Destiny is Served

Chapter 1

1 -Losing Pieces 

                                           

Kara enters through the backdoor of her boyfriend Liam's family restaurant. She notices several uncomfortable stares from the kitchen staff.  She tried calling and texting but he hasn't responded to her.        

"Kara....what are you doing here?"  Casey Amador drops a pot of greens he's carrying.  Water from the pan spreads across the floor walking over to him she bends down to help him clean it up.   

He's nervous his eyes dart to the restaurant office door then back to her.  “You don’t need to do this.  You…you aren’t supposed to be here right now.   Why aren’t you at your own restaurant?  Please go back to Santino's."  He pleads anxiously with her holding her wrist. 

“Is there something wrong Casey?  I know I’m not usually here but I’m so burned out.  I came over to tell Liam I don’t think I’m coming in tonight he's not answering his phone.” 

Casey swings her around leading her away from the office door.   "Look, I'll tell Liam you stopped by, why don't you go home and lay down." The greens are still sitting on the floor, water is  running to the office door seeping through.     

“Casey, why are you rushing me away?”  Kara grabs his arm holding on to it.  She can see the apology in his eyes as the office door swings open. 

“Casey why is there water running at my……”   Liam’s hand is on the open door blocking her view.  His belt is in his other hand, his hair is mussed and lipstick is smeared across his face.   His chest is bare, his pants sit unzipped around his waist.  

Casey grabs Kara’s arm pulling her away from the door, she slaps it away now able to see inside the room.  Liam tries to close it quickly to hide the half naked woman in his office but it’s too late.   She’s sitting on his desk dressed in her bra and panties putting on her shoe.     

Kara is beyond angered there's more a feeling of disappointment that what she thought would actually happen came true exactly the way she thought it would.  The scene before her validates everything she’s been feeling about her relationship with Liam.   

She met Liam Sheffield when he brought an offer to her about a year ago to merge their two restaurants together.  She refused his offers for a date but he kept coming around and she eventually gave in.  He asked her to work in his family's restuarant to make extra money she needed to support herself.  As soon as she started working there the pressure was on to marry him from his family.  She doesn’t remember saying yes when he asked but she does remember words like I need you, I love you never left his lips.   

She twist the ring on her finger back and forth.  She always felt good that he put so much effort into picking out something so beautiful for her.  She now realizes she was fooling herself  thinking she could marry him.  She thought she didn't have to give up much to keep her father's legacy.  She doesn’t need to fall in love.   Watching her parent's marriage fall apart  left her with a lifetime of bitter memories.   Love broke her father’s heart, Kara is determined not to let it capture hers.

Casey drives her back to Santino's while trying to console her.  All she can think is she should have broken it off with Liam a long time ago as the tears of anger role down her cheeks. 

She operates Santino’s in a busy area of Manhattan.  The first morning she came into Sheffield’s, Liam’s father snuck up on her and tried to kiss her while she was gathering vegetables in the pantry to make some sauces.