Amber by Dan-Dwayne Spencer (e book reader .TXT) 📕

The three of us were heading to the door when a loud crash made everyone in the place turn to see what the hell was going on. Rose stared in remorseful shock at the mess at her feet and where the impact of the falling plates threw pieces of ceramic for yards, flinging food onto several customers. Sam rushed out from the back and yelled at the top of his lungs about her inept serving skills.

“I’ll be damned. Rosie, this is the last straw. I’m losing money every time you do this. Get your dad-blasted things and get out. You’re fired.” Sam’s baritone voice became tinny and higher-pitched the louder he yelled, “I should have known better than to hire someone from Happy Hollow.” He threw a kitchen hand towel onto the bar and stormed into the back.

One of the other waitresses, an older blonde with a beehive hairdo, said, “Honey, he’ll get over it. Come back in a few days after he’s calmed down. You’ll get your job back.” She handed her a fringed shawl as Rose swept by. Barging between us, she darted outside. We followed her into the parking lot where she stood, crying.

Roger blurted, “I have dibs on her. I saw her first.”

Jimmy didn’t answer. Instead, he gave him a look. It clearly said over my dead body, numbnuts.

I dared another glance over at the canopy. To my surprise, it appeared normal. I sighed in relief.

Jimmy ambled over to Rose and timidly said, “The guy’s a dick. You didn’t want to work for him, anyway.”

Roger threw in his two cents, “Yeah, a real piece of shit.”

Rose’s tears slowed, and she grimly smiled up at us. “You’re right. I didn’t want to work for him, but it’s hard for someone from the Hollow to get work anywhere.”

She sniffed, stretched her elastic neckline outward, and used the top edge of her blouse to wipe her eyes. The motion was quick, fluid, and innocent, but it flashed enough skin to titillate our teenage hormones. I’m sure from Jimmy’s, six foot four, point of view he saw more than we did. He put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her.

“Everything’s gonna be alright,” Jimmy cooed.

Roger gritted his teeth so loud I could hear them three feet away.

“She’s at least three years older than you,” I told him. “You never stood a chance with her. Hell, I didn’t either. She likes Jimmy because she thinks he’s older.”

Grumbling under his breath, Roger nodded—but I could tell his concession was going to be difficult.

Using her index finger, Rose dried what was left of her tears and agreed. “I’ll be all right. It’s always unsettling when I get fired.”

“You get fired a lot?” I started stammering, “I…I didn’t mean…I meant to say….”

“I know what you mean.” She sighed and softly touched my cheek. Her fingers felt like electrified velvet. “Yes. It goes along with living at the Hollow.”

My heart skipped a beat. She was hot, no doubt, and the way she touched my cheek—Dang.

She paused then said, “Can I borrow a dime to make a phone call? I’ll call my friend Tabitha at the Hollow. She’ll pick me up.”

Roger fetched a dime faster than the Lone Ranger could draw. He held it out to her and waved it impatiently.

“I’ll do one better,” Jimmy offered. “Let us give you a ride home.”

“I don’t know,” Rose said. “I doubt it’s on your way. It’s about fifteen miles northwest of the Tri-state marker. To be more accurate, it’s near Baxter Springs.”

Roger’s expression suddenly changed. He realized Jimmy had an unfair advantage—one he couldn’t compete with. If he couldn’t capture Rose’s attention, he didn’t want Jimmy to either. “Jimmy, you don’t want to waste your time doing that,” Roger complained. “I mean, we passed the Tri-state marker on our way here. Taking her home means we’ll be driving back toward Texas.”

Jimmy looked into Rose’s eyes and insisted, “It’s only fifteen minutes out of our way. Then we’ll be back on track. We can spare the time.”

In an effort to keep Rose and Jimmy apart, Roger said, “You’re the one who is all fired insistent we don’t waste time. I thin—” His eyes grew large, and he yelped.

Jimmy had nonchalantly stepped on Roger’s toe. All his two hundred and twenty pounds of muscle made his point clear. Calmly he asked, “What were you saying, Roger?”

After gasping, Roger mumbled through gritted teeth, “Nothing…nothing at all.”

“Jimmy’s right,” I politely added. “We’ll be more than honored to take you home.” locking my amber eyes on hers, I gave her my most manly look. Then an idea hit me. “Rose, I’m driving, but I don’t know the streets here. Maybe you can drive there and I’ll drive back. If it’s okay with Jimmy. It’s his car.”

“Loveless, I think that’s great. You and Roger get the back seat and I’ll ride shotgun with Rose at the wheel.”

She huddled contently under Jimmy’s arm and gave me a sideways glance. “You have a driver’s license?”

Pressing my lips, I let silence do the talking for me. It didn’t matter anyway because all her attention was on Jimmy.

Finally, several of her customers were out in the parking lot gathering around her, offering her a ride, and consoling her over losing her job. It seemed to me being from this place she called The Hollow hadn’t made her any the less popular. Or maybe it was the beaded necklaces making her so loved. I wasn’t sure.

Revenge gleamed in Roger’s eyes. He leaned over to me and whispered, “Wait till I tell Sarah about how he cozied up to Rose. He’ll change his tune.” In an instant, I could see what would happen next. Jimmy would turn on us and beat us both to a pulp.

Gripping his plaid shirt, I pulled