I stayed across the room, doing inventory and checking booths out when people paid their bills. I noticed Hannah eventually leaving the table when Joe came out and got her so the men could eat in peace. They ate quickly, in less than twenty minutes. When Risk raised his hand and beckoned me over with his finger, my gut twisted. Part of me wanted to stick my finger up at him for addressing me in such a way, but I didn’t.
I walked over to the table calmly.
“Anything else I can get you guys?”
“No, thank you. I’m full. It was delicious.”
I smiled at Angel. “Happy to hear it.”
“Frankie.”
My body was weak for him whenever he said my name. Whenever he uttered the word, it was like I was the only woman in existence. It was distracting and embarrassing and if he ever found out, I’d likely drop dead.
“Yes?”
“Hannah reminded me about us dating, I remember now. It got me thinking. I was just telling Angel here about our first date right here in this booth . . . how long ago was that? Nine years? Ten?”
I hated that it hurt my feelings because he couldn’t remember when we went on our first date, or that Hannah had to remind him about our relationship in the first place.
“We were fifteen,” I shifted my stance. “So twelve years ago.”
“Twelve years.” Risk whistled. “A hell of a lot has changed since then.” He glanced at my uniform, grimaced, then looked up to my face. “Well, for me it has.”
I felt my face drop when he finished speaking. Judgment for working in the same job all my life was not something I ever, in a million years, expected from Risk. He looked at me like I was . . . nothing.
“Good seeing you again, Frankie,” he stood up from the booth, making me take a couple of steps back. “Great service, you’ve got this waitress thing on lock. Have a good one.”
He didn’t look at me as he stuck his hand in his pocket, pulled out a wad of notes, and dropped them on my notepad like he was handing a homeless person money. My mouth dropped open, not because the notes he gave me were fifty-pound notes, but because I had never felt so disrespected by a person in my entire life. I never expected that disrespect to come from Risk.
It hurt me deeply.
“Thank you, Frankie,” Angel said after Risk walked on out of the diner. “Uh, it was lovely to meet you.”
He turned and nearly jogged to catch up with Risk, who was already outside. For a moment, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t believe the person who had treated me so horribly was Risk. My Risk. I was flabbergasted but only for a moment because hurt quickly dissolved into anger and before I knew it I had his tip clenched in my hand and was out of the diner, rushing after the two men quicker than a hiccup.
“Risk!”
He paused mid-stride as he and Angel neared a flashy sports car.
“No autographs, Frankie,” he said. “Sorry.”
I nearly tripped over my feet with shock.
“Autographs?” I sputtered. “Are you joking me? I don’t want your bloody autograph, Risk Keller.”
He looked at Angel, who was looking at the ground, then looked back at me.
“No pictures either.”
“Jesus, man. Stop it.”
I ignored Angel and so did Risk.
“What is wrong with you?” I demanded. “Why did you treat me like that in there?”
“Treat you like what?” He blinked. “I barely know you, Frankie.”
Don’t you dare cry.
“You knew me once,” I said, standing tall. “And I knew you too. Treating me like I’m beneath you just because I’m a waitress is downright disgusting, Risk.”
“I can’t remember a time when you were beneath me, Frankie. Only when you were on top.”
I couldn’t help but stumble back a couple of steps with the force of his hurtful words. It would have hurt less if he’d slapped me.
“I can’t believe you just said that.” My voice cracked. “Who are you right now?”
“Risk Keller.” He winked. “You don’t know me anymore, Frankie. People change.”
“You’re right!” I snapped. “People do change because you aren’t the Risk I once knew. He wasn’t cruel like the person you’ve become.”
“Maybe you didn’t know me as well as you think you did, Cherry.”
Hearing my nickname come out of his hateful mouth was like a punch in the gut.
“I knew you inside and out, you fucking arsehole!” I bellowed. “How dare you tarnish the relationship we had by treating me like this!”
“I think that relationship was tarnished the second you dumped me, soft lips.” He tilted his head, clearly remembering more about us than he let on. “What? Is my money not good enough for you? It’s easy cash, you can put your feet up for a couple of weeks with that tip.”