Page 84 of Dying to Meet You
The other woman leans back and frowns. “Let me guess—you were already down on your luck when you got this job. You don’t have any family to speak of. You’re on your own.”
“Well, yeah.” It’s a little eerie how accurate that is. “How did you know?”
Elizabeth makes a clicking sound with her tongue. “That’s who he goes for. Can’t say I’m too surprised that he’s still up to his old tricks.”
Her heart quails. “What should I do? The last girl tried to warn me about him, but I didn’t listen. And now look at me. Maybe I should just stop showing up and get an easier job. But then, in a few months, when it’s time...” She slips a hand in front of her stomach. “I don’t know what I’ll do. How did you get him to step up for you?”
Elizabeth looks over both her shoulders before leaning closer. “First of all, donotquit your job.”
Coralie’s heart begins to thump with expectation. This is why she wanted to meet Elizabeth. She needs to know exactly how to play this.
“He’ll try to tell you it isn’t his, and that you can’t prove it. But none of that matters. All you need to say is that you’ll go straight to his brother if he doesn’t provide.”
Coralie swallows hard, and it’s not an act. “But his brother is a bigger dick than he is.”
“Yes and no. He’s tired of his little brother’s bullshit. Why do you think they fight whenever he calls? Little brother is a liability. And big brother controls the cash flow.”
“Okay. I think I understand.”
“It’s just a bluff, anyway. You and your boss will come to an agreement.” She nods sagely. “Brace yourself, though—he’ll make you work for him until the day you pop. You’ll get another little present—a gold ring, like a wedding band—and he’ll make you wear it so the staff will think you convinced your boyfriend to marry you.”
“Oh. What a sneaky fucker.”
The woman laughs. “That he is. And the ring isn’t even the strangest part. He has the hots for pregnant girls.”
“Wait, really?” she squeaks. That can’t be normal. Coralie already feels puffy and unattractive, and it’s still early.
“Oh yeah.” She rolls her eyes. “You watch—he’ll get even handsier. Your boobs. Your belly. He’ll want you all the time. I don’t miss that atall.”
Coralie shivers again, and it’s 100 percent genuine.God, rich men areweird. All the other dudes she knows would run screaming from a pregnant girl.
“And look, the most important rule of all is—don’t tell a soul who the father is. Not your best friend. Not your mom. If you already told someone, go back and tell them you made a mistake. I’m not kidding.” Her strangely blue eyes look suddenly tired.
“Nobody knows. Except you.”
“Good. Because that family loves their secrets. And if they think you’re telling tales out of school...” Her mouth goes tight. “It won’t go well.” She looks at her watch. “I said too much already. I have to go pick up my kid from school.”
“Oh, sweet,” she says just to be polite. “How old is your little guy?”
“Not so little anymore. He’s almost ten.” She smirks. “Yeah, I was eighteen when he got me pregnant. He likes ’em young.” She slides out of the booth. “We never had this conversation, you hear? I’ll deny every word.”
“Right. I know. Thank you.”
“Hang in there, girlie. You got this.” She removes her apron, hangs it on a hook near the door, and leaves the restaurant.
Coralie watches her through the window until she moves out of range on Free Street. Then she tries to put herself in Elizabeth’s shoes—working here and picking up a child after school. It’s like a foreign country she never thought of visiting.
She closes her eyes and tries to form a mental picture of her child. A little girl, maybe.
But she only sees darkness.
30
Saturday
Natalie
Natalie finds it impossible to get up on the first official morning of summer vacation. She doesn’t feel like going to yoga. Her eyes are gritty from crying.
