A Borrowed Life (Carly and Liam #1) (13 page)

The DJ in the back of the room points his index finger at her while raising the volume. I turn to my best friend and we start singing.

We dance and laugh, not worrying about anything or anyone. In the middle of the song, the owner approaches of our table and Ethan starts talking to him to try and get the situation under control. I guess we maybe exaggerated a little bit. My my brother shares a laugh with the man and gives him a friendly pat on the shoulder, and it seems that everything is settled.

My attention is distracted by a man near the front door. I freeze when I think I recognize him; dark hair, penetrating blue eyes, striking stature and a sharp suit and tie. Liam! I get down on my chair, but as soon I set my foot on the floor, he's gone. I must have been dreaming. What would Liam be doing here, anyway?

After that, my beloved brother judges that we’ve had enough alcohol and that it's time for us to go back home.

“I don't want to!” I grumble like a child.

“It's either that or the owner will kick us out. I promised him I would get you out of here.”

The three of us head home together and finish the evening watching movies play on TV. It's been years since I’ve had my Saturday evenings free and I’m not used to it. It's the busiest and most profitable night at the restaurant. Sunday mornings are often busy too, but we're not working tomorrow either.

I go to bed when the two guys start playing video games. I fall asleep thinking about Liam. I wonder what he's doing right now and who he is with. Is he thinking about me? Will thinking of him ever become less painful so I can actually enjoy the wonderful memories I have of him? Maybe tonight, he's secretly wishing to see me again…

The week ends and tonight is my next to last shift. I prepare my section of four tables, consisting of two seats per table. At least my boss was nice enough to show me this week why I won't regret leaving this job. Liv was devastated when I told her, and she assures me that she wasn't victim of the same blackmail.

“Hey, Carly!”

I turn to see Bailey, the busboy, join me.

“Hi Bailey.”

“This is our last shift together.”

“You're not working tomorrow?”

He shakes his head before hugging me in his arms.

“I will miss you.”

“I'll miss you, too.”

He straightens up and picks up the salt shaker I just replaced and empties it on the table. I give him a threatening smile and disapproving eyes while shaking my head. He laughs before walking away, leaving me with a mess of salt to clean.

I let out a giggle, taking out the cloth in my pocket.

“Is there something funny, Miss Scott?”

My boss's voice sounds from behind me and I turn to face him.

“No. No, there is nothing funny.”

“Because I see it's almost five and your section still isn’t ready.”

“What? It was a joke. It wa
s
”

“I don't want to hear your excuses. Your section is not ready and it should be, period. If this section is too much work for you, then I'll give one of your tables to someone else.”

I confront him with my eyes. He knows very well I have no trouble managing four tables, he's just struggling to deal with my rejection of him.

“Is it even worth me staying tonight, or is it just for show and you don't actually intend to give me any customers?”

“Time will tell.”

I sigh. What jerk! I hate him so much that I almost thank him for firing me. Just a few minutes later, I welcome a young couple at one of my tables, and then another.

“Carly!”

I turn back to the hostess arriving behind me, holding menus against her chest. A family of four, including two teenagers, follows behind her.

“I'll place these customers at twenty-three.”

“Okay. But isn't that Denise’s table?”

“Yes, but they specifically asked to be served by you, and you don't have a table for four.”

“Oh! Alright then. Thank you!”

I smile to the people behind her and greet them, thankful a fifth table has just been added. I don't pay special attention to the fact that they specifically asked to be seated in my section because that happens frequently. As the evening goes on, I can’t help feeling something strange is in the air. I have a weird feeling that I’m the center of attention in the whole place. It's probably just in my head, but it's as if everyone is looking at me.

The evening ends later than planned, and my section had rapidly expanded to seven tables that were full until ten o'clock. I close my cash register after counting my tips; I made more than two hundred and fifty dollars tonight. A small consolation that will barely help me pay my debts, but it still puts a smile on my face. As soon as the door of the staff room closes, a shiver runs through my body. I hear his footsteps coming towards me.

