Page 20 of Betrayed

“The same.Youwere one of her favorite people to write about.”

“Oh…Iwas?”Annabelletouches a hand to her blonde hair, done up in aFrenchTwistin the back.She’smy best friend but she’s also kind of a flirt.Infact,Ihad been thinking that maybe she andKanemight hit it off and go out together.

The idea doesn’t seem to appeal toKanethough.He’snice and polite but there’s no spark in his pale eyes when he looks at my friend, even thoughAnnabelleis really pretty and way thinner thanIam.

Then, just an hour after noon when the lunch rush is starting to slack a little,Charlescomes in.

He’s in a brand-new candy-apple redCorvettethis time—Isee him through the window.Hisfather lets him take whatever car he wants from the lot out for a test drive anytime he feels like it.Ithought that was fun when we first started dating, but to be honest, it’s getting kind of old now.I’venever exactly been a car person—allIcare is that a vehicle gets me from pointAto pointBand it hasACin the summer and heat in the winter.ButCharlesisn’t like that—he always has to have the flashiest car.

He comes in, swaggering a little, looking around to see who saw him driving past the diner’s front window in the sleekCorvette.He’sdressed in golf slacks and a polo shirt—he must be hitting the links over inClaritona little later.

Charles doesn’t really do regular work—he acts as a salesman for his dad sometimes but mostly he has enough free time to do what he wants.Itmust be a nice life—Ihave to admitI’ma little jealous.Ofcourse,Ilove my job, but ifIhad as much time asIwanted,I’dbe spending it going to college to earn a business degree soIcan open my own bakery some day.That’smy big dream andIhaven’t told it to anyone butKane.

My big brother was supportive of the idea—whichIappreciate.I’mafraid that ifItell anyone else, they’ll thinkI’mjust having “pie in the sky” dreams—literally in this case, sinceIspecifically want to open a pie and pastry bakery.

Anyway,IgiveCharlesa peck on the cheek and get him seated at table three.Iwant to introduce him toKane—Ihaven’t even told him that my big brother is in town yet.ButKane’sin the back washing dishes andIfigureIcan bring him out later.Forright now,Iask my boyfriend what he wants for lunch.

“Something light, babe.Gottawatch it, you know?”Hepats his stomach, which is fairly flat.AsIsaid, he looks nice naked.Butafter seeingKanewithout his shirt?—

No,Ican’t think like that.Kane’smy big brother.Iput a pin in it and suggest theChef’ssalad.

“I had it for lunch and it was great,”ItellCharles.

He frowns.

“I hope you left off the cheese and used the diet dressing, babe.You’regetting kind of chunky, you know?”

I bite back an annoyed retort.IfIget mad at him, he’ll just claim he was kidding.Orhe might say he was trying to watch out for my health.Butjust becauseI’mcurvy doesn’t meanI’mnot healthy!I’mon my feet all day baking and waitressing so it’s not likeIdon’t get any exercise.Besides,I’vetried dieting—it doesn’t seem to do me any good.I’mjust miserable for no reason since the scales never budge.IthinkI’drather be curvy and happy.

ButIdon’t say any of this toCharles—it wouldn’t do any good.InsteadIask him again if he wants the salad and he shakes his head.

“Just bring me aBLTwith fries on the side,” he orders.

“Got it.”Notexactly the lightest thing we have on the menu, but not the worst either.Iturn to go butCharlesgrabs my hand and pulls me back to the table.

“Wait—Iwas meaning to ask you, how aboutIcome over tonight?Wehaven’t had anyfunfor a while, if you know whatImean.”

He wiggles his eyebrows at me expressively andIsuppress a sigh.Yeah,Iknow what he means—he wants to come over to my house so we can have sex.Onlysex withCharlesisn’t much fun at all—at least not for me.

To be fair to my boyfriend, sex withanyguy isn’t much fun for me—it never has been.It’snot likeIwas hurt or attacked whenIwas a child or anything like that, though.Itjust doesn’tfeelright.Mybody won’t get excited, no matter whoI’mwith.

I thought for awhile thatIwas a lesbian, but nope—I’mnot attracted to girls either.SoIguessI’mjust one of those asexuals who doesn’t like sex.Imean,Ican tolerate it—which is mostly whatIdo whenI’mwithCharles—butInever reallyenjoyit.

He doesn’t seem to notice, though.Hethinks he’s doing everything right andIdon’t have the heart to let him know that his kisses leave me cold andI’mjust laying there counting the cracks in the ceiling when he’s going to town in theMissionaryposition.

SoI’mnot sorry at all to tell him “no” about tonight.

“Sorry, but my brother’s in town,”Itell him. “I’mtaking him shopping for some new clothes after work soI’mafraidIcan’t have you over tonight.”

“Your brother?”Hiseyebrows shoot up. “Babe—you mean the one that’s been inprisonall this time?”

I wishIhadn’t told him that part ofKane’sstory but it’s too late to take it back now.

“Yes, he’s getting his life turned around,”Isay and smile. “Look, let me go put in your order or you’ll never get to eat.”

I hurry towards the kitchen window but beforeIcan get there, the bell above the door jingles and a group of three rough-looking men come in.They’rewearing work clothes that are grimy and covered in dust—possibly they work on a road crew somewhere or maybe they’re in construction.Thethree of them swagger in and look around.

“Hey,” one of them says to me. “Youserve anything decent in this joint, sweet thing?”

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