Free Amazed (Tempted Book 3) by Heather Doltrice Page B

kids and my boss could tell it. That’s why I got fired. The punches just kept coming.
    My life was going through the domino effect and I sat there and watched helplessly. There was absolutely nothing I could do to stop it. Nothing.
    “What did she say?” Holland asked, sipping on her tea.
    I called her after I got the news and asked her to meet me at Jitterbugs. Being Holland she immediately agreed.
    “She said to work with kids I had to keep my head up no matter what came my way. And she said I obviously wasn’t capable of that. So, she basically told me I was pathetic and to kick rocks,” I told her, sipping my coffee and burning the roof of mouth.
    Life’s a bitch. Even my coffee hated me.
    “You are not pathetic and you’ll find a better job. Don’t let her get you down,” she said, giving me her attempt at a pep talk.
    “She couldn’t get me down if she tried.”
    “That’s the spirit.”
    Give the girl some pompoms.
    “Because I couldn’t get any lower.”
    “Gracie, don’t say that,” she said, her eyes jumping to the door,” and also don’t look behind you.”
    That sounded like a line from a horror movie but I knew who was behind me. And I would have rather ran into Freddy Kruger.
    “That wasn’t ominous at all, Holl. Who’s with him?”
    She scanned his table to see and the whole time I kept praying that it wasn’t a girl.
    Please be a bunch of dudes and no girls.
    “West and Roman,” she said, picking at her croissant.
    Letting out a sigh of relief, I turned to steal a glance at him. His eyes met mine like he could feel me staring at him. I wasn’t looking that hard. Okay, maybe I was.
    Quickly turning my head, I picked up my phone and tried to look busy. I wanted him to look at me and think I was doing fine. Not that he cared but still.
    “Is he still looking?”
    “Nope, West is making them all take selfies and now they’re doing the duck face,” she said, giggling.
    Leave it to West to take the attention from me. In that moment I was thankful for his drag queen personality because maybe, just maybe, I could slip out without having to talk to him.
    “Let’s go,” I whisper yelled to Holland.
    Nodding, she got up from her chair and I followed her. The door was in plain sight. I could make it.
    “Grace and Holland, rude much?” West’s voice boomed through the restaurant.
    I couldn’t make it. Pushing Holland in front of me, I walked over to the table.
    “Hey, guys. How’s it going?” Holland asked, smiling at everyone but Ethan.
    “Good,” they all answered in unison.
    “Lovely. Can we go now?” I asked, making sure not to make eye contact with Ethan.
    Hearing footsteps behind me, I turned around and saw Luca smiling down at me.
    “Why are you smiling at me?” I asked, folding my arms over my chest.
    “I heard you lost your job. I’m just trying to cheer you up,” he said loud enough for the whole town to hear.
    “You lost your job?” Ethan asked with concern dripping from his voice.
    Ignoring him, I turned on my heels and walked to the door. Hearing him calling my name only made me go faster. I had plenty to say to him but I didn’t trust myself to not cry when I looked at him.
    “Grace, stop!” Ethan’s voice boomed through the crowded parking lot.
    “What, Ethan? What could possibly want to say to me?” I asked, stopping and turning to face him.
    I was shaking from anger and sadness. I was overcome with emotion and none of them were good.
    “Why did you lose your job?” he demanded.
    His eyes seemed genuine like he truly cared about me. It made the butterflies in my stomach flutter but I told them to settle down and not to get too excited just yet.
    I debated walking away but I knew that would only cause him to chase me and I didn’t want to be caught. I wanted to get it over with.
    “Because of you, Ethan,” I told him, holding back the sobs that were trying to escape.
    “How did I cause you to lose your job?” he asked, looking at me with