Before You Read Online Free PDF

chef’s hat, I guess he’s a cook.
    â€œManuel,” the guy says, sticking out his hand. I do not shake many hands. Mostly, I break them.
    â€œDiego.” I meet his grasp.
    â€œLooks like Sabrina has her eye on you. She has a thing for Latinos, my friend,” Manuel says.
    â€œFamiliarity talking?” I ask.
    â€œNo. I have a girl. But the other guys say she’s fun.”
    Sabrina’s pretty, but I’m not sure I’m interested.
    â€œThanks for the heads-up,” I say.
    When I hear Sabrina’s voice in the earpiece, calling out another dirty table, I make my way to the front. One restaurant, one job, one breath at a time.
    While I’m cleaning the table, someone walks behind me. Bumps me. I drop a dish. It shatters. Loudly.
    Everyone is staring. So many eyes. Glued to me. I want to peel them away.
    â€œOops. I’m so sorry,” someone says.
    I turn to the sound of the voice.
    No way.
    It’s Faith Watters.

7
faith
    D iego curses at me and bends to pick up shards of glass.
    A million shards of glass splintering, a thousand emotions.
    I look at him, the broken dish, him again.
    â€œSorry,” I mumble, and crouch down to help. I didn’t mean to bump him. It was an accident.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Diego hisses.
    I realize how close we are, only inches apart. People are staring.
    â€œHelping,” I answer. “What does it look like?”
    â€œYou’ve done enough already,” he says.
    I put on my game face, like I’m not bothered by the people staring, or by him. I carefully grab broken pieces and place them in the tub next to him.
    â€œPlease stop,” Diego says.
    Pause.
    He said please. So. He actually has manners under that armor plating.
    â€œFaith.” Jason’s voice, saying my name, the sound familiar, like a fuzzy blanket I might have outgrown. He holds out a hand. “Come on, babe. Let him finish cleaning.”
    I ignore my boyfriend and continue to help Diego. It was my fault the plate broke. Therefore, I will clean it up.
    â€œYou should listen to your little boyfriend,” Diego says.
    â€œLittle?” Jason says, stepping up to Diego.
    Diego stands. They’re the same size. Big. Liable to cause a scene if anything gets out of hand.
    â€œThat’s what I said,” Diego fires back.
    Suddenly, Sean and Rob, two of Jason’s football buddies, are beside him. I stand and push a hand against Jason’s chest.
    â€œLay off,” I warn. He’s mad. It doesn’t look like he’ll back down. “Please,” I add, stepping closer to my boyfriend.
    My leg brushes his. I press up against him and trail a finger down his neck. It distracts him.
    â€œI’ll meet you at the table in a sec,” I say.
    Jason leans down and kisses me. His mind is somewhere else now, content in the false reality I’ve created. I wait until he’s seated to turn back to Diego.
    Diego stares at me with angry eyes. “Figures,” he says.
    I ignore him and grab the last remaining broken pieces, contributing to an unfinished mosaic lining the dirty bottom of the tub.
    â€œWhat’s your problem, Faith?” Diego asks.
    It feels weird to hear him say my name. I try not to like the way it sounds.
    â€œI don’t understand you,” he says. “I try to get you to leave me alone, you don’t listen. I ask nicely, you still don’t listen. What’s it gonna take?”
    Tomorrow is my last day escorting Diego.
    â€œOne more day,” I say. “That’s all it’s going to take.”
    I’m holding another broken piece when a guy with an earpiece approaches us.
    â€œWhat’s going on here?” he asks.
    â€œNothing, Bennie,” Diego says. “Just a broken plate.”
    Bennie notices the glass I’m holding.
    â€œOh goodness. What are you doing?” Bennie asks.
    â€œHelping,” I say. What’s the big deal?
    â€œYou