All For An Angel (5 page)

Her head spun and her breathing increased.
How could she convince him nothing happened? That her heart
belonged to him, always had, always would. She moved toward him,
took hold of his shoulders and looked up into his eyes. “No, it’s
not like that. Gabe…”

He jerked away. “Three times last night
wasn’t good enough for you? I’m not good enough for you? You had to
call Lou. When I heard about the shooting, I drove ninety miles an
hour to get here.” He let out a grunt as though he’d just come to a
realization, and he sneered. “I nearly killed myself to get here to
make sure you and Angel were safe, and you were fucking my brother.
As if last night never happened! You are a slut.”

“
That’s not true; I took a shower,
alone. Lou barged in here. Baby, please.”

“
Save it for someone who cares,
because I don’t anymore.” He walked out, slamming the door behind
him.

She stood frozen in shock. Had he called her
a slut? He was angry and hurt and no doubt used words to hurt her
back. And it had worked. Her heart stung from pain of his
remark.

God, this couldn’t be happening to her. Her
apartment lay in shambles, Lou would get Angel, and she’d hurt Gabe
all over again. Past mistakes had gotten her into this mess. She
wouldn’t make any more. If Lou wanted a fight, she’d give him
one.

Chapter 9

Amy wore her tightest pair of jeans, a
uniform shirt taken in at the waist, and had done her hair and
make-up. She left one too many buttons undone on her top and
wiggled a bit too much as she walked.

Other waitresses did it all the time, and it
paid off. Today, the tips rolled in for her as well. Men slapped
her butt, and she smiled, even laughed with the richer ones. By the
end of the lunch crowd, her tips totaled almost more than she had
made last week.

Things were going great until Gabe walked in
and sat in her section. He knew she worked on Mondays, and her
section never changed. Why did he have to come in today? His words
came to mind when she looked down and saw the amount of cleavage
spilling out of her blouse. You are a slut.

“
Amy, you got customers waiting,” Joe,
her boss, yelled at her from the back of the diner.

It wasn’t about Gabe anymore. He was a
paying customer, and she needed money. A couple of thousand
according to every attorney in Seawell. She took a deep breath.
This is for Angel.

“
Welcome to Joe’s Diner. How can I
help you?” She put on her best smile.

He looked at his menu. Why did he need one
in the first place? He ordered the same thing every time. Three
eggs over easy, bacon and raisin toast. Coffee with sugar and a
glass of orange juice when he ate breakfast. For lunch, a turkey,
bacon and Swiss cheese sandwich, an order of fries and a side of
coleslaw with a vanilla cola.

He looked up and his eyes lingered on her
breasts, making her feel uncomfortable for the first time today.
His cold demeanor reminded her of how he’d treated her after he’d
found her and Lou at the lake. His eyes withheld the usual warmth
from her and his lips scowled, denying her the pleasure of his sexy
grin.

“
Should I get you your usual?” Her
smile weakened.

“
No, I’m going to have something
different today. Spice things up a bit. Oh and, someone will be
joining me short…ly.” He looked out the window.

Her heart dropped when he didn’t call her
Shortcake. “Can I get you a drink while you wait?”

“
Yeah, bring me a sweet
tea.”

She placed her hand on her hip, smile gone.
“You hate sweet tea.”

“
Since when are you the expert on what
I like or don’t like? Maybe it’s Lou who hates sweet
tea.”

Angel. Do this for Angel. “One sweet tea
coming right up.” She walked away, but felt his gaze on her butt.
While she poured his tea, she wondered which one of the guys would
be joining him for lunch. Maybe she could get a nice tip from
whoever it was.

She turned around to see Gabe laughing, and
Crystal, a stripper and the town whore, caressing his hands. The
same hands that had touched her body less than two days ago. The
plastic cup slipped through her fingers and clanged on the floor.
Tea drenched her feet and ice scattered.

He turned and looked at her face, and the
laughter disappeared. She froze.

“
Amy? What are you doing? Clean this
mess up.” Joe appeared at her side. How or when, she didn’t
know.