Cayden's imposing silhouette appears before me.

“Come and see me in my office before leaving,” he asks me in a calm, polite voice.

“Okay.”

I pick up my things and I stand in the door frame.

“Come on in,” he insists.

“No thanks. I'm good here.”

He sighs.

“I take it that you haven’t changed your mind?”

I shake my head and he blows out his breath in exasperation. The basement door closes again and heels are heard.

“Carly?”

It's Liv's voice arriving behind me.

“I'm here.”

She stops to my left, staring at our boss.

“Your shift isn't over, Miss Sawyer,” he reprimands her.

“I'm on break.”

“Since when do you take your breaks?”

“Since now.”

I see what she’s doing; after I told her about my last meeting with him, she refuses to leave him alone with me. I must admit that I'm grateful, although I would prefer that she doesn't get into too much trouble with him. Once I'm gone, he'll probably lash out at her.

“The staff room is next door,” he retorts.

She turns to me.

“I won't be far away.”

I nod and she leaves us, giving us some privacy. In reality, she can still hear everything going on.

“Many customers came to see you tonight,” Cayden begins.

“Probably regulars who found out that I wouldn't be working here anymore.”

“That, or something else.”

“I don't understand what you’re implying.”

“Whatever. You still have a job here if you want it and I expect to see you tomorrow night.”

“I thought I wasn't doing Saturday nights anymore?”

He takes a deep breath as if the decision doesn't please him at all.

“Tomorrow night, starting at four thirty,” he simply confirms. “And you're on schedule for tomorrow at noon, too.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

I join Liv who’s waiting for me, and she jumps with joy with a wide smile on her face. Of course, she heard everything.

I'm more than happy to announce the news to Sean as I return home. He's also relieved and informs me that the banking problems of the company he works for are finally solved. In a few days, his pay for the last three weeks will be in. We can finally relax a little.

I come back the next morning for my lunch shift. As usual, it's Josie Sierra that welcomes all of the customers. I prepare my section without paying attention to her disapproving looks. It's no news that we hate each other, and the atmosphere is always tense when I work with her. She's unbearable! She thinks she's the boss; she gives orders to everyone, does whatever she wants and everyone who’s working literally becomes her assistants. At the end of her shift, we receive a series of lectures. She is never grateful when in reality, if it weren't for us, she would never be able to serve all of her customers. But she would never admit that.

I walk behind her while she wraps utensils in napkins with Denise. They are the gossip girls of the place, and all rumors pass by them and often start with them, too. They can’t see me right now, so they don't know I'm there when I hear Josie say:

“As if Carly could keep a man like Liam Walker's interest. These rumors are completely stupid.”

Wait a minute, what? What rumors? Why is my name in these rumors?

“If Desiree Lauren wasn't good enough for him, certainly Carly won’t take her place.”

“He's rich, sophisticated and seductive. Why would he be interested in Carly? Come on! She has nothing to offer him. It’s obvious, just look at her.”

“Journalists love the idea of Jersey City's Cinderella, that's all. She may have run into him on the cruise, but to claim that they had an affair…”

“She's such a little liar!” Josie finally claims.

I stay there hidden, listening to them and trying to put all the pieces together. Jersey City's Cinderella? The journalists? Me? What does this mean? How could anyone have known it was me? It’s impossible. I have said it only to Sean and he wouldn't have betrayed me, and I’m sure Liv wouldn’t, either.

I hurry to join her.

“Hey!” I call to her as she’s pushing in chairs.

“Hey, Cinderella!”

“That’s not funny! What is this all about?”

She shrugs and shakes her head as if there wasn't an reason to freak out.

“Relax, nobody knows it's you.”

“Then why were Josie and Denise talking about me?”

“Well, okay. Here, the employees suspect it’s you. There was a server aboard the cruise who claimed you talked to him, confessed to him that you were a waitress, and he saw you with Liam. Many people naturally guess it's you, without having a confirmation.”

