Preston's Honor(49)

I smiled at the girl at the hostess stand—someone new I didn’t recognize—and asked if Ron was available. He had been the day manager when I’d worked there a little over a year ago and I hoped that hadn’t changed. We’d never been close friends, but he was efficient and fair, and he’d always treated his employees well. I’d resigned before I had Hudson, but I’d left on good terms.

“He’s in the back. I’ll go get him. Can I tell him your name?”

“Yes. Annalia. I used to work here.”

The girl nodded and went off toward the back. I’d purposefully come in during what I knew was the slowest time to ensure that the manager on duty had time to see me.

As I waited, I glanced around. Everything looked exactly the same and I felt a sort of comfort to be here. I’d been worried that it would hurt to come back, but it didn’t and for that I was grateful. Because I would have to bear it regardless of how I felt. I needed a job because I needed money. It was really that simple.

I had gone to what I now considered my mama’s apartment the night before and asked if I could stay with her. She’d seemed almost happy to see me, which had been a small blessing, considering the way we’d parted. I’d left her for six months and honestly expected a bitter and terse reception. She hadn’t asked me any questions, although I felt she wanted to and was holding herself back. But she’d been civil and I was relieved. I’d wait for her to ask me about her sister. If she ever did.

Preston had continued to pay my mama’s rent, which I’d believed he would. Preston was many things, but he wasn’t cruel, nor was he vindictive, and so I’d left my mama’s continued financial care in his hands—the care he’d taken over when I’d moved into his farmhouse with him and his mother. I’d been almost five months pregnant.

But I didn’t expect him to keep paying my mama’s bills now that I was back, and I also felt an obligation to reimburse him for the support he’d continued to extend to her while I’d been gone.

“Annalia?”

I was snapped from my thoughts and turned back from where I’d been glancing around the restaurant to see Ron coming toward me. I smiled and stepped forward. “Hi, Ron. How are you?”

He seemed hesitant as he stuck his hand out and shook mine. “Been good. I didn’t hear you were back in town.”

My smile faltered slightly at the statement that made it obvious he’d heard I’d left town. “Oh, well, I just got back yesterday actually.”

“Hmm-hmm.” He looked at me expectantly, his discomfort obvious. I glanced nervously at the counter where two older women were whispering to each other as they looked back over their shoulders, their gazes directed toward me. I swallowed. How had I forgotten how small this town was? How everyone learned everything about others—sooner or later. I’d seen evidence of it at the diner a few days before and now knew the gossip had spread far and wide. I could only hope there were a few people in Linmoor willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.

Only now, I wasn’t just some girl who’d infected the high school with the bedbugs on her sweater. Now, I was the girl who’d publically shamed a Sawyer, and that crime would have me strung up in the public gossip square to give everyone the chance to throw their stones in my direction in the hopes of drawing blood.

I straightened my shoulders and looked Ron in the eye. “I’m hoping you have a waitressing position open and I could have my old job back.” I put the hope I’d spoken of in my smile as I waited for his response.

He shifted on his feet, his eyes darting away toward the two ladies at the counter. I thought I recognized one as a friend of Mrs. Sawyer, who had shown up with a casserole after I’d come home from the hospital with Hudson, though I couldn’t be sure. It was a deep sadness inside me that that time was still such a blur. “I’m sorry, Annalia, but we don’t have any positions available right now.”

My heart dropped. “Oh. Because I thought I saw an ad in the paper. That’s why I came here first. I was hoping you’d remember how hard I worked. You once told me I was the best waitress you had.” I smiled again, trying to tap into the employee/employer mutual respect we’d had. I hadn’t really seen an ad in the paper—I actually hadn’t bothered to look—but the turnover at IHOP was high and there had always been an ad in the paper in years past, so I took my chances with that small fib.

His cheekbones colored slightly, and I knew I’d been right about the ad. I also knew I was embarrassing him and myself, too, but I really needed a job. I’d been so sure that if I could get one quickly anywhere, it would be here.

He sighed. “That position has been filled. Sorry again.” His jaw set and I knew from the experience of working with him that he wouldn’t change his mind.

I sighed too, nodding. “Okay. Well thanks anyway.” I almost offered my cell number in case a position became available, but I highly suspected he was lying to me, and that would have only further embarrassed us both.

I turned and headed for the door and as I did, I heard the hostess whisper, “Is it true she abandoned her own baby?”

“Yeah,” he answered. “You can’t always understand some cultures.”

The words slammed into me, the sound of the door closing providing the additional sound effect of rejection. You can’t always understand some cultures? Had he assumed I’d left Hudson because my Mexican heritage left some moral void inside me? I tried to muster some indignation but it only flared for a second before it fizzled out like a fire being lit in the rain.