The tears finally appeared, and Emily sobbed into the phone. “Can you come and pick me up? I need to get out of here.”
Dorothy agreed to pick her up like the great friend she was. Not looking back, she walked a few feet away from his home.
She couldn’t believe she’d give him an ultimatum, and come Monday he’d either be breaking her heart or giving her the world.
Chapter Twelve
On Monday Emily was a nervous wreck. She’d spent the weekend working or eating chocolate ice cream, tub after tub. She’d lost count of the number she’d eaten after four. Fortunately, Dorothy was more than happy to spend time with her. Janet and Lilly were there, but Dorothy had always been different with her. Nathan had stopped by her apartment to drop the last of her stuff off. She’d been avoiding his calls, and yet all he wanted to do was give her stuff. He’d apologized for his behavior, but he saw neither of them had a future together. Nathan also admitted to the woman he was with was in fact “the one”. He’d proposed, and he and the woman she’d caught him with were getting married. Emily was happy for him. Could Guy be her one? Her feelings for Guy were deeper than anything she felt for Nathan. She wished him well and hadn’t heard from him since.
Entering the bar on Monday she looked down to see her hands shaking, and she felt they were sweaty. She didn’t know if anyone knew about the ultimatum she’d thrown at Guy. Dorothy knew, which meant Wayne knew.
You can do this. This is a piece of cake. Stick around, see what he chooses, and then pick yourself up if it goes bad.
Tony was serving some customers as she walked in.
“Hey, Em, did you have a good weekend?”
“Yeah, it was fine.” Her voice was still hoarse from the crying she’d done. At five it was still a little slow, but she knew within the hour the place would be heaving with work finishing. Disappearing behind the bar she walked to the staff room. No one was around, and she pulled off her coat, taking a deep breath as she did.
With everything put away, she walked over to the mirror. She’d tied her hair back into a messy ponytail. Her eyes were bloodshot from all the crying, and she looked pale even to herself.
“You can do this. You can do this. You can do this.” She closed her eyes speaking the same mantra over and over again.#p#分页标题#e#
Someone clearing their throat alerted her to their presence.
Opening her eyes, she saw Tony looking at her.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I’m fine. Everything is fine.”
“Good. You’re a damn good barwoman, and I don’t want to worry about looking for a replacement.”
Chuckling, she moved toward him.
She didn’t say anything to him, tapping his shoulder in order to offer him comfort. There was nothing else she could say.
Squaring her shoulders, she entered the bar and dug into serving. By six her friends arrived along with their men. Wayne’s pity unnerved her, but she was aware of their disapproval as well. Dorothy leaned over the bar to whisper in her ear. “They’re on your side, honey. They know you’re good for Guy. He’s just being an asshole and not letting love fly.”
Serving the beer and wine, Emily let out a breath. “I guess we’ll see what happens.”
“I don’t know Guy that well, but I know he loves you,” Dorothy said. “He’s different around you, and it’s hard not to see how he looks at you.”
Gritting her teeth together, Emily stopped herself from crying. She couldn’t afford any more tears. For the next hour she struggled to tear her gaze away from the door. Every time it jingled as it opened it was like a beacon calling to her to answer. Each time someone came in, she was flooded with disappointment at Guy’s absence.
At eight, she felt any hope starting to deflate. Then, ten minutes after eight, he walked into the bar closely behind a blonde woman. She didn’t recognize the woman at all. Jealousy, rage, and a sharp hint of lust spiked through her. What the hell was he doing? She’d seen him with other women, and not once had he made a point of showing them off, apart from her. He didn’t go to his friends.
Guy walked in without a care in the world.
No, she wasn’t going to back down. Throwing down the apron she’d been wearing, she walked out from behind the bar. This is not what was going to happen to her. She wasn’t going to let him throw their relationship away so easily.
“Em, what are you doing?” Tony asked.
“I’m taking what’s mine. Guy wanted me. He’s not going to throw me away so easily.”
Girl, get the message.