Page 59 of Apparently, I’m A B!tch

Chapter31

Tristan

Monday afternoon

Lilly strolled in,tired as she usually was, but happy. She served our customers, and even Kelly, with a generous smile as she hummed along to whatever was playing on the radio. Then she got a text and rounded on me in front of our breakfast-rush customers.

“What did you do, Tristan?”

I was too tired to deal with this. When she first came in, I managed to divert her invasive questions by telling her we could talk later. And I was sure she could see my bloodshot eyes and grumpy exterior for what they were, but Lilly must’ve believed things went well between Nikki and me. Until Nikki no doubt corrected her via text.

“Nothing, Lil.” I went to the backroom, going to the supply fridge to pull out more oat milk. She wasn’t supposed to follow me, but of course, Lilly never did what she was supposed to do.

“Oh, you did something. Nikki isn’t coming in today because of you.”

“Of course she isn’t,” I muttered under my breath.

“Why? Tell me why,” she demanded while stomping her foot behind me.

I lifted the milk and closed the fridge, tempted to put the cool bottle against my tired eyes. “She found out about Rochelle.”

Lilly’s eyes narrowed. “But there’s nothing to find out, right?”

Irritation, hot and strong, flared up in me. “I went with her to a gallery showing, okay Lil? Nothing happened between us, but if I didn’t go it would’ve been career suicide.”

“According to who?”

“Carlos and the director of ArtBox. She knows people, Lil. I thought if I could talk to her and explain how I felt about Nikki, she’d understand and forget she ever met me. Instead, when I told her the truth, she decided to blacklist me from the art community. Because I decided to do the right thing and come clean, I’m never getting a showing. But I don’t care about that. I’d give everything up for Nikki, you know I would. I’m so in love with her it makes everything hurt not to be near her. And I wanted to explain it all, but I didn’t get the chance. Carlos and his boss showed up and made her think Rochelle and I were still dating.”

She shook her head, her mouth opening to say something, but instead a strangled noise came out. I didn’t doubt she was disappointed in me for lying by omission, and for ruining my own chances with the woman I’d been in love with for years, but I’d had enough. I was being backed into a corner here and everyone around me was angry that I was in that corner to begin with. I’d fight my way out of it if I could, but right now, I just needed to get through the day.

I went around her and back into Extra Shot, and that was the end of our conversation for a while. When the lunch rush started, Lilly shot me hurt, heartfelt looks that reflected how torn up I was at letting all of this happen. The usual noises sounded throughout the shop, but without Nikki being a part of it, it was just a hollow ringing in my ears.

That was until an elderly couple pushed in, yelling at each other and into the phone the man held.

“This is the place. It has to be the place. Is in the same spot,” the man yelled into the phone.

The woman, who I assumed was his wife, leaned close to his ear and said just as loudly, “The sign says Extra Shot. Henry’s used to be here, yes?” There was a familiarity to this woman that made me want to smile.

“She says yes, but she wants us to leave,” the man yelled into his wife’s face, making her rear back and slap his shoulder.

“No, tell her to come here. I’m not going back out there; is hotter than Elena’s armpits.”

I bit my lip to hold back a laugh as the man repeated what his wife said into his phone. Then it hit me.

Nikki’s parents.

Fuck.

Nikki’s parents.

Lilly turned to look at the older couple, handing a muffin over the counter to another customer, and a gasp slipped from her. She rounded the counter and went straight to them. Like I knew they would, the older couple exclaimed with joy and gathered her in for a hug. Instead of coming back to the counter, Lilly walked them to a booth and sat across from them. It was over a year since we’d last seen them, and they sat and talked, no doubt catching up, but it was making me edgier by the second.

Shawn muttered, “It’s like she runs the place, man.”

I shook my head despite agreeing with him. Shawn was still new to the shop. He had no idea how important these people were to us. All he knew was that Lilly’s absence from the counter made our work slower.

“Just five more to serve and you can take a break in the back,” I promised as the door to the shop opened and shut with its customary tinkle.