Preston's Honor(55)

Alicia’s voice lowered an octave as if she were trying to speak privately, but being that the voice she’d started in had been overly loud, this new “softer” voice could still be heard from four tables away. In every direction, I imagined. “That girl used to come to school with bugs on her,” she said and my heart dropped. “I don’t want her serving my food.”

Every muscle in my body froze. You fucking bitch, Alicia. I looked back and the woman in front of her had crossed her arms over her chest and seemed to be standing taller. I couldn’t see what was on her face, but by the look on Alicia’s, the woman wasn’t cowering to her—at least not in her stance or expression.

There was a lengthy pause as if the woman was deciding how to reply. “I’ll have Raul take your order,” she finally said, her voice clipped. I didn’t know her but I swore I heard the low simmer of anger in her tone. “I do hope he’ll meet with your approval.”

“That’s fine,” Alicia said, obviously not catching the note of sarcastic disdain in the woman’s voice. Or not caring.

Motherfucking hell.

As the manager walked away, she passed our table, her eyes lingering on me for a moment.

I frowned, looking at Tracie to see her expression was pained. “Wow, that Alicia’s a real bitch, isn’t she?”

I let out a raspy breath. “She always was.”

“Did you go to school together?”

“Yes, we were friends, kind of.” We’d actually dated for a short time, which I was too ashamed to admit.

“What . . . what did she mean about bugs?”

My breath hissed from my lips in a loud exhale. “That . . . it wasn’t Lia’s fault.” I wouldn’t dredge up the story for Tracie—it was in the past, where it should be.

She nodded, pursing her lips, studying me. “You’re still in love with Annalia, aren’t you?” She reached across the table and put her hand on mine. “It’s okay, Preston.” She looked down for a moment. “I had hoped . . . well, I’d hoped there could be something between us; I’m not going to beat around the bush about that. But after seeing you two together, I know there can’t be. And I won’t take it personally. I don’t think you’re available for anyone. You’re not over Annalia.”

I stared at her for a moment, wondering what she’d seen exactly, because Annalia and I had barely spoken. From my point of view, it’d been stilted and painful and awkward.

I glanced behind her at the depiction of the Mexican couple, my eyes lingering on their linked hands for a moment before I looked back at Tracie. No, I didn’t know exactly how she knew how I felt, but I couldn’t deny she was right. I couldn’t. Not even to myself. “No,” I said, letting out a humorless sound that was half-chuckle, half-breath and closing my eyes very briefly. “I’m not available for anyone else.” I haven’t been, not really, not since I first looked into Lia’s eyes when I was only a kid. And over her? No. I wasn’t over her—far from it. Only . . . I didn’t think she loved me back, and I had no earthly idea what to do with my feelings.

“I’m sorry, Tracie. I wasn’t trying to play games with you. I respect you more than I can express, and we couldn’t have survived this past six months without you. I wish,” I released a harsh breath, “I wish it could be more than that.”

She smiled softly and patted my hand again. “I love Hudson, he’s—”

“Excuse me,” Lia’s voice came from above, and Tracie pulled her hand away where it’d rested on top of mine on the table. I pulled my hand back as well and Lia put our entrées in front of us. “Will there be anything else right now?”

Tracie looked at me, regret in her eyes and then she smiled up at Lia. “No. Thank you, Annalia.”

I glanced up at Lia to see her nod, her expression drawn, and then she turned and walked to the table next to us.

I sincerely hoped the woman Alicia had complained to hadn’t told Annalia the truth about why she was sending someone else to take her order. I watched out of the corner of my eye as she began clearing her other customers’ plates and focused on my food.

Lia had brought me some sort of burrito and I cut into it, taking a bite of the steak-and-vegetable-filled concoction. It was delicious, and I felt bad for eating it quickly, but I really just wanted to finish and end this torture for all of us.

“We could get the food to go,” Tracie suggested, eyeing me as I swallowed the overly huge bite I’d just stuffed in my mouth.

I gave her a wry smile and raised my eyebrows. “Would you mind?”

She laughed a short laugh. “No. I’d prefer it actually.” But she gave me an understanding smile. “And I think Annalia deserves to work without the distraction of—” Her words suddenly cut off as her brows drew together and then she immediately sucked in a breath, moving as if she was about to rise out of her chair. Behind me I heard a small scream and a massive crash.

“She tripped her,” I heard Tracie say incredulously as I whipped my head around to see Lia sprawled on the floor in a heap of broken dishes and half-eaten food.

Adrenaline surged through my blood and I jumped out of my seat just as a man rushed up to me, putting his hand lightly against my chest. “Please sir, thank you, but no need to help. I’ve got this. “