I sigh. I remember this young man that I had helped and it must be him she's talking about. I should have minded my own business! This is not good at all! If journalists dig, they will find me easily. There aren’t a thousand winners of the contest. In fact, it’s only me, and Liv, and Liv is blonde.

I feel like I'm in a daze the whole evening, so I operate on autopilot. I'm nervous and confused, and afraid of what is going to happen.

I walk to the back door of the restaurant to reach the small alley leading to the boulevard. I walk on a sidewalk only lit by a few street lamps and the lights of surrounding shops. When I arrive home, I find my brother and my roommate settled in the living room with chips and beer.

“Hi,” I greet them going straight into my room.

“You have a package,” Sean replies.

I turn to the kitchen table where a rectangular box and an envelope wait for me. My heart is pounding more and more as I approach it, remembering the last time I received such a gift; it was from Liam, before I met him at the Stardust restaurant. It seems so long ago already, yet it’s only been three weeks.

“Who delivered it?” I ask.

“A messenger.”

I notice the puzzled look on my brother's face. I pick up the envelope and see it’s addressed from the Lexington’s, and my heart skips a beat just reading that name instead of Liam's.

“Is it from your boyfriend?” Ethan inquires.

I open the envelope without answering, only to find an invitation to a charity dinner being held tomorrow night. I barely raise the lid to see a fine, royal blue fabric and a thin veil covering the silk V-neck. I don't want it.

“So?” Ethan insists.

“It's from my father.”

Ethan takes in a long breath and I enter my room without saying another word. What's left to say? He never wanted me. When I tracked him down ten years ago, he was my only chance to escape the foster home they had placed me in when my adoptive parents passed away. Ethan and I had spent all our money to hire a private detective and buy a bus ticket to get me on the porch of his house, just to see the door slam shut in my face.

I first thought it was just the servants being overly protective, but when I went to his office the next day, I found out that wasn't the case. In fact, according to his assistant, my father knew I was looking for him and he really didn't want me in his life. He himself had given the order not to let me in, and I was treated as a vulgar criminal. I must have cried for at least a month. I will never forget that!

A few minutes later, there’s a knock on my door.

“You can come in.”

My brother walks across the room to sit on my bed

“What are you gonna do?”

“Nothing.”

“Don't you want to go? Maybe find out what he wants?”

I hesitate before answering. Obviously I want to know, and a naive part of me would like him to have simply come to his senses and finally want to accept me into his family, but I don't believe it. There is another obscure explanation, which I must confess, intrigues me a lot.

“Your hesitation speaks volumes.”

“What's with you all of a sudden? I thought you'd be glad that I'm staying as far away as possible from all these people.”

“True. But I don't want you to have regrets and I know you will. You'll spend the rest of your life wondering what would have happened if you had gone.”

“You say that only because you don't know that you'll have to accompany me.”

“What? Are you crazy?”

I laugh. I knew he would refuse, but he'll do it anyway, because he wants to make sure I'm safe. As my smile goes back to him, I see the corners of his lips stretching discreetly into a smile.

“It's the first time I’ve heard you laugh since you’ve been back.”

“Because I pictured you in a tux.”

A sigh rumbles in his throat.

“Are you serious about me going?”

“You have no choice,” I retort with a shrug.

He thinks.

“There will probably be a lot of single women…” I continue, trying to convince him by using his weakness against him.

He pinches his lips, raises an eyebrow and nods as if the argument hadn't even crossed his mind.

“Alright,” he finally agrees.

I jump in his arms, hugging him hard.

“Does that mean you'll go?” he asks.

“I think so, but just out of curiosity!” I argue.

But really, this is my family. It's normal that I want answers and if there is any chance…

“Just don’t get your hopes too high about meeting your father.” Ethan interrupts my thoughts, suddenly bringing me back to reality. “I don't want you to be disappointed.”

“I just want to know what he wants with me. We'll probably only stay an hour or two.”