Page 110 of You Found Me
Della laughed. “Something tells me you speak from personal experience.”
“Four kids in five years.” Cherry nodded sagely. “Look, whatever is going on, just think,This too shall pass. All you have to do is give it a little patience and time.”
“I’m not really known for patience,” she confessed.
“Patience don’t get you anywhere,” Ken interrupted. “Patience is where careers go to die. Take me for example. I came here with five bucks in my pocket and a dream of Broadway. Thought I was going to have to sleep in the dumpster out back. But did I wait patiently hoping someone would see me? No, I did not. I stormed straight into the opera house and demanded an audition. Next thing you know, I have a part in the holiday production, a bank account, and good friends like Cherry here.”
Della tried hard not to look in Ward’s direction. Really, she did. But she found herself staring at him all the same. “You think I should just say what I want? Give an ultimatum?”
“Oh no,” Cherry said. “Ultimatums don’t work when it comes to matters of the heart. Persuasion and a little liquor might, though. Or better yet, ignore him. I get the most attention when I pretend like my man’s not even in the room.” Cherry gave Ken a side hug. “You know I love you, Ken, but if you don’t get me that margarita, there’s going to be a riot. I have happy hour ladies in desperate need of liquid refreshment.”
“I’m getting to it.” Ken picked up a glass and started to pour. “Lucy, if that man doesn’t appreciate you the way you deserve to be appreciated, you let me know. I’ll be happy to show you what that word means.”
“Ken, honey,” Cherry said, “you’re not into girls, not to mention her boyfriend could kill you and nobody would ever find your body.”
He held up his hands. “I’m an actor, I can play straight. Besides, the best way to show him what he has is by showing him he’s not the only option.”
“Thanks, Ken, I appreciate that pep talk.” Della gave him a quick hug. “You’re a good man.”
“I’m agreatman.” Ken winked at her, then sauntered down to the other end of the bar.
Her coworkers meant to be encouraging, but all the conversation did was make Della’s heart sink.
This was all temporary, and her relationship wasn’t even real. Ward had made that clear enough.
She sure wished it were, though. She wanted it to be real so much that it was hard to get a deep breath.
Cherry glanced at the table where Ward had burrowed in like a mole. “You got yourself a good man there, honey. He had a tough start, and it’s made him into a bit of a stubborn asssometimes, but don’t you worry about that. He’ll come around. And if he doesn’t, just walk through the living room naked. Trust me, that will end every argument.”
Della giggled because she knew it was supposed to be funny. “I better get back to my tables.”
Cherry picked up her tray of drinks. “Whatever’s going on, itwillpass. I promise. The only stink that stays is that musty towel smell. The rest usually comes out in the wash.”
Della wrinkled her nose. “Eww. Gross.”
Cherry winked and carried her tray out into the crowd.
Della put on her stage smile and checked in on table seven, three college-age guys who looked like they did a lot of heavy lifting. They flirted and joked with her, and she spent a little more time there than she probably should have because it lifted her mood.
When she moved on to the next table, she caught Ward glaring at her from the corner of her eye.
What the hell had she done now?
Then she realized he wasn’t looking at her, he was looking at someone beyond her.
She followed his gaze straight to Ken.
Was he jealous?
No. Not of her. He didn’t even like her.
He was probably pretending to be jealous of Lucy. That made sense.
The little ache in her heart that had followed her around all day grew.
She wanted his jealousy to be real.
She wanted him to want her the way she wanted him.