When You're Ready Read Online Free PDF Page A

card into my pocket and went back to work. After serving about a million customers, including a rowdy group of frat boys who kept calling me “sweet cheeks” and offering to “show me a good time,” I met Tara in the back when our shift was done.
    “Tonight was crazy. Must be a fucking full moon. I had all these freaky nutcases in my section,” she said, putting on her jacket.
    I thought about how Scout had come to the restaurant to see me again and suddenly my night didn’t feel so bad. “Mine was okay,” I shrugged, trying to keep my face neutral.
    “Then what are you smiling about?”
    “I’m not smiling,” I said even though I was.
    “You are to! What happened?”
    “Nothing happened.”
    “If you don’t start talking you’re gonna be on the bus,” Tara said, threatening to revoke her offer to give me a ride. I knew she wasn’t serious, but it was the only card she had to play.
    “Fine.” I wanted to tell her anyway. “The guy from the party came to see me.”
    She screwed up her face. “What guy? What party? Wait, you went out without me?”
    “No…the party we worked. The guy I met.”
    “What guy? You never told me about a guy. I swear, Nola, if you’re holding back on me…”
    I smiled, finally happy I was the one with some actual news. Well, sorta. Usually I had to live vicariously through Tara’s escapades, but for once I had something to share.
    “I met this guy at the party. We talked for a few minutes while I was resting my feet, and—“
    “You guys went out?”
    “No. We just talked. And at the end, right before we left he asked how he could see me again.”
    “So you gave him your number?”
    “Tara! Stop interrupting.”
    “Well you’re taking too long. Geez, Nola, get to the good parts.”
    “The good parts?”
    “Yeah, the part where you’re both naked and you tell me how big his—“
    “Tara!” I snapped. She was ridiculous—and I loved her for it.
    She hunched her shoulders. “Okay, okay. Tell the story.”
    “So he asked me how he could see me again, and I was all, ‘In your dreams.’”
    Tara gasped. “You didn’t!”
    I squealed, still proud of my flirtation attempt. “I did! Anyway, I told him if that didn’t work he could find me here, and well, he came today.”
    “So when are you guys going out?”
    My smile faded. “We’re not.”
    “Turned out to be a jerk, huh?”
    “No,” my voice grew quiet, “he was actually super nice. And gorgeous! He’s totally gorgeous.”
    “Then I don’t get it. What’s the problem?”
    I sighed, Tara never got it, no matter how many times I explained it to her: I couldn’t risk dating.
    “You know I can’t get sidetracked right now. I’m so close to finishing school and—“
    “Not this shit again, Nola. When are you gonna start living your life?”
    “Next year,” I said, plainly. “After I’m done with school and have a real job. Then I can breathe.”
    Tara shook her head in disgust. “Life is too short, Nola, and you deserve to have a little fun.”
    “Right. Because it turned out so well for my parents?”
    Tara’s eyes softened and she placed her hand on my shoulder. “You aren’t them, Nola. When are you gonna stop letting some parental boogeyman rule your life? You’re young, beautiful, and it’s time you start living!”
    Of course Tara could encourage me to have some fun, her parents were great. They couldn’t afford to pay all of her tuition and living expenses, but they did what they could, and she could always, always count on them. I, on the other hand, did not have such a luxury. I knew Tara meant well, but seriously, what did she know?
    I decided to switch subjects; I didn’t want to think about my parents or the fact that I was completely on my own.
    “Wanna hear the best part?”
    Tara nodded.
    “He left me his business card and a $70 tip!”
    “Shit, Nola. $70? Call him! Now!”
    “Nah. Not calling, but I admit, it feels good to be wanted.”
    “Girl, you’ve been