“
Sorry, Joe. It won’t happen again.”
She dropped to her knees to clean up the spill, but she watched
Gabe before she began.

He stared at her until Crystal cupped his
face and turned it to her. Then she continued her story about a
wicked threesome she wanted to share with him and another one of
her colleagues. The hussy talked loud enough the whole diner heard
her.

She wanted to run from their presence. Her
stomach twisted, and she felt sweat form on the small of her back.
If she asked Joe to leave now, she would miss her second shift.

Swallowing hard, she filled a clean glass
with tea and took it to their table. “Are you ready to order
now?”

“
Yes, I’ll have a sweet tea, and a
salad. Try not to drop it.” Crystal laughed and winked at her as
she entwined her fingers with Gabe’s.

Amy grew nauseous at the smell of Crystal’s
perfume. How much of the crap did she have on? “And you, sir?”

His eyes spoke to her even if his mouth
didn’t move. I’m sorry.

“
Hawk, baby. The waitress wants to
know your order,” Crystal prodded him.

“
Turkey, bacon and Swiss cheese
sandwich, an order of fries and a side of coleslaw.” The words came
out robotically.

“
Your order will be out short…ly.” She
walked behind the counter and called in their order.

When the food came up, Gloria grabbed the
plates first. “Go take a break. I’ll cover this table.”

“
Thank you.” Amy walked to the back
and sat down. She took out her tips and counted. Three hundred and
thirty-four dollars and a pocket full of change. If she kept this
up, she’d have enough for a retainer in a couple of weeks, plus a
deposit on the apartment.

Gloria stuck her head in the break room.
“They’re gone. Do you want to tell me what happened?”

While she and Gloria had never really been
close, she needed a friend. Now seemed like the perfect time to
bond.

Gloria sat down and listened to her
troubles. “I know this real good lawyer. She helped me get my kids.
Let me find her number.” She dug in her oversized purse, rummaging
through make-up and lotions until she pulled out a crumpled
business card. “Give her a call, and tell her Gloria sent you.” She
patted Amy on the back. “I gotta fill my condiments now.”

“
Ms. Sharon Cox.” Sounded like a name
she would’ve had to defend all her life. She’d helped Gloria. Maybe
Ms. Cox could do the same for her.

Chapter 10

Gabe dropped Crystal off by her car at Joe’s
Diner after the four hour date from hell. He couldn’t stand to
listen to another boob job story or hear her hideous laugh. Why did
I ask her out? To show Amy he’d moved on, didn’t care if she’d
chosen Lou over him. Yeah, right. Like I would ever get over losing
Amy when I came so close to having her. And even if I did, I’d
never settle down with Crystal.

Todd had told him about Amy’s clothes at the
diner when he’d had breakfast. On and on, talking about her rack.
What the hell was she doing, showing it off to the world like
that?

He stared in the window from the parking lot
and saw some pervert touching her ass. Those were his jeans. The
ones she wore around him. Damn if her backside didn’t look hot.
What was she trying to prove anyway, shoving her tits in every
guy’s face? He gritted his teeth and willed himself not to go teach
that guy a lesson.

He shoved the gear shift in drive and
floored it. Mom expected him for dinner, and he needed to clean up
first. Wash off the smell of cheap perfume or whatever the hell
Crystal submerged in. It smelled nothing like Amy. She wore the
scent of a mother; food and baby drool. He chuckled. Motherhood
suited her well. She glowed when Angel was around and would do
anything for that child. Three or four little Hawks running around
would be nice, he just never thought they’d be Lou’s.

After washing thoroughly, he drove to his
parents’.

“
Hey, Mom. Where’s Dad?” He kissed his
mom’s cheek.

“
Out in the garage. Be a dear and set
the table for me.” His mom took a meatloaf out of the oven and
dished up food while he got plates out of the cupboard. “I’m so
glad I got to baby sit for Angel the other night. She’s the cutest
little thing, and a grandma deserves to spoil her first
grandchild.”

“
Uh huh.”

“
I wish Amy would call and let me know
when she needs help. I’d be glad to give her a hand. I’m cutting
back on my hours at work and that would give me more time to spend
with my grandbaby.” She put the meatloaf and side dishes on the
table.

