Page 260 of The Bluffing Game

“When?” he asks with a grin.

“I don’t know. Maybe tomorrow or next week or⁠—”

“We’re close to the restaurant now, you know. Why don’t you go and speak to him?”

“Really, Jimmy?”

“Just for five minutes and then come back out, and we’ll grab lunch.”

“No,” I shout, and he looks shocked. “I have nothing to say to him right now. I don’t appreciate you pushing this. Dalton made his bed, and now he has to lie in it. We can either hang out and get to know each other, or I’m going home. I’m not going to be pressured into talking to him.”

“Sorry.” He looks taken aback. “I do want to spend time with you. We’ve got a lifetime to make up for.”

Three hours later, I find myself driving aimlessly around. I can’t help but think about what Rosie said, and I know she’s right. I was technically no better than Dalton. I lied, just like he did. And I’d had zero intention of hurting Rosie. Maybe, just maybe, Dalton hadn’t intended to hurt me either.

As I pass the restaurant, I decide to pull over and park. I sit there for a few moments, debating, before I get out and head over to the restaurant. I’m pleasantly surprised to see Izzy and Lucia standing there.

“Hey, girl. You come to work the afternoon shift? It’s not really that busy,” Lucia says in surprise when she sees me.

“No. I actually … is Dalton in?”

“Oh, he is.” Lucia looks surprised. “He’s in the back office. Shall I get him?”

“No, I’ll go and speak to him.”

“Okay.” She looks at me, and I can see there’s a hopeful expression in her eyes, but I don’t say anything.

“Good luck,” Izzy whispers to me, and I offer her a grateful smile.

I knock lightly on the door and then enter without waiting for an answer. Dalton looks up, his face tense, and his eyes widen when he sees me.

“Oh, hi.”

“Hey, can I talk to you for a moment?”

My heart melts at his appearance; he looks like he hasn’t slept in days. I want to hold him to me, but I don’t want him to think that this is over, that I’ve forgiven him, not that easily.

“Sure, I would love to talk to you,” he says, yawning. He stands up and heads over to me. He looks like he wants to hug me, but he stops. “Sorry, I was just running the numbers.” He rubs his forehead. “It’s going to be a rough couple of months,” he says finally.

“That’s why I came to talk to you.”

“Oh, don’t tell me you want a raise. I can’t do that right now.”

“No, that’s not why. You need help, Dalton. You see it, I see it, lots of people see it, and maybe you don’t want to acknowledge it, but I’ve had some ideas to really bring in a lot of business at the restaurant. We’re so close to the beach. We could do packed lunches for tourists, and we could hold themed birthday parties, and we can rent out the space for other parties, for photographers, and …” I stop as he grins. “What is it?”

“Those are a whole bunch of really good ideas.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, I think we could really make some of them work, maybe even real soon.”

“I think that it could really bring in a lot of extra revenue,” I say. “Is everything okay, Dalton? You look really stressed out.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to pretend you care.”

“I do care—I really care—and you look like shit.”

“Is that why you’re here? You want to tell me that I’m ugly now?”