Her Destiny by Monica Murphy Read Free Book Online Page B

equally shaky smile I do as she says, thankful to escape the front of the restaurant for a while. I push through the double doors and toss the soaked napkins into the trash, setting the pitcher on a nearby table. I lean against the edge of the counter, wiping my forehead with the back of my hand, and I close my eyes, irritated. Embarrassed. I’ve never done something like that before. I don’t know what got into me.
    You know what got into you. You thought you saw a ghost.
    Right. That’s all it was. A ghost. No way could that have been Nick. I saw him for all of about two seconds. There’s no way he could’ve found me.
    “What happened to you?” Elaine asks as soon as she enters the kitchen, her expression full of concern as she approaches me. “Are you all right?”
    I nod, feeling incredibly foolish. I can’t tell her what really happened. She doesn’t know about Nick and even if I did tell her she’d probably think I’m crazy. “I’m so sorry. I have no idea why I spilled the water. My hands were a little shaky I guess.” I hold them out in front of me, noticing that they’re still trembling, and I close my fingers into fists, irritated that I’m still reacting to what—or who—I thought I saw. “I’ll be fine. Maybe I should take a quick break.”
    “Maybe you should go on home for the night. You’ve been working so hard and with school too…” Elaine’s voice trails off and she smiles, reaching out to pat my arm. “I think it’s best if you clock out. Frank can cover your tables. It’s not that busy anyway.”
    There went about two hours of wages and tips. I don’t want to go home early. I need the money. “I can stay, Elaine. I swear. Just give me a few minutes to recuperate.”
    “No, I don’t think so, kiddo. Time to go home. Go straight to bed when you get there, all right?” She grabs hold of both of my shoulders and looks me straight in the eye. “Get a good night’s rest and come back tomorrow night ready to rock it. It’s a Friday and we have a few decent sized private parties. We’ll be busy.”
    She’s not going to give in so I guess I have to instead. “Okay. Sounds good.” I nod and offer a weak smile when she releases her hold on me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    I clock out and grab my coat and purse, then head outside toward the bus stop. The wind has picked up more and it blows against me, almost as if it’s trying to hold me back. I struggle against it, my gaze going to the spot where I thought I saw Nick.
    But no one’s there.
    There’s really no one out tonight, which doesn’t surprise me considering the awful weather. I wrap my thin coat tight around me, my head bent as I walk against the wind. It howls with a startling intensity, making me wish I had a scarf or a hat for my protection. My cheeks are ice cold and when the first drops of water fall with a splat on my face, I shake my head, withholding the groan that wants to escape. Of course, the night I wear a coat without a hood is the night that it decides to rain.
    I make a run for it, ducking for cover at the bus stop, shivering as I perch on the edge of the narrow bench. Checking my phone, I see I have about ten minutes or so to wait for the bus to arrive. I tuck my phone back into my pocket before I jerk up the collar on my coat, covering my cold face as best as I can.
    I’m shivering and wet, the wind blowing the rain against my back and saturating my coat. Pushing my damp hair away from my forehead, I wipe at my wet-with-rain face, grimacing at how wet my fingers really are.
    Right now, I wish for the giant house we used to live in. The car Dad would be picking me up in or maybe even Evan’s car, though in the past he wouldn’t have bothered to pick me up. Of course, in the past I also wouldn’t have had a job. I wouldn’t have needed one. I had everything I ever desired, even things I didn’t know I wanted.
    I’m a different person from last summer. Heck, since a month ago. I’ve