Caught Up in You by Sophie Swift Read Free Book Online

now.
    So I told her the truth. Well, not the whole truth. The fact that her fiancé was clearly in love with her sister was not my truth to reveal. I told her the truth she needed to hear right now.
    “Then fucking deal with it,” I told her. “Stop hiding out here like a coward and face up to it.”
    More tears fell. She sniffed them back and brushed her tangled hair from her face. For a moment there, I was pretty sure I had gotten through to her.
    But then her face started to twist and her eyes started to burn and she glared at me like a mythical monster who’d just emerged from some dark, forbidden lake.
    “What the hell do you know about facing life? You bring girls back here and screw them and then send them on their way so you never actually have to feel anything. You don’t face life. You fuck life in the ass. And then you leave.”
    I tried not to let her words sting. I tried to put up my usual defense against them. A charming smile, a flip of the hair, maybe even a joke. But today I just couldn’t.
    All I could do was stare blankly at her.
    All I could do was simmer.
    And then all I could do was watch her leave.

Ten
    I never went back to La Bella Vita. I never even called Lia to tell her I was quitting. I just didn’t come to work the next day. Or the day after that. Or the day after that. I suppose she eventually figured it out and found another bartender. But I wouldn’t know.
    I got a job at Hank’s the next week. It was the only place that would hire me. Apparently the owner of Union Bistro had a big mouth and word of my indiscretions onhis had gotten around.
    The irony of my situation was certainly not lost on me. Hank’s had royally fucked with my life…twice…and now it was my last hope.
    In a way I almost felt like I deserved it. I had played with fire. Smart girl fire. And now I was nursing my burn wounds back at ground zero.
    Fortunately, Lia didn’t come back to Hank’s. At least not when I was working. I’m not sure I could have dealt with her. I’m pretty sure I would have hid in the bathroom like a little bitch.
    Then a week later, on a whim, I decided to drive by La Bella Vita on my way home. The parking lot was empty and the lights were off, even though it was only eight o’clock. I slowed to a stop and stared at the vacant building. That’s when I noticed the “Sold” sign in the window. And just below that, a 3D rendering of a strip mall with the words “Coming Soon” in big bold letters.
    My heart sank just a little.
    Poor Lia. She had taken over this restaurant when her mother left and now it was no more. I knew it hadn’t been doing well. They’d barely broken $500 in sales in months.
    I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone.
    I had to call her. Ask her if she was okay. If there was anything I could do. I located Lia’s name in my contacts and hovered my finger over the Call button.
    I had to tell her I was sorry.
    For more than just the restaurant.
    But the thought of hearing her voice on the other end—her sweet, innocent voice—was too much.
    What would I say?
    What would she say?
    And what if she knew about Alex?
    What if she yelled at me for fucking her sister?
    What if she couldn’t forgive me?
    Too much.
    I tossed my phone into the passenger seat, threw my car into drive and peeled off down the street.
     

Eleven
    “Didn’t you used to work here?” Vee, one of the waitresses at Hank’s slid a newspaper insert across the bar toward me and spun it around.
    I set down a freshly-poured beer in front of her and traded it for the newspaper. She took the beer and disappeared to deliver it while I pulled over the paper and read the open page.
    My chest tightened when I saw what it was.
    An advertisement for a restaurant auction. Tomorrow morning.
    La Bella Vita was selling off all their equipment piece by piece.
    The whole idea of the place being torn apart like that was sad. Too sad to look at. I crumpled the paper and tossed it in the trash.
    “Um, I