Love Me for Me

Chapter Fourteen

After I forgave Hayden I decided to take it slow with us. I didn't want to take the chance of getting hurt again and really didn't want to put Ciara in that position again, she didn't deserve it. I have kind of kept my distance from him; I just don't know how to act around him anymore. I want to believe he loves me but deep down inside I feel he is just like Kyle.

Since eight this morning I have been working at the restaurant and it has been beyond stressful. I am literally here every day trying to make sure everything goes smoothly. But at the end of the day I enjoy working more since I graduated high school a week ago. I have fell in love with the freedom I have and Ciara has fell in love with her bed. Now that school is out she just sleeps and eats.

"Hey cutie what you up to," Momma J asked as she came into my office and sat down. "Nothing trying to look over these schedules since Cara is going to have her baby soon Imma need someone to take over for her."

"Don't stress yourself out. It will work itself out besides anyone out there would love the extra money." I nodded. "So.. how's things with you and my baby boy," she finally asked getting to the real reason she was here. I sighed, "I don't know I have just been keeping busy."

"What you running from?"

"What are you talking about? I'm not running from anyone I have just seen a side of Hayden that I didn't like. I may have forgiven him but the pain I felt when he ignored me and treated me like I was nothing is still there."

"Have you told him this?"

"I'm not trying to argue with him or bring it up again."

"So you are just going to push him away? I know you are hurting but he has feelings too and right now you are doing the same thing he did to you. If you want this relationship to work both of you need to stop acting so petty. You are going to mess up and fuck up but that doesn't mean you should give up on each other."

"I never said I was given up, I am just keeping my distance." I said not even believing my own words. Honestly I didn't know what I was doing when it came to Hayden I just knew I didn't want to get hurt. "Hey sorry to interrupt you but one of the line cooks is burning the damn food and there is a lady causing a scene saying that Jake was rude to her." We nodded our heads and went our separate ways to handle what was going on.

"What seems to be the problem mam," I asked walking up to a table that had four white women that seemed to have all the money in the world. "Yes your waiter here has been rude to us since we got here," she said pointing at Jake. I knew she was lying since Jake was the quietest person you would ever meet. He would never talk bad about anyone even if they were acting like an ass. "And what exactly did he do," I asked trying to act as professionally as I can.

"Well, your waiter here called us names multiple times and slammed down our food. He also took forever to take our order. We feel he should be fired immediately."

"Can you excuse us for just a moment? Jake you came with me," I said turning around and headed back to my office with Jake behind me. "I didn't do what she was saying Anna," Jake yelled soon as we got in my office. I could tell he was scared. I put my finger up and told him to sit down. "Jake I know you didn't do what she said, just sit down and let me go look at something real quick." He nodded and I left to go to the security room. "Rocky I need you to show me the tape for 12 to now at table four." He nodded and then pulled up the tape. I saw the women treating Jake like he was nothing and treating him like their servant boy the whole time. He finally got tired of their shit and yelled at them. To be honest it was funny as hell to see Jake yelling. I went back to my office and told Jake to come with me back to the table with security behind us. "Are you here to tell us you are firing this miserable thing you call a servant," the lady barked glaring at Jake.