”
“Excuses.” She waves a hand, dismissing my words. “But hey, if you’re willing to let her go that easily, then by all means, go for it. Encourage her, then. Help her out—make it easier for her and get her out of your life once and for all.” Fable rolls her eyes and laughs, though there’s no humor behind it. “Don’t you ever wonder why you can’t let her go? Don’t you realize how you eventually chase after her no matter what she does or where she goes? Always trying to snare her into your net? If you want to give her all that freedom she’s so desperate to find, escort her right the hell on out of here.”
Before I can finally come up with something to say to defend myself she walks away from me, opening the door and slamming it behind her with such force, the sound rattles both the building and my bones.
Leaving me alone with my thoughts, my feelings. They swarm me, overwhelm me, and I know there’s no way I can stand out here dealing with all this shit.
So I follow her inside and hide away in my office.
Hide away from Jen.
Chapter 7
Jen
“Don’t I know you?”
Glancing up, I find a man probably in his mid-forties standing before me on the other side of the hostess counter, staring at me.
Hard.
The restaurant is packed. The staff has been scrambling all evening. I should be on my break but instead I’m helping out at the front desk, handling payments, greeting customers in between checking up on my tables when the hostess is off seating others. I do this sort of thing whenever it gets a little crazy, and no one protests. Tonight, though, is extra busy, proof Colin needs to hire more people, and that makes me feel guilty for leaving.
Seeing this man is reminding me why I need to go. I don’t want to know him but I do. He’s a bad memory I don’t want to deal with, especially here.
I smile faintly through my sudden nerves, wishing I could tell him to screw off. I don’t like the way he’s looking at me. He hands over his credit card and his dinner bill, and I automatically take it. “Are you a regular customer at The District?” We have lots of them, though they’re usually younger than this guy. I know he’s not a regular. Not here.
“Not at this place. My wife convinced me to take her
“Can’t take what anymore?” I finally ask, my voice cracking. I almost sound like I’m ready to break down and cry.
“Jen can’t take being in love with you when you don’t feel the same.” She peers at me with those all-seeing eyes. I don’t know how Drew can stand it sometimes. Her unconditional love knows no bounds for him but Fable’s gaze is damn near penetrating and I want to squirm where I stand, like a little kid caught doing something bad. “So. Do you feel the same? Or are you just stringing her along?”
“I—”
“If you say ‘I don’t know,’ I swear to God, I will knee you in the balls.”
Swallowing hard, I realize my voice has up and disappeared. I don’t doubt Fable’s threat for a second. My balls are shriveling up in fear at this very moment, for the love of God.
“I know I’m crossing the boss-employee line but you need to hear this, Colin. And I think you get that, too. That’s why you’re not saying a word. Why you’re not getting pissed at me for being such a rude little bitch and calling you out on your shit.” Fable steps closer, scaring the hell out of me, but I stand my ground, bracing myself for the next round of physical blows.
But she delivers it with words instead.
“If you don’t want Jen to leave, then you need to find those balls you’re so afraid I’m going to demolish, man up, and tell her. Don’t let her go. Tell her how you feel.”
Ah, she makes it sound so easy when it’s so . . . not. “She’s already looking for another job,” I protest weakly. “She wants to go apartment hunting this week. Roommate hunting.”
“Excuses.” She waves a hand, dismissing my words. “But hey, if you’re willing to let her go that easily, then by all means, go for it. Encourage her, then. Help her out—make it easier for her and get her out of your life once and for all.” Fable rolls her eyes and laughs, though there’s no humor behind it. “Don’t you ever wonder why you can’t let her go? Don’t you realize how you eventually chase after her no matter what she does or where she goes? Always trying to snare her into your net? If you want to give her all that freedom she’s so desperate to find, escort her right the hell on out of here.”
Before I can finally come up with something to say to defend myself she walks away from me, opening the door and slamming it behind her with such force, the sound rattles both the building and my bones.
Leaving me alone with my thoughts, my feelings. They swarm me, overwhelm me, and I know there’s no way I can stand out here dealing with all this shit.
So I follow her inside and hide away in my office.
Hide away from Jen.
Chapter 7
Jen
“Don’t I know you?”
Glancing up, I find a man probably in his mid-forties standing before me on the other side of the hostess counter, staring at me.
Hard.
The restaurant is packed. The staff has been scrambling all evening. I should be on my break but instead I’m helping out at the front desk, handling payments, greeting customers in between checking up on my tables when the hostess is off seating others. I do this sort of thing whenever it gets a little crazy, and no one protests. Tonight, though, is extra busy, proof Colin needs to hire more people, and that makes me feel guilty for leaving.
Seeing this man is reminding me why I need to go. I don’t want to know him but I do. He’s a bad memory I don’t want to deal with, especially here.
I smile faintly through my sudden nerves, wishing I could tell him to screw off. I don’t like the way he’s looking at me. He hands over his credit card and his dinner bill, and I automatically take it. “Are you a regular customer at The District?” We have lots of them, though they’re usually younger than this guy. I know he’s not a regular. Not here.
“Not at this place. My wife convinced me to take her
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