Stories by Claudia

Jacob rescues Jill from an angry Trevor.

Jill waited until they were in full view of that side of the room then gave him a soft, lingering kiss.
Pulling back, she whispered, “So she knows what she’s missing.”

Jacob blinked, his eyebrows moving as if he was trying to work it out, then he laughed.

“What would it take for you to kiss me again?”

“You mean kiss you for real?” Jill’s voice held her surprise. “You don’t even know me.”

“Actually,” Jacob said. “You wait tables at Pete’s Kitchen. I play midnight hockey and our team goes to Pete’s after the game. I’ve been there every Sunday morning… gosh, for years.”

Jill wasn’t sure how to respond. She had no memory of this man. Sunday mornings were always crazy. The bars close at two and Pete’s Kitchen filled to the brim with drunken happy people. She slung coffee, pancakes and eggs until four in the morning every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. She made great money and right now money took precedence over everything, especially handsome men.

Looking over his shoulder, she saw Trevor’s dark eyes, so like Katy’s, follow them on the floor. As she watched, the tiny blonde rich girl, dressed in another ivory silk gown, took his elbow and guided him toward a group of elderly couples.

“I work in an office during the week. Secretary. But Pete’s is an oasis for me,” she said finally. “I’ve worked there as long as I’ve worked. I’ve got friends there. That probably doesn’t mean much to you since they’re low class friends.”

“Friends in low places?” Jacob asked.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s a country song.”

“I don’t listen to country,” she replied.

As they twirled around the room, Jill watched the people. That woman is wearing shoes that cost more than a month of Katy’s day care. She nodded slightly. Trevor was right to choose this life over scraping by every month.

“May I cut in?” Trevor said to Jacob. Jill bristled at the sound of his voice.

“It’s up to the lady.” Jacob pulled back from Jill. His eyes searched Jill’s terrified face. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

Jacob took Jill’s hand and walked her off the dance floor. Picking up two glasses of champagne from another server, he led her to an empty table. He helped her into her seat then sat down beside her. She took a sip of champagne.

“Will you kiss me again?” Jacob asked

Chapter Two ends tomorrow as Jill prepares for her revenge.

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Denver Cereal is a Serial Fiction based in Denver, Colorado. A new chapter is published every week. Monday through Saturday, a piece of the serial is posted at Stories by Claudia. The entire chapter is posted on Saturdays at On A Limb with Claudia. A pdf link to the entire chapter is also available on Saturdays at this blog.

claudia hall christian is a novelist who lives in Denver, Colorado.