Defying the Odds(39)

“Hey.”



Melody peeked past the register from her crouched position on the floor to see Jules leaning against the counter. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a sensible ponytail today. She had a big pair of designer eyeglasses pushed up on her head. She wore an expensive-looking black business suit beneath her peacoat that was cut and tailored to her long, lithely muscular body. One eyebrow was arched at Mary, light eyes narrowed in an intense lawyer glare Melody found more than a little alarming. Between the two Conner siblings, Jules was definitely the more intimidating.



“I was sorta hoping you didn’t hear all that,” Mary said with a wince.



“If wishes were fishes,” Jules said with a sad shake of her head. “Don’t worry ’bout it. You got it spot-on; holidays ain’t our thing.”



“I thought you’d be at the fight,” Mary said, a blush of embarrassment staining her cheeks. “You’re always there.”



“I’m heading out now. I just had a few cases to wrap up, stuff that couldn’t wait.” Jules leaned past the counter, looking down at Melody. “You got a minute?”



“Um,” Melody started, knowing she was hiding from Jules, who wasn’t just one of Clay’s best friends but also had a pretty, pressed, extremely intelligent air that left her feeling uncomfortable.



“Melody, you’re up.”



Saved by the bell!



Melody jumped up and turned to the window as Hal put plates on the metallic deck. She grabbed them, doing a precarious balancing act, lining the hot plates up her arms. She ignored both the burn and Jules as she walked around the counter.



“It’ll only take a minute,” Jules called out. “I’ll wait.”



Melody got the message. Jules planned on standing there until Melody listened to what she had to say. She wasn’t thrilled with that, but she was a little too busy to worry on it too much. She delivered the food to table four, then refilled the drinks at table six, and bused table five when they left. She was on her way to greeting new arrivals when Jules grabbed her arm, her grip firm, her small, manicured fingernails brushing against the bare skin on Melody’s bicep.



“I gotta catch a plane,” Jules told her, making it obvious she wasn’t taking no for an answer. “And I just need a moment.”



Melody heaved a sigh, looking to her tables and the new people waiting to be seated. Then she glanced at Mary, who was walking around the counter with plates in both hands. She gave the other waitress a look of consummate pleading. “Mary.”



“I got it. Take a ten-minute break. This is probably as slow as it’s gonna get,” Mary said with a smile, turning to the family waiting. “Help yourselves to a booth by the windows. I’ll be there to get your drink orders in just a sec.”



Knowing this was her only chance, Melody followed Jules out of the dining room to a quiet corner in the hallway that led to the bathrooms. Melody leaned against the wall, the lull in work causing the exhaustion to slam into her. She blinked heavy-lidded eyes, trying to hide her desperation for sleep because she knew Jules would likely report back to Clay. She didn’t want him worrying about her, especially when he had other things he needed to stay focused on.



It was amazing how heavy her body felt with fatigue. The stress of trying to save up enough money to leave Garnet before Justin found her took its toll. She was fighting a six-day-long tension headache and an ache in her back that came from constantly being edgy and on guard. Resisting the need to slide down the wall and quit fighting, Melody just waited quietly for Jules, who was digging in her purse.



Jules pulled out a small stack of papers and held them out. Melody took them, the words blurring under the weight of her tiredness. She saw her name and frowned. “What’s this?”



“It’s a ticket,” Jules said simply. “It’s a printed confirmation of your flight to Las Vegas. I had to upgrade to first class in order to get you a last-minute seat this close to Christmas.”



“What?” Melody stared down at the papers in her hand, noticing not only the price, which was enough to make her faint, but the time and date the flight left. “This says the plane leaves in a few hours.”



“Yeah, we gotta go.” She gave Melody a pointed look. “Time is of the essence. I called Louise. She used to work for Hal, still does on occasion. She’s gonna fill in for you while you’re gone. Oh, there she is.” Jules waved. “Hey, darling! Just go in back and tell Hal I’m paying you to work.”