Blackstone Ranger Charmer - Alicia Montgomery Page 0,39
in town except Rosie, the employees, and Gabriel.
“Yeah. Says he’s from Chicago. Wouldn’t give me his name.” Rosie looked annoyed. “Kept pestering Bridgette until she gave in and confirmed you worked here.”
Chicago? “I’m sorry, Rosie. Let me take care of it.”
She followed Rosie to the dining room. Every table was full, so she wasn’t sure where her “visitor” was seated, but Rosie cocked her head toward the two-top in the middle of the room. A dark-haired man sat with his back to her, chatting with an uncomfortable-looking Bridgette, who was obviously trying to get away, but at the same time, being polite.
Oh no.
She didn’t even have to see the man’s face to know who it was. If anything, that pit growing in her stomach told her the identity of her visitor. “I’ll take care of this, Rosie,” she said as she walked stiffly toward him. “What do you want, Tony?”
Her ex turned his head toward her. Slowly, that flirty expression on his face turned into a cruel smile. “Well, look who it is.” Whipping back toward Bridgette, he snapped his fingers at her. “Get me another apple pie, will you, sweetheart?”
She ground her teeth together and sent an apologetic look to Bridgette. “He’s not staying. You don’t have to get him anything,” she said, surprised at her own courage. As soon as the young woman was out of earshot, she turned back to Tony. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?” When she left Chicago, she didn’t tell anyone where she was going. Only Stacy knew, but she doubted her old boss would have told him. She had hated Tony from the beginning, even before the breakup.
“Baby, you just left without saying goodbye.” He mockingly put his hand over his heart. “I was so hurt.”
“Really? Didn’t that skank I found you in bed with soothe your broken heart?”
“You clearly misunderstood the situation. It’s not what you think.”
“Not what I think?” He was joking right? She’d seen the evidence with her own eyes. But this was classic Tony. He would deny, deny, deny, and even when there was evidence against him, he would say it was still her fault. God, I was such an idiot. “I don’t have time for this. What do you want, Tony? Is it money? I already paid the landlord the rest of the month, even though I left early. You had plenty of time to move out or sign a new contract.”
“Baby, that’s not why I came,” he said sheepishly. “You just left … you didn’t even give me a second chance.”
“Second chance?” she hissed.
“Yeah,” he replied. “After everythin’ we went through, you just run out like that? Remember when you were sick and I took care of you? Or how about when I took you to that fancy place for your birthday?” He nodded at the obscenely large bouquet of red roses on the chair next to him. “Look, I even got you flowers. Do you have any idea how much these cost me?”
Everything seemed so clear now—all the tactics he used to manipulate her. If only she’d seen it all from the beginning. “Tell me honestly: Was she even the first one? Or just the first one I caught you with?”
Maybe her standing up for herself surprised him, but she saw a flash of guilt on his face, then followed by a sneer. However, he quickly composed himself. “C’mon, baby. You owe me.”
“Owe you? I don’t owe you anything.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. “Well, I won’t leave until you agree to talk to me.”
“Excuse me?” Glancing around, she saw the people around them were beginning to stare. “What do you mean?”
“Please, baby.” He shot up from the chair, and then got down on one knee. “I love you. I always have, you know that.” His tone was desperate. “What do I have to go to prove it to you?”
She stared down at him, her cheeks growing hot with embarrassment. From across the room, Rosie sent her a disapproving look. “Get up, Tony. Please.”
“No.” He shook his head. “Not until you agree to talk with me.” He swung his arms as if to catch her.
“Tony!” She evaded his grasp by stepping away, but he didn’t get up. Staring down at him, she could see the determination—or was that desperation—in his eyes. “Fine,” she relented. “Will you leave if I agree to talk?”
He nodded. “Where can we go?”
“I’m working right now, I just can’t take off,” she exclaimed. Pursuing