Page 32 of Don't Regret Me
It was obvious they liked him.
Join the club, kids.
The world knew him as a recluse. A man with more talent than he could ever have personality. A prop in the Sherrie Thompson dramady. But they didn’t know the true story. The one that was written in a manuscript he kept locked away at a forgotten lake house. Forgotten by everyone except her.
She counted down the days until she could escape to the one place that could put the pieces of her back together. But there was still a ways to go.
Now, it was Sunday, and he was out there sitting at his usual table. Alone.
“Big order.” Shanice set a ticket in front of her. “The entire Kelly family is out there.” The Kellys were beloved in this town, the parents and four children. Along with various spouses and children and those lucky enough to have been invited into their circle. In part, because they treated everyone like family.
And in part, because everyone envied them, envied the love they had for each other.
“I’ll make it perfect.” Liz started in on the chicken for the first few dishes, trying to concentrate on her job instead of anything else.
By the time the Kellys got their food, there was a request to talk to one of the chefs. Nora, the chicken, pawned that off on Liz, so she untied her apron and smoothed out her whites. “Wish me luck.”
Normally, when a patron demanded to talk to the chef, it meant there was something wrong. The complainers were louder than those giving praise. Yet, when she stepped up to the long table of Kellys, they all greeted her with smiles. “How is everything?” she asked.
Mrs. Kelly finished chewing a bite. “You know, we’ve heard about this place, but it’s the first time we’ve eaten here. We just wanted to tell you how wonderful the food is.”
“Oh.” Liz clasped her hands behind her back, her face growing warm. “Well, thank you. Our staff works hard to ensure your enjoyment.”
Tanner Kelly laughed. “Take it as the highest compliment, Liz. We normally eat at Mom’s house for Sunday dinners, but it’s her birthday today, so we wouldn’t let her cook.”
“And no one wants the rest of us cooking.” Finley scowled when her youngest brother kicked her under the table.
Liz had known this family most of her life—product of a small town—and envied them for just as long. Everything seemed to come so easily for them. Life was good to them. “Happy birthday, Mrs. Kelly. I’ll let the kitchen know, and we can get you a special dessert.” She turned to leave, needing to get away from all the positivity, all the compliments.
She’d learned how to take bad news, how to deal with those who didn’t understand her. Being the girl with cancer—twice—taught her that. But the other side, the one full of praise and rainbows and butterflies… it would never make her comfortable.
When she walked by Nick’s table, she caught him stifling a laugh, his serious face softening.
“What is so funny?” She stopped and crossed her arms.
“Can’t take criticism or a compliment, I see.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Was he right? She’d exploded on him when he was critical of her food and ran from the Kellys when they loved it. “Maybe I just don’t like the attention on me.”
“You’d make a terrible actress, then.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Good. I’d rather my life be real.” With that, she stormed back into the kitchen, not realizing he’d followed her until one of the sous-chefs yelled for him to get out. He didn’t listen.
“Are you saying my life isn’t?”
She turned on her heel to face him. “I’m saying you don’t even know if it is. Now, please let me get back to work.”
“Actually,” Nora appeared at her side. “Dinner service is slowing for the night, so I’m cutting you. Go home to those babies.”
“Don’t let them hear you call them babies.” She would have been grateful for the early cut if it hadn’t been for the smug man in a kitchen where he didn’t belong.
“I’ll walk you out,” he said.
“You absolutely will not.” She heaved out a sigh. “Fine.” The reality was, every time he looked at her, sparks tingled along her skin. She could feel the heat from his body, and she wanted nothing more than to forget the fact that they had very different experiences with each other. In his mind, she was the interesting woman he met a couple weeks ago.
But to her, he was the man who crushed her soul without meaning to. And he didn’t know the pain he caused her. That was the worst part. He probably saw her reluctance as a challenge, enjoying the chase when staying away from him was the only thing that could keep her from losing herself.
They walked side by side through the dark parking lot. His arm brushed hers, and she pulled away.
