Page 21 of Brendan (The Doherty Mafia)
That was a lie. I wanted it as much as he did. Maybe even more than him. As much as I wanted him to disappear from my life, I couldn’t get enough of him.
Because I was so muddled with thoughts, I hadn’t noticed the man following me until I was halfway to the diner.
I suddenly became aware of his presence when I turned a corner sharply and he pushed through the crowd on the sidewalk to keep up with me. I turned to look and caught him staring directly at me. He ducked away sheepishly but I was sure he’d been watching me. Following me.
A shiver ran down my spine.
Seriously?
Was Brendan Doherty going to go so far as to send some guy to follow me around?
I had never actually found out what he did for a living…or what his family had been involved in. Petra didn’t know enough to fill me in and I had been so desperate to forget about him after that night at the house party— that I never dug around. But the impression I got was that the Dohertys were involved in shady business that I was better off not knowing about.
It was a major part of his attraction and star-like quality. Girls wanted him because he was a real-life ultimate bad boy.
I didn’t think he would actually be capable of this…even after what happened the previous night. He was having me followed!
I continued on my way to the diner, looking over my shoulder from time to time to make sure I wasn’t still being followed. Even though I didn’t see the guy again, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I was being watched.
I walked into the diner hyperaware of my surroundings. New York was New York. Busy, loud and full of unfriendly people. It was the only home I knew. And being born and raised in this city, I was also aware of the fact that the man I thought was following me could have just been some weirdo who wanted a closer look at me. New York was full of strangers and strange people.
I tried to take my mind off it when I went to work. I would have to get through the next six hours smiling and being polite. At this job too—the best way for me to make some extra cash in tips was by following the motto that the customer was always right.
I didn’t look forward to the rest of my day.
Jim, my boss at the diner, stopped me in the staff room at the back. I’d just changed into the sickly-yellow uniform all the waitresses were required to wear. I was worried he would tell me off for being late again.
I just couldn’t catch a break these days. I always ran late.
“I wanted to talk to you, Rosalie, do you have a minute?” he asked.
At least Jim wasn’t as big a dick as Rocky, so I could breathe a little easier.
“If this is about the time, I’m sorry Jim. I had to drop my kid off and we just had a late start this morning…” I was already talking too fast and he raised a hand to stop me from going on.
“Yeah, whatever, it’s fine. Just try and make it on time. No, this is about something else,” he said.
I stared at him, worried. It didn’t sound like he was going to deliver good news.
“We’re cutting your hours, Rosalie,” he said.
“Excuse me?”
“You know the business has taken a hit. We’re just not being able to keep up with all the hipster burger joints cropping up around here. We’re not sure how long we can keep ourselves afloat. We need to make some serious changes around here. I’m sure you understand, huh?” He looked genuinely disturbed and I didn’t have the heart to rant at him.
Besides, it wasn’t like I’d be able to change his mind. It wasn’t in his hands.
My throat had gone dry. Less hours meant significantly less pay, which meant I didn’t know how I was going to pay all our bills the next month.
I gulped and nodded, somehow finding my voice to respond to him.
“Don’t worry about it, Jim. I do understand,” I said, walking away.
I tried my best to keep my hands from shaking. Not too long ago, I had such big dreams. How had my life come to this now?
Twelve
Brendan
I had been sleeping but I woke up in bed with a start.. When I sat up, almost teetering on the edge of the bed, I realized I was covered in sweat. My sheets were soaked. I must have been seeing things, my mind was still racing. I couldn’t find a reasonable thread in my thoughts that made sense.
I made myself get off the bed and go to the bathroom. After I’d shaved and brushed my teeth and repeatedly splashed my face with water—I realized it hadn’t made a difference. So I decided to take a shower, even though I had one late the previous night. After I got back from Rosalie’s place.
