Following Me(33)

When Hadley had found out she was working at Jenn’s, it had been a disaster. Hadley had walked into the restaurant with her normal bounce in her step, slapped her ass right down on a seat at the bar, and ordered the chicken from Brennan. Devon had walked out of the kitchen, balancing a tray of drinks on her shoulder. As she had walked to the booth to deliver the drinks, she caught Hadley’s eye. All of her bounce had disappeared. She had muttered something to Brennan that Devon couldn’t hear before she had stood and strode right out of the place.

Brennan had glanced between Hadley’s retreating form and Devon. “You guys in a fight?”

Devon had shrugged and averted her gaze. She had walked back into the kitchen, but Brennan followed her.

“You going to tell me what that was all about?” he had asked.

“No.” She had placed the tray down and loaded it back up with food for another table.

“Aren’t you guys best friends?” Brennan had prodded.

“Yes,” she had answered simply.

“Devon,” he had said, reaching out and grabbing her arm, “is everything alright?”

That had become his mantra. She didn’t know how many times he had asked her that or how many times she had lied. She was fine. Fine.

Hadley hadn’t shown up in Jenn’s since that day, or at least, she hadn’t shown up anytime Devon was working. In fact, Devon had only seen her in passing at the apartment, too. It was like Hadley was avoiding the apartment as much as Devon had before she had gotten a job. Devon had tried stopping Hadley to talk, but she always pretended to be busy before she immediately left. Devon worried that she would go the rest of the summer without seeing her friend. What she had done was wrong, but she wanted to help Hadley if only Hadley would let her.

THE DAY THAT Hadley walked back into Jenn’s Restaurant, Devon was so surprised that she nearly dropped her tray. She had been lugging that thing around for how long, and she almost lost control of it? When Amy, the other waitress on duty, glared at her, Devon quickly recovered.

Devon slowly tried to go about her business and not pay any extra attention to her friend. She wasn’t a particularly perceptive person to begin with, but Devon noticed everything about Hadley that day. Her business suit was as pristine as ever. Her blonde hair had been tied up into a French twist at the back of her scalp. Her makeup had been carefully applied. She looked perfect.

Except where she didn’t.

Living with Hadley for two-and-a-half years had given Devon a certain insight into her behavior that most people wouldn’t normally pick up on. Her eyes seemed a bit more hollow than normal. Her suit was too loose, like she had lost weight. The bounce in her step was missing entirely. Hadley was in a low place even if she appeared perfect on the outside.

Hadley sat down in her normal seat. She lifted her head, looked directly at Devon, and then snapped back to face the front.

Devon sighed. So, that was how it was going to be. This was some kind of turf battle. Devon certainly didn’t have a problem with her being there. She just wished it were under different circumstances.

Brennan approached Hadley and took her order. Instead of her typical drink, he passed a glass of water across the bar. Hadley looked up at him, and Devon could only guess the seething look she was giving him. Brennan knew as well as Devon did that Hadley was in over her head. Devon was lucky to have him on her side…or at least, she thought he was on her side. He hadn’t seemed particularly perturbed the night he had told Devon that Hadley was using, but he had been extra cautious about the subject ever since Hadley had stormed out of the restaurant.

When Hadley’s order was ready, Brennan motioned Devon over.

“What’s up?” she asked innocently, like she didn’t know that this was Hadley’s food.

“Will you take this out to Hadley?” he asked just as innocently, like he didn’t know anything about Hadley and Devon’s relationship.

Devon bit her lip. “Are you sure she won’t throw it at me?”

“You’re the one not answering questions,” he said.

Devon didn’t even have a retort for that. She couldn’t answer questions—plain and simple. She wasn’t confident enough to tell anyone what had happened. Maybe when she went back to St. Louis in the fall, she would find that it was all in her head.

Instead of responding, she took the tray from Brennan and walked through the swinging door. Brennan followed hot on her heels, stopping within a safe distance in case he had to intervene. Devon took a deep breath and walked right up to Hadley. She placed Hadley’s food down in front of her, and Hadley didn’t look up once. Devon tucked her tray under her arm and waited.

“You can go,” Hadley said coldly.

“Hadley, I’m sorry,” Devon whispered.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I just want to eat lunch.”

“Can’t we talk?” Devon asked.

Hadley stood fiercely and glared at Devon. She turned on her heel and walked toward the door, and Devon just stood there, dumbfounded. Devon had never known Hadley to hold a grudge, especially not one this ferocious. Were the drugs addling her brain this much? How much more was she using since she and Devon had last spoken?

Devon rushed around the bar, but Brennan was already there, striding toward Hadley. He reached her right before she got to the door and pulled her aside. Devon was close behind, but Brennan shot her a warning look, so she retreated a few paces. She was just close enough to make out some of what they were saying.