Make It Last (16 page)

             
While they worked, Colin asked Rich
how things had gone
after he’d left
the evening before.

             
“Nothin’
much
happened
,” Rich replied. “
I made sure that Pete and Kara were okay. She sobered up pretty quickly. She was fawning over Pete, amazed that he’d stood up for her and taken a punch like that. Shit, I was pretty amazed myself. Who knew Pete had it in him
.
Anyway, Pete said he would make sure Kara got home safely, and they left. Kent was hanging out in the corner, drinking himself into a stupor
, and growling at any chick who
tried to talk to him. I think Bree messed him up pretty badly.”

             
“Yeah, she said that she told him that she d
idn’t want to see him anymore. B
ut she said they only dated casually, I don’t know why he was so upset.”

             
“I guess he was more into her than she was into him,” Ric
h speculated. “He’ll be okay. There was
no shortage of girls willing to help him get over Bree, that’s for sure.”

             
“As long as he stays away from
Bree, I don’t care what he does,
” Colin said mildly.

             
“Are you guys back on then?”

             
“I hope so. I think she is beginning to trust me again.”

             
“That’s great, m
an. I hope it works out. You two were always great together.”

             
“Thanks,” Colin said with a smile. “What about you? Any prospects on the horizon?”

             
“Well, I know it’s probably playing with fire, but I can’t stop thinking about Roni.”

             
“Kent’s sister?” Colin asked with a shake of his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Bro.”

             
“I know, I know.
And to be honest, she doesn’
t seem the least bit interested,
” Rich stated with
a wounded
look on his face. “I talked to her for a bit yesterda
y, just to get to know her a little
, and
,
man, she wasn’t giving me the time of day. It was like pulling teeth trying to get her to open up about herself. Usually girls like to spill everything, but not this girl. Maybe that’s what I like about her.”

             
“Just be careful, m
an. Kent already tried to warn you off. I know you’re always up for a challenge, but you may want to let this one go.”

             
Rich shrugged
, then gave Colin a cocky grin. “Look who’s passing out dating advice. One night with Bree and you’re an expert.”

             
Colin chuckled and punched him
good-naturedly on the arm. “Get to work.”

Chapter Sixteen

             
Briana hadn’t had an opportunity to speak with Kara since
the party at Rich’s house. S
he was dying to kno
w what had happened between her
and Pete.
But
Kara wasn’t home, so Briana went into work early, hoping to catch her before their shift started.

             
When she w
alked into the back room, she
stopped dead in her tracks.

             
Kara and Pete sat
at the break room
table. Kara was sitting in hi
s lap an
d they were kissing each other
heatedly.

             
Briana cleared her throat, which caused them to jump apart. Kara caught herself before she fell to the floor, giggling. Pete’s fair skin colored instantly.

             
“What’
s going on?” Briana asked
.

             
“S
h
h
.
” Kara responded, holding a finger to her lips. “I don’t want Pam coming back here.”

             
“Why not? What’
s going on?”

             
Pete stood up and headed
towards the door. “I’ll leave you two alone so you can talk.”

             
He winked at Kara and walked out.
Briana started out after him, then turned to Kara, who was smiling wide
r than she’d ever seen
.

             
“Did I just enter the Twilight Zone?” Briana quipped, which caused Kara to giggle again.

             
“OMG, Bree
things are totally crazy
.
”

             
Briana had
never seen Kara look or act this way
, like a lovesick girl.

             
“Are you guys, like, together now?”

             
Kara sobered a bit and tried to look more serious, but she was so happy that
even without the smile, she glowed
.

             
“
I’m
so sorry about what happened the other day, Bree. I never should have started drinking, I knew we had to work, but one drink led to
another and the next thing I knew, that a
sshole started looking pretty good. I should have listened when you came over and tried to get me to leave with you. I feel so bad about the way he treated you, and the way he treated Pete.” She got a dreamy look on her face. “God, Pete. Can you believe the way he stood up for me? I mean, I always knew that he was a great guy and that he was crushing on me, but I’ve never had anyone do that for me before.”

             
“What happened after I left, Kara?” Briana asked, taking a seat as she spoke, baffled by the look on Kara’s face.

