SUCKER PUNCH 🛶 PACEY WITTER [book one]

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

THE TRUTH HURTS

...🛶...

THE restaurant was a mess, there was no chef, no menus and no name. But at least they had waiting staff, or as they were more commonly known Heather, Dawson and Jen. The Lindley girl had asked for the gig, wanting to earn her own money to take Henry out (a surprising relationship no one truly saw coming) and stop living off her Grams. But amidst all the chaos, Pacey had been assigned his mentee before the upcoming end of their junior year. Buzz Thompson. The Witter boy was struggling to get through to the kid, Buzz attempting to push away any attempts at connecting, until Pacey mentioned Heather and her family's restaurant.

The Leery girl smiled as placed a plate down before the two "Enjoy." She whispered "You won't. It sucks."

The boys' noses scrunched up at the smell of the chowder before they pushed their plates away in sync. Heather laughed at the action and the little boy looked to her "So, you're the hottie."

Heather eyebrows raised as Pacey's eyes widened "Excuse me?"

The Witter boy laughed awkwardly as he covered Buzz' his mouth "He knows not what he says."

Buzz licked Pacey hands before pulling free "You told me the girl you like is called Heather. She's Heather. I might be young but I'm not stupid."

Heather grinned in amusement "What do you say we have ice cream for dinner?"

"With sprinkles?" The boy perked up.

"With as many sprinkles as you want." Heather gave him a wink before heading back to the kitchen.

Buzz looked to Pacey "I like her."

"Me too, my friend." The Witter boy smiled to himself as he watched her go "Me too."

...🛶...

MITCH had come to the rescue as he always did for Gail Leery. Despite her protests at first, she'd allowed her ex-husband to be the partner he was always meant to be, and so, Leery's Fresh Fish was born. With Mitch in the kitchen where he belonged, the opening night was a huge success.

But now, with the doors closed to the public, Gail and Mitch stood before their friends, family and staff, glasses of champagne in hand "To us. To all of you." Mitch smiled "We did it. Cheers!"

Everyone smiled, tapping their glasses against one another's before Gail cleared her throat "I uh, I have something else to say." She turned to her ex-husband "Mitch, you're always there to save me, no matter what." Heather looked to Pacey at her mother's words and smiled to herself "And I know we had our issues and made mistakes... lots of them. And if our fate is to make the same mistakes again, then by God I hope we make the same mistakes as we did the first time..."