“
Uh huh.” Where was she going with
this? He really didn’t want to talk about Amy right now.

His dad came in the back door and washed his
hands. “Gabe. I didn’t hear you pull in.”

Thank God. Now they could talk about manly
things. “Hello, Dad. I just got here a few minutes ago.”

They all sat down. He talked to his father
about canceling their fishing trip this summer. Every year, since
he’d turned eight, the two of them and Lou went for a week on the
river, but he wouldn’t be able to look at Lou for that long without
breaking his nose or drowning him. The past five trips had been
hard enough.

“
Oh, did I tell you Lou called me?”
His mother chimed in.

Great. Back to him and the reason for my
misery. “Mom, this meatloaf is great. You have to give me the
recipe.”

“
Thank you, dear. Anyway, back to what
I was saying. Lou called, and he told me Angel would be living with
him soon.”

So he had been right about Amy moving in
with him. Perfect. Now he wouldn’t have to avoid her in town. Out
of sight, out of mind. He hoped the old saying held true.

“
That’s great.” He took a drink of his
cola, wishing it was something stronger. On his way home tonight,
he’d have to run to the liquor store and pick up a six-pack. Or
better yet, swing by Lou’s and finish beating the shit out of
him.

“
You really think it’s great?” His
mother clanged her cup on the glass table top.

Startled by her outburst, he looked up from
his meal. “Lou and Amy can do whatever the hell they want to. It’s
their business.”

“
So you think Amy wants this?” He felt
the mother stare burning his flesh.

“
I’m pretty sure she does.” After all,
he had walked in on them in a rather comprising situation.
Something he never wanted to see again.

Half a plate of food was left, but his
appetite had disappeared. Everywhere he went today, Amy seemed to
be the main topic, except when he was with Crystal. She talked
about boobs all day, and then he could only think about Amy’s
breasts, spilling out of her blouse.

“
I know Amy doesn’t drop by much, but
she’s a good mother. Why would she want to give Angel to Lou?
Heaven knows I love both of you boys. I do, but your brother has
never shown one ounce of interest in his child. Angel hasn’t moved
in yet, and he already has a nanny lined up.”

“
You mean Amy’s not moving in too?” He
slid his plate to the side.

Dad joined in the conversation. “No. I
thought you knew. You talk to Amy almost every day at the diner.
That’s why we asked you how she feels about it.”

“
Feels about what?” He looked between
both his parents. His mother grew pale.

“
Oh, dear. Lou is suing Amy for
custody. After the shooting at her apartment and all, he got the
courts to grant him a DNA test next week. If it says he’s the
father, I’m afraid he might just win. He’s as much my baby as you
are, however that little girl needs her momma. But do you know how
much it costs to get a good attorney these days?”

Fuck! That’s why she was dressed so skimpy
and rubbing her tits on perverted old men. She had told him the
truth, and he’d deserted her. Lou wouldn’t get away with this.
Somehow, he’d find a way for Amy to win.

“
Gabe, honey, are you all right? Your
face is pale.”

He pushed away from the table, determined to
make this right between him and Amy. “Yeah, Mom. I’m fine.” Or at
least he would be after he killed that bastard of a brother.

Chapter 11

Amy worked the floor, much like the day
before. News of her new uniform must have spread over town. Joe’s
turned more business this morning than it had all month, and the
tips kept rolling in. She’d have enough money for a retainer in no
time. After her meeting with Ms. Cox at lunch, she knew the lady
would do everything in her power to win. It wouldn’t be easy, but
at least Amy didn’t feel alone anymore.

With all her tips, she wondered why she
hadn’t altered her clothes sooner. She sighed. A mother shouldn’t
dress so provocatively. Not to mention the bruises on her butt
cheeks. Those pinches really hurt. But she’d endure it until Angel
was safe with her in a new place.

She wiped down the only free table in her
section, and before she walked away from it, Gabe sat down.

“
You know, there are free tables in
Gloria and Tina’s sections.” She crossed her arms and glowered at
him.