Every Little Piece - By Kate Ashton Page 0,45
to each other but neither of us moves closer.
“How can this feel so right and be so wrong?” she asks in a moment of truthfulness. I can’t believe she’s opened up. It mirrors the way I feel, too.
“I don’t know.” I pull away before I’m tempted to kiss her. I’ll lose her trust if I make this about me. “Please, give me this week.”
She sighs. I’ve hurt her again. “Why, Seth? What will one week do?”
“You never know. Just give me a chance.” I press my palm to the side of her face then pull away. Old habits of touching and loving her won’t die. “But you have to be open. You have to try.”
Her voice breaks. “I try to get through each day. How would this be any different?”
I can’t believe I’ve stayed away so long. I curse that I was a coward and left her. “I don’t deserve another chance with you, and I’m not asking for one. I just need this week. For you.”
Before the week is over, Haley will know everything. Everything about that night that made me run away. I’ll tell her about Carly, my parents, and the accident.
She sighs. “Fine. Will you take me home?”
After a restless night, I drag myself out of bed to get ready for my shift. I forgot to wash my apron so it’s still splattered with ketchup, my head is pounding, and my chest aches. It’s so hard to be around Seth. One moment I want to run away from him and then the next I want him to pull me close and kiss me forever. But last night he made it clear that he’s not back to apologize and try to salvage our relationship. I guess that’s as it should be because if he tried, I’d refuse. But a tiny part, just a tiny, tiny part of me really misses him.
I nudge Justine’s door open. “Hey, you awake?”
“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbles. I move to the stairs and she calls, “Don’t forget you’re training Katie this morning! I should be back from the dentist by noon.”
It’s my turn to groan. I walk down the narrow, steep stairs that lead to the kitchen of the inn. My hand slides down the rail and the steps creak under my feet. Early morning smells of bacon and coffee greet me. This ritual of waking and working to the sound of Tom cooking in the kitchen has become my home.
He’s mixing the batter for pancakes. His graying brown hair needs a cut and his face wears the happy expression it always does when he’s cooking. “Hey, there.”
“Good morning.” I can’t hide the yawn as I pour a cup of coffee and wrap my hands around it. Just this little bit of warmth is comforting.
He bustles about the kitchen, never stopping. “Thanks for training the new waitress.”
“No prob.” I can’t force any fake enthusiasm.
He pats my back as he rushes past. “Remember, you were once new too.”
I feel guilty after all Tom’s done for me. He’s put his life’s money and his dreams into this place. Then he opened it up to Justine and me. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you down.”
He slows to measure another batch of flour. “You going to be staying with us another summer?”
“Yeah, sure. Why?” My chest constricts in the fear that he’s suggesting I move out. It must show on my face.
“Don’t worry. You’re welcome here as long as you’d like. I wondered if you’d thought anymore about college or what you want to do the rest of your life. Not that I want to lose my best hired help.”
“I’m here for now.” I head into the restaurant for a few moments peace before the crowd trickles in. I avoid these types of conversation with Tom. That’s how he knows to sneak them in when I’m unaware. He’s knows I’d claim to be sick or slip out the backdoor if he suggested we sit down and talk.
The restaurant is quiet and still. The floor shines and tables are clean with white paper place mats. The morning sun peeks over the horizon in a beautiful sunrise of soft reds and purples. I love the mornings I have off and can be on the beach with the colors playing on the water. The feeling of a new day and the hope that comes with it. Before the crowds and the tourists when I can feel the beach is mine. Like here in the inn. No chatter or clinking of cups