Page 179 of The Bluffing Game

“Why are you so upset with her, Sage? She really wants to talk to you and …”

“It’s a long story, Rosie. I’ll explain it to you later.”

“You keep saying that, and then you keep not telling me anything. Like, what’s going on?”

“Nothing. It’s just, you know … maybe I just think about our life and how we grew up and how, while I love our parents, I don’t know if they put us first. I feel like they put themselves first. And, yeah, maybe it made us stronger, and we saw the world, but maybe it would have been nice to feel more grounded and settled.”

“I know.” There’s a melancholic look on her face, and her expression becomes dreamy. “I always used to hope that Mom and Dad would buy a small little cottage somewhere, and we’d go to a school, and we’d make friends, and we’d go to their birthday parties, and then we’d have sleepovers. And then we’d go on spring break trips together, and maybe we’d go over to dinner at their house, and they’d come over to dinner at our house, and I’d meet a guy, and he’d be like my high school sweetheart, and then we’d go to college together and get married and live the American dream.” She blinks rapidly as she looks over at me. “I mean, it was just a fairy tale, and obviously, it didn’t happen, but I used to think it would be cool if that were our life.”

“You never said that.”

My heart breaks for my sister’s dream that never came true. Even though it was my dream as well. Just some normalcy. Just a place to feel like I fit in. Like I was cared about. Like I could grow. But we never had that. We had no one but each other. We couldn’t even take up any real hobbies. Maybe that was why I got into street dancing. I could practice anywhere, and it made me feel and look cool.

“I mean, it was okay because I had you, and you were always my best friend. And we went on some cool adventures and saw some cool things, and we always had our time in Coconut Beach. That was always fun, and it felt like we had a kind of home for a little bit.” Rosie’s tone is wistful.

“We’re building our new home now, Rosie.”

“You think we’ll be able to afford to stay here?” she asks me hopefully. “Because we can’t live with Lucia and Izzy forever, and I don’t want to live in the ghetto.”

“We’ll figure it out.” I smile. “I promise.”

I walk out of the break room and back to the front of the restaurant with a heavy heart. I don’t know how I’m going to keep that promise.

While the fun, loving, superficial, positive side of me truly believes that I have the possibility to meet and marry a billionaire, the pragmatic, realistic side of me feels like it’s a pipe dream.

What billionaire is going to marry a server at a restaurant who is living with her boss’s sister for free?

I banish the thought from my mind because I know that if I want good things to happen, I have to keep a positive mental attitude. The universe and God reward those who remain hopeful and positive. And I want very much to be blessed, not just for me, but for Rosie as well.

The door to the restaurant opens, and I walk over to the front to greet the new guests, but instead, I see Dalton’s smirking face.

“Good afternoon. How can I help you today?” I try to stay polite; he’s a sight for sore eyes, but I don’t want him to know I feel that way.

He’s wearing a navy suit and a white shirt that’s slightly unbuttoned. He looks like he hasn’t shaved in a couple of days, and he looks scruffy and sexy at the same time. I kind of want to feel it. I want to see if it’s prickly or soft, but obviously, I’m not going to do that.

His lips twist up, and he smiles at me. “Good afternoon, Sage. How are you doing today?”

“I’m good. Thanks. And you?”

“So polite.” He grins. “I’m great. I’ve just come to collect some information from Gracie that …” He pauses. “Well, it doesn’t matter. I don’t think you care why I’m here.”

“No, it’s good to see you. I’m surprised you haven’t been here recently. I mean, it’s your restaurant. I didn’t expect you to show up to see me or anything, but …” I realize I’m rambling, and I stop.

His lips twitch as he stares at me. “Missed me, have you?”

“No, not at all. I barely even realized that you hadn’t shown up. Only today did someone mention your name. And I was like, Oh, shoot. Yeah, I haven’t seen Dalton in a long time. I hadn’t even noticed before.”

“I see. Well, that’s good then.”

“Yeah, it’s been great.”

“You’re enjoying working here?”

“I’m really liking it. Gracie makes amazing food, and all the guests love it. Lucia’s place is amazing, and life couldn’t be better.”

“So glad to hear that,” he says. His eyes gaze at me before he heads back into the restaurant and toward the kitchen.

I want to groan out loud. That was the most awkward conversation I’d had in a long time, and I feel like a fool. I’m about to go into the restroom and scream into my hands when Izzy saunters through the door, her blond ponytail swinging back and forth.