Chapter 48
“He had been abused,” she said, soft but flat. “Physical, emotional.” She laid a hand on the top of Scooter’s desk. “There is a pattern to most abuse. Do you know it? The victim is hurt, or threatened, or neglected, and then the abuser feels guilty. Apologizes.” She met Scooter’s eyes. “Often, very often, with gifts.”
Jesus. “Kat,” he whispered, the chair dropping flat to the floor with a jarring thump. “I’vebeen neglecting Andy. We…we had a thing. A moment. A really great moment. Right before the fire. And I’ve barely spoken to him all week.” Scooter was going to throw up. Jesus. Jesus Christ
“And if you give him a gift to apologize, then it will set off all his warning bells,” Kat agreed. “Even if he doesn’t realize it, it will make him wary.” She cocked her head. “You have not abused him,” she said firmly.
Scooter swallowed down his nausea. “Can I get you a gift?” Scooter asked. “For keeping me from making the biggest mistake of my life.”
“Yes. I accept wine and chocolate.” She smiled, then sobered. “Apologize. Don’t make a big deal of it. The circumstances were extraordinary, you were very distressed; he will understand this. But no gifts, not for that. Besides, he has worked very hard to save you money; he will be upset if you turn around and spend it on him.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you in my life,” Scooter said, trying really hard for sincerity. They didn’t usually do that; when Kat had first come to work for Scooter, she’d been a wreck and any amount of emotion had sent her running for the bathroom to cry. They’d settled on a weird pattern of sarcasm and insults that usually made strangers think they were awful, horrible people, but really, who cared what strangers thought? Kat knew she was loved. “But I’m glad you’re here.”
She stood and leaned across the desk to kiss his cheek. “I’m glad to be here,” she said. She straightened and headed back toward the kitchen, then paused in the doorway. “By the way?”
Scooter spread his hands. “Lay it on me.”
“I pushed. You are welcome.” 20
Andy watched the last customers of the night leave with more than a little relief; it had been an exhausting week, both physically and emotionally, and he just wanted to finish cleaning up and go fall on his face. He gathered their dessert plates and glasses, wiped down the table with a desultory swipe—he was going to wipe them all down again in the morning anyway—and carried the dish bucket back into the kitchen.
“They’re gone,” he told Jason, who had been getting a jump on the lunch prep while he waited for the last group to finally go. “I think Kat’s hiding in Scooter’s office.”
“I traded her in,” Jason agreed. “I need a new model. Something younger. Not so Slavic. Got any prospects for me?”
Andy mock-sighed as he scraped the plates and dropped them into the dishwater. “I know what you’re asking, darling, but you’re just too high-maintenance for me.”
“Aw, that’s too bad,” Jason said, dragging Andy into a one-armed hug. “We’d look adorable together. You so dark, me so fair. You so tiny, me so impressive. Perfect couple, a study in opposites.”
Andy snorted and ducked out from under Jason’s arm before he was on the receiving end of a noogie. He’d learned thattrick pretty quick. “Me so nice, and you such an asshole.”
“Andy is too pretty for you,” Kat said, coming back into the kitchen. “Come home with an old woman. I promise, wisdom and skill make up for nubile beauty any day of the week.” She bounced up on her toes and whispered something directly in Jason’s ear. Something in the set of her body—the way her neck was tipped, the press of her body against Jason’s—made Andy think it was probably both dirty and a lot of fun. Jason’s ears pinked, and Andy gave himself a mental high five.
“With an offer like that,” Jason started, glanced at Andy, and didn’t finish the thought. “How fast can you walk?” He swatted her lightly on the ass and Kat didn’t even say goodbye before she was giggling and running through the dining area, Jason hot on her heels.
Andy laughed, and yelled, “Make sure the door locks behind you!” before turning back to finish the last few dishes.
He was just placing the last glass on the drying rack when Scooter came up behind him, big hands sliding onto Andy’s shoulders to rub out the ache there. “Hey,” Scooter said, soft in his ear.