Page 77 of Trusting You
“Good morning, bestie.” She sounded really chipper, and it made me more irate.
“Nora, I was asleep.”
“It’s nine a.m. kid, get your ass out of bed. You have things to do today.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. You are going to shower, get dressed, and come meet me at the diner. We have a lot to talk about.”
“We talked plenty yesterday. Please let me wallow in my depressed hungover state.”
“Nope. Don’t make me come over there and drag you myself. You know I’m super strong since I started doing those Krav Maga classes with Yael.”
Shit. I knew she would do it too. Nora was an incredible friend, but she would not hesitate to walk in here and throw my sorry ass in the shower. “Okay, fine. Give me thirty minutes.”
“Let’s make it an hour so you have time to do your hair and put on makeup, okay?”
“Fine.” I didn’t want to put on makeup for breakfast at the diner, but it was easier to just go along than to fight with her right now. Besides, gallons of coffee and some bacon sounded pretty amazing right now.
“Great!” she trilled. “I love you to the moon and back! See you in an hour.”
* * *
After a shower and an attempt to mask my poor life choices with makeup, I stumbled into the diner. Maybe Jackie could get me that coffee in an IV.
The doorbell jangled but I didn’t hear anyone. The diner was completely empty. That was weird. The place was usually packed. I doubled back and looked at the door. There was a huge “closed” sign hanging there. I was so confused.
I started to leave when I heard Jackie’s voice from the kitchen. “Cecelia, sweetie, we’ll be right out. Have a seat at your regular booth.”
Weird…they were expecting me.
I walked around the counter to my regular booth and was greeted by a familiar face. Liam.Oh, shit.
My eyes were probably the size of saucers. I was not ready to see him right now.
He stood up. “Cece, I just want to talk to you for a few minutes. Sit down, please.” He looked rough. Like he hadn’t been sleeping either. He had dark circles around his eyes and his beard was in desperate need of a trim. He still looked stupidly handsome, which annoyed me.
I debated leaving. But Nora had clearly set this up and was colluding with Jackie and Joe who had obviously closed the diner for me. I owed all of them to at least sit and listen. “Fine. But I need coffee first.”
As if being summoned by a genie, Jackie appeared, pot in hand. “Good morning, sweetheart. And Liam, so nice to see you! Joe and I had a fabulous time at bingo night last week.” She threw him a very unsubtle wink.
Liam gave her a megawatt smile and thanked her profusely for the coffee.
As soon as she had disappeared into the kitchen, he started. “Cece, I am so sorry. I was such an idiot. I know you are mad, but I can’t let you take that job and leave town without at least knowing how I feel.”
I was stunned. “I didn’t take the job.”
“You didn’t?”
“No. You were right. I hated it. They offered me the job on the spot but I turned it down.”
He stirred his coffee. “That’s interesting.”
“Yeah. I’m done with corporate America. I want to try some new things.”
He smirked. “Is that so?”
My all-business tone was wavering. “Yes.”
