Complete Nothing (True Love #2)(72)

This awful, red-hot anger bubbled up inside me, and I shrugged away from her. “I’m gonna eat here.”

I silently counted to ten as I went back to my station.

“You’re gonna eat this slop? Seriously?” she said loudly. “Those aren’t even real potatoes. They’re made from gross boxed powder.”

Half the room fell silent. Gavin glanced over nervously. Marcy dropped the chicken tray with a thwap. She put one plastic-gloved hand on her hip and stared me down.

“Do you hear yourself?” I asked Josie through my teeth.

“Whatever.” She checked her phone. “I’ve been here over half an hour, which means I can officially put it on my transcript. I’m out.”

She walked over to Marcy with her yellow volunteer slip and held it out to her. I thought Marcy might ball it up and shove it down Josie’s throat, but instead, her angry face went serene. She took the slip from Josie, leaned into the table to sign it, and handed it back.

“Thank you,” Josie said, her nose in the air.

“Anything to facilitate your leaving,” Marcy replied.

Gavin snorted a laugh. Josie’s jaw dropped. She turned to me, braids flying. “Are you coming?”

“I told you. Two-hour shift,” I said coolly. Then I held my breath. “And also, don’t expect any big invite to homecoming.”

“What?” she snapped. “You’re dumping me?”

I sighed. “If that’s what you want to call it.”

Josie groaned and stormed out, dialing her phone. “Mom! You have to come get me!” she demanded before the door slammed behind her. “I don’t care if you have dinner on the stove, come get me!”

I was surprised when a few people clapped their hands. One guy even hooted his approval. I shook my head as I slapped some potatoes onto a young mother’s tray.

“You’re better off without her,” she said.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, too annoyed and baffled and embarrassed to come up with anything else.

Gavin approached me slowly. I made a point of moving the potatoes around the pan, dragging them toward me and pushing them back again. I couldn’t look him in the eye.

“You okay, man?” he asked.

“I’m fine.”

My fingers gripped the ladle like it was the only lifeline attached to the Titanic, and my face was actually pulsating. Thoughts of Claudia filled my mind. The last time she was here, she’d come right from ballet in sweats and sneakers, her face still shining from her workout. She’d let Big Tom twirl her around in the center of the room. She’d laughed with this group of girls who had looked at her like she was a movie star. She’d charmed everyone. That was the word. Charmed.

I felt like Josie had just trashed that memory.

“What the hell was I thinking?” I asked, dropping the ladle. “Why did I break up with Claudia?”

Gavin hesitated, pressing his fingertips into the tabletop. “I don’t know. You never told me.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know either.” I sighed and stared down at the food. “That True chick said something about separation anxiety. Is that even a thing?”

“Hell if I know.” Gavin shrugged. Then he quickly blanched and crossed himself, like saying the word “hell” in church was bad. Which was insane, since the priests said it every other Sunday in their sermons. “Look, man, who cares why you did it? It’s in the past now. If you want Claudia back, you should do something about it.”

“Like what?” I asked, banging the ladle against the side of the tray. Potatoes fell from it in big white globs. “She’s hanging out with that Keegan Traylor jackass.”

Our eyes locked and we both crossed ourselves.

“Yeah, but they’ve been together less than a week,” he said. “You guys were together for over a year. She can’t like him as much as she likes you.”

A tiny spark of hope warmed my chest. “You think?”

“Definitely. Call her. See what’s up.” He looked over at Tara, who was running around a circle of sitting kids, giggling, and he smiled. “You never know.”

Could it be that easy? Could Claudia really want me back so much that she’d just forget about the great Keegan Traylor?

I breathed in for what felt like the first time in a week. “You’re right. I will.”

Marcy finished distributing some of the chicken, then walked past us on her way back to the kitchen.

“Marrott,” she said, wiping her brow with the back of her hand, “I’m a big fan of forgive and forget, but do me a favor and don’t bring that girl back here. Ever.”

“Don’t worry,” I told her confidently. “You won’t be seeing her again.”





CHAPTER FIFTY


True


I was just finishing up my inventory of the cupcake display, when someone stepped up to the counter. I felt a chill go down my spine and looked up, half expecting Apollo to be sneering down at me. Instead I was looking directly into Orion’s eyes, and he was smiling.

“Has anyone ever told you you look cute in that apron?” he said.

I glanced down, a blush taking over my face. “Thanks.” Surreptitiously I looked around, expecting to see Darla finding a table for them, but she wasn’t there.