Page 3 of Tank’s Weakness

“Stop it, Erica,” I chastise her. “Ignore her. She was dropped as a baby. I’ll have an eighteen-wing meal, medium, with ranch and fries. Oh, and a Coke Zero to drink.”

Erica pouts. “I’ll do the same, but with garlic parm instead of medium sauce.”

Trevor nods and hustles away quickly.

“You traumatized that poor boy. He looks barely eighteen.”

Erica rolls her eyes. “I’m helping him build his confidence. Now he knows a girl as hot as this might want him, so he can use that to his advantage.”

“You’re twenty-four. Maybe look for guys your own age.”

She smiles. “That’s no fun. The younger ones let you train them.”

“Enough about our poor server, whom you will be appropriate with.”

She salutes me. “Yes, Mom.”

“Good. So how’s work?”

She shrugs. “Same old shit. Stacey tried to get me in trouble with Ben again. I don’t know why she keeps doing that. It’s not like he can’t see through her shit.”

“Why doesn’t he fire her then?” I ask.

“Ugh, she’s his neighbor. She watches his cat when he goes on vacation. Besides, he’s old school. Like sixty and acts like you’d imagine an old person to act like. Doesn’t understand technology. Is a complete dick. Makes racist jokes. Honestly, if I didn’t need the job so bad, I’d have put him in his place long ago. I mean, just last week I climbed onto an eighteen-wheeler to look for the product the sheet said was there but was missing. He started yelling at me, telling me that women shouldn’t do shit like that and to get down. I refused, and we got into an argument. I am fully capable of doing anything a guy can do.”

“Of course you can. You are amazing, babe. He’s such a jerk. If anything opens up at the school, I will let you know. I know you don’t want to teach, but you could do administrative work in the front office.”

She grimaces. “Not sure I want to be that close to crotch goblins, but sure. It has to be better than Ben. Moving on from me, is the dickwad still stalking you?”

“He’s not stalking me,” I say immediately, “but he is still calling. I haven’t answered.”

“Why don’t you block his number?”

I don’t tell her that I have twice already. He changes his number when I do. That will only have her thinking the worst. I don’t need her to get involved.

“He will eventually move on. He has to,” I mutter.

She shakes her head in disappointment. “You are too nice. He is going to be a problem for you. I’m telling you.”

I sigh. “Oh look. Trevor is coming back.”

She narrows her eyes. “Oh how noble you are until you need to change the subject.”

I smile brightly at her, giving her my best innocent look.

After Trevor drops off our drinks, she continues the conversation, not letting me off that easy.

“Babe, I’m worried about you. He could be dangerous.”

“I think you watch too many true crime documentaries,” I tell her.

“Or you don’t watch enough. I don’t want to be on Dateline telling them how you lit up a room. It’s so damn cliché, but with you, it’s unfortunately true. You’re too kindhearted.”

I reach out and take her hand. “I’m okay. He’s not dangerous. Just a little heartbroken. He will move on. I promise.”

She lets the topic drop.

The rest of dinner goes by smoothly with very little flirting with Trevor and no more mentions of my ex. After we pay, we walk out of the restaurant together.