Things with Freya, his younger sister, and I still aren’t the best, but she has warmed up to me a bit more since the barbecue at their parents’ house. I mean, I get it. This is her brother, and she’d do anything to protect him. If someone hurt him or, in my case, kept his daughter a secret from him for years, there is no way she wouldn’t be upset or hate that person.
At work, I wait tables alongside Julia. It’s a Saturday night, so we’re a little busier than we are during the week, but it’s nothing we can’t handle. I’ve been on my feet for the last three hours, and I’m in need of a break. There’s an incessant ache at the soles of my feet that is absolutely killing me.
“How can you look so exhausted, yet look like you’re glowing at the same time? I don’t get it.”
I roll my eyes at Julia as I refill drinks at the fountain machine. “I’m not sure what kind of compliment that’s supposed to be.”
She’s getting the tab ready for one of her tables when she shrugs, shooting me a grin. “Not so much a compliment, but it is a segue into my next question. How hard is he banging you? I mean, you moved in fast. Is Endymion Black as good as they say?” She waggles her brows, and I frown.
“If you haven’t already noticed, I don’t like hearing how many others in this town think he’s ‘good,’ and excuse me, I moved in with him because I love him, Jules. We have a daughter together, and we’re trying to be a normal family.”
Julia laughs. “Ah, so he is as good as they say. You lucky bitch. No wonder you’re glowing. He’s probably banging you into next week.” A laugh bursts from my chest because she’s not far off. “Moving on from your Greek god, I want to show you something.”
Julia pulls out her phone, scrolling through the photos until she lands on one in particular. My brows draw in. “What is this?”
“So, I know this might be a bit premature, but I noticed this space is on the market. It’s downtown on Alpine, which means it’s right in the middle of everything. It would be a great place for a business, you know, if you were considering starting over here.”
Taking the phone from her, I inspect the picture, nibbling on my bottom lip. She’s right. The space itself looks great, from the photograph, at least, and if I was considering opening another store, I’d want to do it somewhere with enough traffic to keep the business afloat.
“I don’t know, Jules. I feel like there is so much happening right now. What if I’m never in a good place to open Moonchild again?”
With a grin, Julia wraps her arm around me, tugging me into her side. “You’re my best friend, Selene. You can do whatever the hell you want as long as you put your mind to it, and I have no doubt that Moonchild will be up and running soon.”
Unexpected tears sting the backs of my eyes. “I love you to pieces. You know that, right?”
Her lips twist ruefully. “You better.”
Just as she’s tucking her phone into her apron, her expression falters at the sound of the bell chiming, indicating we have new customers. I follow the trajectory of her gaze, and my own smile tapers off.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take their table.” Julia pats me on the butt, heading toward Holly and a few of her friends. She’s always willing to slay my demons for me. Holly’s gaze clashes with mine, and I swear I see sparks of hate ignite there. I square my shoulders and look away, focusing back on the task at hand.
Dealing with Endymion’s former flames will be the hardest part about staying here in Dunsmuir. I’ll never not run into Holly. There’s so much I want to say to this woman—hell, I’d like to slap her across the face for calling my daughter a bitch—but I need this job, and I won’t let her be the reason I lose it. End and I agreed we’d do that together, and I need to respect that. I make an effort to ignore her while she eats her meal, and Julia makes sure she handles that side of the diner.
A few hours later, after my lunch break, I spot someone sitting in my section, and my stomach twists