Chapter 9

Grace Crowe was in my family restaurant.

She laughed heartily while cameras clicked behind her. “Oh I got you good! You should see your face.” “Mrs Crowe what a...wonderful surprise.” What are you doing here and why do you have an army of photographers? I thought.

“I know right!” she walked to me hands stretched and enveloped me in a hug while I stood, shocked. Cameras clicked again. Our customers wore several expressions of awe, discomfort or confusion. I needed to act before our restaurant was turned into a circus show.

“I just thought I would pay you a little visit, since you said you were working, “ she spoke alternating her attention between me and the camera crew. “Her family owns this restaurant. They make one of the best foods in Cali. Absolutely delicious” She kissed her fingers and smiled at the crowd.

What was happening?

“Mae Ricci, how long have you been seeing Ethan Crowe?” a man with a microphone asked.

“Were you having a secret affair with Ethan Crowe while he was dating Ava Williams?” a lady asked from the back, I could barely see her face. A barrage of questions followed.

“How did you manage to keep your relationship with Ethan a secr-“

“Is your relationship with Ethan Crowe a social media stunt?”

“Why does Ethan let you work in a place like this?”

“Is the ring you’re wearing a gift from Ethan?”

“is it an Engagement ring?”

“Well of course it is!” Grace laughed. “You can settle in, try some of their menus, I need to have a little girl talk, with her, okay?”

“Will you be talking about an engagement party?”

“Should we be expecting a wedding?”

I broke out of my daze when Grace tugged on my hand. “Come on dear.”

Right. Girl talk. I led her to dad’s office.

A second after I shut the door, she groaned and smacked her forehead. I really had no idea what to say to her, how did you react to rich people showing up with their own movie crew?

“Mae, I am so sorry, when I had this brilliant idea I didn’t think they would be this many.”

“What brilliant idea?”

“Publicity, for your restaurant.” She responded, regret on her face.”You said you were working, and I didn’t want you to think that I judge you, or don’t accept you, because we’re from different social class. So I told TWO news companies that I was stopping by, to see my future daughter in-law, I guess word got out and here we are.

“I was being very impulsive, I know. but I had good intentions I promise, sometimes I forget how intense reporters can be. I didn’t think it would get to this, it was supposed to be a little thing.”

“It’s not a big deal.” I lied. “We’ll just have to get rid of them, how hard can that be?”

She look at me with pity. Like she knew some secret I didn’t.

“Wait here,” I ordered.

She nodded bleakly and pulled out her phone, typing into it rapidly. “I’ll see what I can do to fix things.” I put my game face on as I matched to the middle of the drama. From the window, I spied a man interviewing Mrs Cassandra, and the barber that worked two shops away. This was crazy.

“Miss Ricci, when did you first meet Ethan?”

“Are the both of you a love match?”

“Why did he keep a secret all this time?”

I waved my hands in an attempt to get silence. “I understand that you have a lot of questions, but this is private property, and if you have no intentions of settling down for a meal, then I have to ask you to leave.” The voices around me grew in tempo drowning my voice out. “Please leave.” I tried again.

The workers who hung around followed my lead urging the reporters to exit the restaurant. A few remained occupying the empty seats that remained.

Lisa pulled me off to the side. “Mae I think you should leave. You can’t serve those jerks out there and as far as I’m concerned they won’t leave unless you and Mrs Crowe leaves.” I glanced around considering it. my presence here was doing more harm than good.

“We can manage.” She assured me. I sighed in defeat. I needed to get home anyway. If they were here, I would certainly find them at home. I didn’t want mum and dad dealing with them on their own. As I returned to dad’s office I whipped off my apron.

“We need to leave.” Grace put a hand over her phone.”You should go back home, I’ll do the same. Hopefully tomorrow this whole thing blows over...”

“Of course, I am really sorry.”

I started to assure her that it was okay but my phone vibrated from the small purse sewn into my apron. I answered my Brother’s call on the second ring.

“Mae! Christ, things are crazy.” He was back from school already.

“I know.”

“They’re trying to interview people. Jerry told em to fuck off. But I don’t think they’ll be leaving anytime soon. I dunno if I should call the cops. Dad isn’t doing great with this.”

What have I gotten myself into. Dating Ethan was supposed to make our lives better, not turn it completely upside down. Grace watched me, guilt written on her face.

“I’ll be home in thirty minutes oka-“

“You’re coming here? Much as I love you, I think you should hunk down somewhere else. If you come home, they’ll follow you here.” He had a point.

But I wanted to be near dad, and know that he was okay, that I wasn’t hurting him. I heard a knock through the phone, and then mum’s voice.

“I told you, we don’t want to talk, please go away or I will call the cops.”

“Mum stop talking to them” Miles answered her. “ I’ll call you later Mae. He said and hung up.

“Where am i supposed to go?” I said , stunned.

“that’s easy, you come with me.” Grace offered. I got you into this mess I might as well help in some way. Please. Come home with me.