“That doesn’t sound like luck. That sounds like hard work and smart management.”
“Did you just compliment me again?”
Liv stood with an annoyed groan. “And now I regret it.”
Mack made a big play of patting his pockets. “I need a pen. I need to document this moment.”
The door swung open again, and Liv sucked in a breath. Jessica. She looked like every other college girl in the place in her yoga pants and oversize sweatshirt. The one main difference was the haunted look in her eyes. Her shoulders literally hunched under the weight of her backpack and, probably, the secret she was carrying.
Mack followed her gaze. “That’s her?”
Liv nodded.
Mack’s fingers tightened on his cup. “Christ, she’s young.”
They watched silently as Jessica approached the counter to order. She hoisted her backpack higher on one shoulder, and as she did, her eyes scanned the coffee shop, presumably for an open table. Liv tensed in anticipation of the moment Jessica spotted her, but the girl’s eyes scanned over her as if she didn’t notice or didn’t recognize Liv.
Probably the latter. It was amazing how many people didn’t recognize her when she put on her chef’s hat, so it only made sense that Jessica wouldn’t recognize her out of it. The barista called her name, and Jessica picked up her coffee. There was an open table toward the back by the hallway to the bathrooms.
Liv watched for another minute as Jessica got settled at the table, pulled out her laptop and a notebook, and took a sip of her coffee.
“How are we going to do this?” Mack asked.
“Let me talk to her first. I’ll wave at you when you can come over.”
She set her coffee down and stood. A sudden wave of nerves brought a shaky breath from her chest. Mack reached over and gripped her hand. “You okay?”
“Fine.” She pulled her hand back, not so much because she disliked the feel of his fingers on hers but because she liked it too much.
She was nearly all the way to Jessica’s table before the girl noticed. Up close, recognition came fast. Jessica’s eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”
“Can I sit down?” Liv asked, motioning to the open chair.
Jessica’s eyes darted about. “I can’t talk to you.”
“No one knows I’m here.”
“How’d you find me?”
“I just want to talk,” Liv said.
“What do you want?” Jessica’s tone was frantic, not rude.
“To make sure you’re all right.”
Jessica’s eyes sparked.
“You’re right,” Liv said, claiming the chair. “Stupid thing to say.”
“I have to study,” Jessica complained.
“I want to help you.”
“There’s nothing to help with. I told you there was nothing going on.” The tremble in her fingers as she clutched her pen said otherwise.
“I know what I heard and what I saw. I also know that you’re terrified.”
“I just want you to leave me alone.”
“I can’t. Not until I make Royce pay for what he did. What he has probably done before.”
Jessica’s eyes widened, her earlier suspicion replaced by outright panic. “How?”
Good question. “I’m working on it.”
Jessica shook her head and started packing up her things. “Just leave it alone.”
“I’m going to protect you. I promise. I just want you to know that you don’t have to put up with this.”
Jessica’s lip trembled. “My mom is so proud that I work there. I-I’m the first person in my family to go to college, and when I got this job, my mom told everyone. I can’t tell her about this. If I quit, she’ll want to know why, and—”
“Your mother would not want you to have to endure what Royce is doing to you.”
Jessica bit her lip again as if to stave off tears. “Please. Just leave me alone.”
She stood. Liv reached out and grasped her wrist. “Wait.”
Jessica stopped but refused to look at Liv.
“What if you had another job to go to? Would you at least consider leaving?”
“I don’t know.”
“You see that man over there?” Liv turned and pointed at Mack. He lifted a hand in a casual, friendly wave and then stood. “He’s a friend. If you’re worried about money, he will give you a job.”
Jessica sat back down as Mack approached. He stopped a respectful distance away and extended his hand. “Braden Mack.”
Jessica’s hand trembled as she placed it in his.
“Nice to meet you. Can I sit down?” He pointed at the other empty chair.
She nodded. Mack met Liv’s eyes as he rounded the table and gave her a small smile. “Liv told me a little about what happened,” he said