Cara's pov
I was convinced the universe hated me. Like, I knew deep down that I was her least favorite life form and that was why she and her little minions, like the god of employment, were consistently out for me.
I paced about on the street, watching the familiar building of Rico's that stood across, my teeth biting my lips in agitation.
I also blamed the universe for the recent lapse in my usually unshakeable self-will. Much to my alarm, I had been doing things I vowed never to do or repeat and also with an embarrassing quickness.
I took a resigned breath and started for the place, my hands balled into fists at my side, faux determination fueling my steps, bringing me closer and closer to the tatty wooden door.
"You can do this, Cara." I encouraged myself. "Just get in there and ask for your job back."
I had decided to go with shameless, to act all cool and indifferent about it to make the inevitable self humiliation more bearable. You can't shame the shameless after all.
My hand was an inch away from the door handle when my legs froze against their will, the entire length of them laden with panic.
I whirled around and scurried back, chickening out, again.
Oh come on!
I cast my eyes skywards and pushed out a groan. This was even harder than the time I had to read my history essay to the whole class in 12th grade.
It was going to take more than faux determination to do this so I tried to still my erratic pulse and activate my next method: gaslighting myself.
"My pride wasn't really worth it anyway." I started, my eyes shutting meditatively. "Times are hard and I need money. I can't pay my rent with pride, poor people cannot afford pride."
I turned on my heel and walked back to the entrance. "I'll only work for a few more months before I find a good paying tutor job and quit."
My hands wrapped around the door handle and I straightened my spine. I only needed to pretend Luca was invisible. Can't be that hard.
With that, I pulled the door open and matched into the place like I owned it.
A hush fell over the room and I wished for the universe to grant me one small mercy and make the ground open up and swallow me whole.
Diana was cleaning a glass at the counter and her hand stilled when her gaze landed on me. An awkward smile threatened to slit my face apart and my cheeks burned with mortification.
"Hi," I chirped rather too loudly when I got to the bar.
Diana only blinked at me.
I was suddenly feeling an itch on the back of my neck so I scratched at it. Be cool about it, I reminded myself.
But the least expected happened. Diana's face broke into a smile and she came around the counter and gripped me in a tight hug.
I sucked in air, eyes wide in surprise. "Diana?"
She hugged me for a minute more before pulling away, the big smile still on her face. "I've missed you Cara."
It was my turn to blink at her. A flush warmed me at the admission and I cleared my throat into my fist before speaking. "I've missed you too."
She flashed me a smile then shoved something at my chest. I looked down to find the itchy waitress shirt, the orange logo peeking from the crumpled mess. My eyes returned to Diana, confused and hopeful.
"Well, what are you waiting for? The customers are waiting." She winked at me.
My lips drew back in a grin, my chest loosening up as relief washed over me. "On it boss."
****
I eased back into the job rather smoothly. It felt like I never left. I missed waiting tables at Rico's, I missed everything about the job, even the occasional catcalls from the drunk customers. Crazy I know, but their crassness sealed the fact that I got my job back in concrete, made it less surreal.
I was really back at Rico's.
Diana updated me on everything that happened in my absence when my break finally came. And it was a lot. We sat in the storage room, eating Diana's homemade cookies as she gave me the details.
Luca had been busy with the place; there was a salary increase for all staff, better work benefits and there were renovation plans in the works.
Horrifying yet hot looking men-her words, not mine- now frequented the place and would usually deal with the scum customers for them.
I shook off the conceited thought that it was all for my benefit.
Diana gushed about how Luca made everything better in just a couple of days and pins pricked my skin on how her eyes gleamed when she talked about him. I hated the softness of her tone. She'd run a thousand miles and more if she saw a fraction of what my stepbrother really was.
When I was tired of hearing how awesome Luca was, I asked what had been bothering me.
"Does he come here often?" I needed to know to figure out how to avoid him if he did. Things were still awkward between us and I don't know why I was acting like an amateur but I just couldn't face him properly for now.
Maybe because let him cajole you into giving up your pussy rights. A judging voice piped up ruthlessly in my head and I snuffed it out.
Diana "No, not really." Diana said. "Haven't seen him in days even."
I refused to ponder on why that caused my heart to sink a little so I shrugged, convincing myself I was happy with the information.
Our break ended and we proceeded to head back to work, bumping into Julietta who was returning from the one place in the building I'll never be. Her eyes flashed in surprise when she saw me before narrowing into slits.
"What are you doing here?"
"What does it look like Julietta? I'm back, like I never left."
Her gaze shifted so fast to Diana I almost feared she snapped her neck in the process. "You took her back?" She asked with a betrayed expression.
Ever dramatic this one.
Diana sighed. "Yes, Julietta. I did. There's no law that says I can't."
"But she left, with no pre-informed notice." she whined but Diana was already carting her away.
"Sweetie, help me sort out the new supply, will you?" Diana called out to me before disappearing with a still protesting Julietta.
I sighed incredulously then headed to the supply room. Julietta didn't bother me, I was used to getting hated on. It was one natural superpower I had.
The supply room was rather full and messy and it occurred to me that the place had been neglected since I left. I let out a sigh and began to work.
I was halfway through sorting through the different beer brands when a deep voice spoke behind me.
"You know you can just add the numbers and get the total sum right?"
Every nerve in my body froze then went into a frenzy. I didn't expect to hear that voice today, I didn't expect-
"Aren't you going to turn around to greet me, bambina? I'm your boss after all"
The voice was now against the prickled hair on my skin, sending ripples of goosebumps across and cold shudders through my body.
I slowly turned around and my erratic heartbeat thumped when I met Luca's glowing face and it was etched with an expression that caused heat to erupt through me.