Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 139088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139088 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
“Shower and dressing change?” I asked.
“Got it covered,” he muttered.
I didn’t ask.
And I didn’t ask because I knew he found someone else to do it because it upset me so much when I did.
He was looking after me.
Because that was Knox Chambers.
Dammit.
“Right, so…see you later,” I said.
“Yeah, baby.”
I looked to Jacques. “Be good for Uncle Knox.”
Jacques gave a soft woof then panted.
That meant, I will.
I shot Knox a tight smile.
Then I got out of there.
I was at my locker, tying on my server’s apron, trying to understand how I could be hungry after two donuts (yeah, I ate the second one on the way to work—it was fresh, so it was a moral imperative), at the same time knowing it was because I could smell Willow’s muffins baking (she came in before us to do her thing filling the pastry case).
This was when Raye walked through the back door of The Surf Club.
“Hey,” I greeted.
“Hey,” she replied, heading to her locker while pulling the strap of her cute crossbody bag over her head.
It was a bag I’d seen. A bag that made me lament our long ago promise not to double up on the same awesome fashion selections because we spent so much time together, before doing that, we’d be spending even more time texting so we could be sure we didn’t go out with the same bag, shoes or entire outfit.
“How’d dinner go last night with Brady?” she queried.
“Our game is good and dead.”
She turned from stuffing her bag in her locker to me.
“So is he going to ask Gemma out, finally?” she asked.
“He and I are tight, but not tight enough to talk about whatever is up with him about Gemma,” I shared. “Every time I broach it, he shuts me down.”
“Oh God, not another one who has to get his head straight before he takes it there,” she muttered, perusing her plethora of different colored servers’ aprons to make the selection that would fit her outfit today.
I did not think this was wasteful.
I had my own plethora, and today I was wearing black to go with my red and white boho print, knee-length, long-sleeve, tassel-tie-at-the-waist dress.
And Raye was not wrong.
Cap had no problem making his intentions known for Raye, and they were inseparable within days.
Same with Eric and Jessie.
Javi, though, had some issues to deal with, so that took a while.
On the flipside, Willow had issues going there with Gabe, which took another while.
And now we could add Knox in that mix when it came to me. And this was going to last for eternity.
Gluh.
“So, before we go out there,” I began, “I need to give you a heads-up about something that you have to be very careful about sharing with anyone without a cross-your-heart-hope-to-die.” I thought of this and added, “Solidified by a pinkie promise that you nor they will allow it to get to Knox.”
Tying on her apron (beige to go with her army-green T-shirt dress), she focused on me. “What?”
“Do you cross your heart and hope to die?” I asked.
She blew out a breath, crossed her heart then lifted up three fingers in a scout pledge (when she’d never been a scout, but I’d allow it).
Though, I did hold up my pinkie.
Another big breath from Raye, and she hooked her pinkie to mine.
When we broke, I said, “I have reason to believe Cheyenne is stalking either me or Knox, or, since he’s very stationary and I’m looking after him, both of us.”
Her eyes got large.
“I know,” I agreed to her nonverbalized shock.
“How do you know?”
“I saw her drive through the parking lot at The Porch last night as I was walking in. She didn’t come in to eat, by the way. And before you ask, I haven’t noticed a tail since then, and I’ve been watching. But my guess is, she was either staking out Knox’s, and she followed me when I left there, or she was staking out the Oasis, and ditto.”
“Why don’t you want Knox to know this?” she asked.
“Because I told him she confronted me, he flipped out immediately, phoned her and tore her a new one. Alas, he also told her to leave me alone, so even if he was very clear, it didn’t work.”
Raye didn’t say anything for a long time, she just stared at me.
I allowed this for a while, then said, “And yes, I know I need to sort myself out. Knox and I are doing that after work tomorrow.”
“Good,” she mumbled. “What are you going to do about Cheyenne?”
I lifted a shoulder. “No clue. If she follows me around and keeps her distance, hopefully, it’ll blow over and that’ll be that. If she doesn’t…I still don’t know. I’ve never had a stalker.”
“It’s pretty extreme to follow you around, Luna. Maybe we should ask Shanti’s cousin what he thinks you should do.”