             
“W
ell, Pete took me back home.
I was sorry that he’d gotten hit, but I was pretty pissed that he’d butted in. At least
,
at the time I was. I yelled at him and told
him to mind his own business, t
hat I wasn’t his problem. He just watched me with that calm way he has, and let me rant. When I was done, he told me that I was a wonderful person, and that I deserved better than some
drunken
asshole pawing all over me at a party. That set me off again an
d I started yelling at him
. When I was done he tol
d me that he loved me, that he’s
loved me for t
he past year, and that he wants
to spend the rest of his life proving to me how amazing
I a
m
.” Her
eyes began to fill as she spoke, and Briana started to get choked up.

             
“Then what happened?”

             
“I stopped yelling and started talking. I told him about my father leaving when I was a baby, and my mom blaming me for it. I told him how she’d lock me in a closet so she could go out and hook up with guys. I told him how she told me every day that I was worthless. I laid it all out for him and then explained that I wa
sn’t good enough for him. H
e’s a great guy and he deserves better than me.” Kara smiled through her tears. “He got mad and told me that if he ever heard me talk about myself like that again, he’d bend me over his knee. Ha
.
Then he said that I was exactly who he wanted and needed and that if he needed to, he would remind
of that every day. Can you believe it?”

             
Briana smiled back at her
, t
hrough tears of her own.
“Yes, I believe it.
You’re
wonderful and Pete is the most amazing guy alive. You both deserve each other and you deserve to be happy
.
”

             
They hugged each other and cried softly in each other’s arms. When they pulled back Briana looked at the clock and said, “We’d better get cleaned up and get to work.”

             
She
passed Pam’s office as she walked towards
the kitchen, and noticed Pam
talking to Nicole.

             
“Bree,” Pam called out to her.

             
Briana poked her head in
to the office.
“Hi, Pam. What’s up?”

             
“Nicole is going to start serving next week. I was wondering if you knew anyone who might be good for the hostess position, before I post it in the paper.”

             
Briana looked at Nicole a
nd smiled.
“Congrats
.
” Then she turned back to Pam.
“I might. I think I saw her in the dining room when I walked in, let me go check and see if she’s still here.”

             
Walking into the dining room, Briana spotted
Roni sitting at t
he bar eating a salad and headed
over to her.

             
“Hey, Roni, how’s it going?”

             
Roni looked up from her salad, but when she noticed it was Briana calling her, her face closed up.

             
“Hi.”

             
Briana grabbed the stool next to her and said, “Look,
I know things between me and Kent
are weird right now, but honestly, all we have ever been is f
riends. I know he’s upset
now, but I
also
know that we’ll work it out, and
I don’t want things to be strained between you and me
in the meantime. I know we just met and all, but I’d like to think that we’re
becoming
friends.”

             
Roni considered this as she looked down at her salad, then looked Briana in the eyes.

             
“Yeah, he told me that you guys had an understanding and that
you were never his girlfriend. B
ut you hurt him. I’ve never seen him this upset over a girl before.”

             
Briana looked at Roni with regret.

             
“I’m sad to hear that. I hate to think that Kent is hurt, and that I’m the cause, but I don’
t feel that way about him. I just don’t, and I think it would’ve hurt him more in the long run if I hadn’t let him go.”
Briana paused for a moment as her words registered. She had to admit, at least to herself, that she finally understood Colin’s reasons for breaking it off with her before he left for college.

             
Roni nodded.
“I get it, and sure, we’re
cool.
I just have to stick up for my brother, ya know.”

             
“Of course,” Briana assured her. “Listen, I know
you’re
here temporarily, but I was wondering if you were interested in getting a job while you’re here.”

             
“Actually, I’m going to be staying longer than I originally thought, and I’ve been looking for a job and maybe an apartment. I love Kent, but I can’t live with him anymore
.
”

             
“We have a hostess position opening up here and Pam, the boss, asked if I knew anyone who would be a good fit. It’s not the best pay, but it’s a job and it’s a good place to start. Kara and Nicole both started as hostesses here. I can
take
you back to talk to her if you’re interested.”

             
Roni smiled, her dimple flashing, and Briana had to
blink at the brilliance of it
. Roni
’s
beauty would have been intimidating if she
wasn’t such a cool girl.

             
“That sounds great. Are you
sure she would want to see me
now? Do I look okay?” Roni smoothed her
fitted top and pretty grey skirt.

             
“You look amazing
I’ll go back and ask Pam if she’s ready to talk to you now. Oh, and I think Nicole is looking for a roommate, so if you’re looking for a place, you should talk to her.”

             
“Thanks, I will.” Roni smiled and looked excited about the new developments in her life.
Briana couldn’t help but feel happy that she had a part in that.