Only the "Strong" Survive | Paul Lahote |

*chapter eighteen*

"Joni you don't look so good." Nancy said rubbing my back as I leaned against the counter.

She was right, I didn't. I hadn't slept more than a few hours in almost a week, I was constantly racking my brain thinking about the boys or thinking about the truck. I only ever left the house for work because I was deathly afraid I'd see it again. Sometimes at night I swear I could hear it and I'd sit on my bed holding a bat waiting for the door to just swing open and the man to be standing there.

"I didn't sleep again last night."

"Did the truck come back?"

I just shook my head. Customers had started coming in and seating themselves I had orders to take and was going to have to make it through this shift no matter how crappy I felt.

The first table had two young men sitting at it, they both looked nice. One was blonde and the other brunette, kind of dirty clothes like maybe they worked construction or something. I don't know, but I walked over to them smiling like I was supposed to.

"Can I get you two something to start off with? Orange juice? Coffee?"

"How about your number babe?" The one with darker hair said, leaning out of the booth a little checking out my backside on purpose.

"Water then?" I replied through gritted teeth.

He took his hand and brushed it up against my thigh, making me jump back closer to the side of the table with his friend.

"Dude knock it off,"  The friend said tossing his napkin across at the other guy, "water please. Sorry about him."

I just walked off hearing the first guy start laughing and the second responding in a low stern tone. This was really how my day was going to go, I had no desire to go back over there but it was my job. The guy behaved better the second time around, and when I brought them their food. Thankfully.

I was clearing off the table when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"I'm really sorry about my friend, he's kind of an ass," the blonde guy said locking eyes with me. He had these pretty brown eyes and dark eyebrows, I felt my stomach jump a little bit at the site of him.

He stood about six feet tall, broad shoulders and a well defined chest under his shirt. Not as muscular as Paul, but attractive in his own way.

"It's fine, really. I'm used to it."

And I was, stuff like this happened at least once a month. Usually it only happens during the night shift though, when guys would come in after drinking a bit too much. None of them had ever touched me before though, even slightly.

"It's not and a pretty girl like you shouldn't be used to it. So here," he put out his hand a small wad of bills in it, "take this as an inconvenience fee."

"I can't possibly..."

"Shush. Take it."

I just nodded and thanked him for it before placing it in my apron. I wasn't in a position to not accept a good tip. Watching him walk out, the way his flannel held onto his shoulders, his hair a little bit longer in the back. He looked back at me and smiled, tipping his head a little as he walked out. I kept watching as he walked out towards the lot and into the passenger side of his friends car.

The rest of the shift when by quick, and when I got back to the house. No one was home. This had become usual in the last week, I hadn't seen Seth or Leah but for a few seconds each day. Sure Emily had reached out, Sam and Paul too and Sue when I had talked to her told me everything was fine. I'd been told they were all just really busy and that she'd let me know when I could go back over there, if I wanted to.