Page 25 of The Prince and the Double Shot
Shit. What had I been doing? “A frappuccino, right? Sorry.”
The next few hours were going to be pure torture. I couldn’t focus, and Di had to keep me on track. Every thought made my heart race. Every second seemed to be an hour. Why now? What was I supposed to do?
Life was about to change if I stayed on this trajectory. Was I ready for the fallout?
ZANE
“You have really sucked all day, do you know that? What’s happening with you?” Di scrubbed the back counter where some syrup had spilled.
“I’m… Sorry. It’s been a very weird few days.”
“Does it have anything to do with the tall, dark, and handsome guy who ordered that double shot? He’s hot. I saw the way you couldn’t stop staring at him. He didn’t take his eyes off you either. So, you’re fucking?”
“No! I mean… He’s gonna meet me here at the end of my shift. Maybe we’ll have dinner or… No. He’s… You know how this place is, Di. He and I cannot be a thing.”
Her eyes got big. “Oh… One of them, huh? Of course. I mean, you can’t spit in this fucking town without hitting a prince sometimes. I think it’s seasonal. They always seem to arrive with the sun, don’t they?”
“He’s… It’s complicated.”
“Honey, everything with you is always complicated. You do that to yourself, I’m sure. Your choices have never been the best. It’s like you run away from anything that could ever mean anything except for this job.”
“Like I said, it’s very complicated and nuanced.”
“Your secrets have secrets, Zane.” She hiccupped. “Fuck.”
“I’m private – I know that. You know how much I wanted to escape my past. I’ve told you that.”
“I know, boo. You know, I secretly think that your parents are mafia, right? You like… come from this drug cartel or something, and you're on the run.”
“It’s not quite like that,” I laughed. “But it’s just as fucked up.”
“You’ve never even told me where you’re from. Aren’t you tired of keeping all of this to yourself? It has to be lonely, babe. You won’t even let yourself get close to one of the guys who’ve fallen head over heels for you. It has to be so lonely. I worry about you. Do you know that?”
“I… I do, Di. You know more than anyone, I guess. But…”
“It’s safer for me not to know, right? Look, I’m not being pushy or anything, because I have my own secrets too. We all do. But if you ever want to… unload, I’ll listen, you little shit. When I became your friend, I went all in. I’d help you bury the body if it ever came to that,” she laughed. I knew she meant it.
“I know, babe. You’re the only one that I’d ever… One day, maybe.”
“I’m here.”
“I think I’m supposed to ask you about some kind of ball that the hotel’s throwing. Layla kind of interrogated me about not sending an RSVP or something.”
“Of course she did. She wants all of us there to help celebrate. She and Sheena have always been there for all of us. I think they’re hoping that we’ll be there for them. You should send in the RSVP, Zane. It’s supposed to be a big shindig. People are coming in from all over the world, from what I hear.”
“That does not make me want to go.” It made me know that I needed to stay away. It wouldn’t be safe.
“Afraid you’ll see someone you know?”
“Quit fishing,” I huffed as I finished stacking some mugs. “I have to hurry or he’s gonna get here before I can leave.”
“A second date?” She looked up. “No, the sky is not falling.”
“Har-de-har, ho.”
“Oh, you used my Christian name. Aren’t you sweet? But seriously? I’m impressed that you didn’t fuck and run.”
“Well, there’s still time, isn’t there? Who knows what the future holds?”
