Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,21
a lot of convincing to stop her from stalking across the street and giving Mom a piece of her mind.
“I’m fine and she isn’t worth it,” I’d lied.
I knew Michelle needed the job and there was no doubt in my mind that Shay would fire her on the spot if she spoke up or caused trouble.
Sage didn’t return after school and when things died down early again, I didn’t dare close even a second ahead of time of the posted hours.
After closing I sat in the dark restaurant just thinking through my life and what it had become. I didn’t go home until all the lights were out and then I snuck in and straight to bed.
I’d gotten up early the next day to do it all over again.
This time Sapphire was waiting for me in the living room as I tried to sneak out under the cover of darkness.
“We need to talk.”
My shoulders sagged and I nodded knowing her fox eyes could see me even with the lights off.
“Not here.”
She agreed and walked over to the café with me.
Jimmy was already there half an hour earlier than usual.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Checking on you. Are you okay?”
My eyes cut over towards Sapphire. “I’m fine,” I lied.
“She’s not,” my sister told him.
“She hit you, didn’t she? Shay?”
Sapphire nodded even as I refused to answer. I glared at her. I didn’t want our family business aired in public.
“I’ll kill her,” he said and started to walk out the door.
I grabbed his arm and begged him not to get involved.
“It was one time Jimmy. She came home early from her trip, probably to spy on me. I had closed up early because this place was dead, and she was really angry about it. It won’t happen again.”
Sapphire didn’t look as certain about that. She had crossed a line this time and we all knew it.
“She wasn’t home to spy on you. The spa we were at was inside a casino and she blew all our money. I’m not excusing what she did, Susan. She is two hundred percent in the wrong. She shouldn’t have gambled all of our money away, and she most definitely should not have laid hands on you. I think when she saw this place closed early and not earning anything she just snapped.”
“I’ll show her what snapped looks like,” Jimmy threatened.
“Don’t, Jimmy. Please. It won’t help anything. If things have gotten that bad then I have other financial things that are more concerning at the moment.” My mind was already reeling with this new situation, and what I was going to have to cover for the month, because it was still early in the month and I had no illusions that she had done the responsible thing and actually paid her bills first.
“She’s going to hit you up for money, Susan. You know she is, and the business can’t keep bailing her out.”
“I know. I had to cover her just last week.”
Jimmy awkwardly listened into our conversation before clearing his throat. “If things get too bad and you need to sell, do it before it goes under.”
Sapphire laughed. “We’re in the middle of nowhere, Jimmy, who would even want to buy the place?”
“I would,” he said seriously. “I have the money saved for it, too. And you can keep your job if you want to, Susan. You too, but I’d expect you to actually work regularly,” he told Sapphire. “None of this flitting in for a few hours when you feel like it.”
She looked so dejected.
“It’s not like that,” I said coming to my sister’s defense. “Shay won’t let her work. She feels Sapphire is too special for manual labor.”
“I’m not,” she whispered.
I wrapped an arm around her and squeezed. “I know.”
We had very different stations in life according to our mother’s opinion, and she held each of us to that station without fail.
“I’ll stay and help today if it’s okay?” she offered.
“If she’s broke she’s going to track me down soon. It’ll only make things worse if she catches you in here working,” I said sadly.
“I don’t care, Susan. This shouldn’t all fall on your shoulders. You should go back to school and get away from her. She crossed a line this time and I’m scared for you.”
“I promised Sage I wouldn’t leave again,” I said softly.
“Sage needs to grow up. She’ll be fine.”
After truly getting to spend time with her and really talking to her, I wasn’t so sure about that.