Page 54 of All the Ugly Things
Was it obsessive and crossing boundaries? Absolutely.
Did I care? Not a smidge.
Fortunately, when I arrived at eleven, well-rested after a late afternoon nap so I didn’t fall asleep while I was at Judith’s, the diner was virtually empty.
A haggard looking man sat at a table, back to the window, facing the restaurant. His grayed beard hung to his chest, his well-worn green and yellow trucker hat proclaimed his love for tractors and farming equipment.
The bell rang above my head as I opened the door, letting out an irritating high-pitched squawk and Lilly’s head barely lifted from her same perch at the counter. Makeup thicker than earlier, eyes lined with thick black and dark red lipstick on her lips, I was beginning to realize she looked fiercer for her shifts than any other time. Possibly because she felt she needed to look tough in order to ward away problems.
Not that it helped. Any man with a dick in working condition could see through those layers to the sexpot beneath.
Lilly pressed her lips together and looked back down at her laptop, effectively dismissing me.
Interesting. After the way today went it wasn’t surprising, but still disappointing. There was something sexy about her when she got all worked up. I said a silent thanks she didn’t kick me out and headed straight to where I sat last time. It was far enough away not to bother her, close enough to help her if she needed it.
If she wanted to ignore me all night, that was okay. I only cared about her safety.
Once I was settled, and she hadn’t acknowledged my presence in any way, I began typing in my laptop’s password and said, “I know I’m not welcome, but I had to make sure you’re okay.”
Her fingertips hovered over her own keyboard, frozen in place. “I can take care of myself.”
Evidence to the contrary was marred into her creamy skin.
Eventually she sighed, the sound of a woman completely put out and she headed my way with a coffee cup. “Decaf or regular?”
“Regular, please.”
“Any chance I’ll convince you to leave and go home?”
“Nope.” My fingers tapped quickly, pulling up the names of the tenants who occupied the buildings. Some would need translators based on information we gathered and those were set up, contact info on the letters to be delivered in their primary and secondary languages.
Tomorrow was going to be a hellish day for work, one that would make me question every decision I made even if the end result would be beneficial for everyone involved. I believed that deep into my soul, but this final upheaval would be terrifying. We’d followed proper city protocols, alerting the current residents several months ago and the landlords should have already sent them a notice canceling their leases, as well as the list of properties we supplied for rent at their current rates in nearby areas on a temporary to permanent basis if they chose. That didn’t mean all former landlords followed the proper procedures we’d outlined and insisted on. I was aware of one who hadn’t, and while I couldn’t force them, dealing with the potential backlash could be difficult.
“Do I want to know why you’re here?”
I glanced up slowly and set my focus on her cheek. I let that look say it all.
She huffed. “I bet all of your foster sisters hated having you for a brother. You were probably overprotective, weren’t you?”
Her tone was still annoyed, but Lilly trying to engage me in conversation surprised me. And talking about my sisters? How I was as a brother? Something thick and nasty grew in my throat and I took a drink of coffee.
“It’s possible I’ve been called a dick or asshole once or twice in my life.”
“Shocking,” she muttered and stepped back. “Do you like cream?”
“No, thank you.”
“Would you like pie?”
“Thanks, but I’m still full from those cupcakes.”
“Right,” she said, and that irritated look quickly changed to something else, darkening her icy blue eyes as she glanced down at the floor.
“What?”
“They were dropped last night.”
I’d go buy her a hundred more cupcakes and have them delivered to her house daily if I never had to see that expression again.
