Love Rush (LarssonSiblingSeries#4)

CHAPTER FOUR

Tilly

Levi is quiet tonight. There's none of his usual jokes or low-key flirting with Pat. It's as if he's had the life sucked out of him, or he's got something heavy on his mind. I turn all of the chairs over and set them on the tables, letting people stand next to the radiator to keep warm before we shut up for the night.

"Are you two okay to close? I'm beat," Pat says, tugging her bag up her arm.

"Sure," Levi says, coming out of his trance. "Let me walk you to your car."

Pat smiles. "Thanks," she turns to me. "See you tomorrow, chicken."

I laugh, picking up the last chair. "Bye. Drive safe."

They disappear out the door, and I get to tidying the kitchen at super speed, wanting to get home. I'm exhausted and need my bed. Dinner service was busy as usual, with a few new faces. It's always nice to see people coming to us for help. It makes my job a hell of a lot more rewarding.

"Any spare bits of food going?" Lauren, a regular here says, standing by the kitchen door.

I wave her inside, finding a plastic tub, giving it over, I say, "Take as much from the fridge as you need until tomorrow."

The young woman gives me a smile that makes my heart sing. "Cheers. I hate going hungry."

"Me too. There should be some chocolate cake in the back. You can take my slice."

Lauren digs around pulling out the pasta and some chicken. "Are you sure? I already got a slice at service."

I nod, taking the pasta from her to scoop some into a tub. "You need it more than me. Shall I fill the tub with pasta and put the chicken on top of it?"

"If that's okay? I don't want you getting into trouble."

I push the lid down hard when it refuses to budge, too full with food. I know what it's like to feel so hungry your insides cramp and twist. I know what it's like to be so hungry you start to feel sick, and all you can do is lay down. I know what it's like to be delirious enough for the scumbag who is supposed to be your friend out on the streets steals all the money you have while you sleep.

Life is tough when you have nothing.

"You're the best," she says, giving me a quick hug.

Lauren is a sweet girl, who like me was thrown out. Our circumstances were different, but our struggles the same.

"Not long now until you get your accommodation," I squeeze her shoulder, praying that she keeps on the straight and narrow until then. "The twentieth of this month, right?"

Lauren nods. "Ten days. And then I'm hoping I can get a job."

I nudge her side. "It'll all work out. You see."

Lauren starts to leave when Levi walks into the room, probably worried he'll take her food away. I give her one last wave before she goes out into the cold, taking shelter in a doorway.

"We almost done here?" Levi says, putting the pasta back in the fridge.

It's almost half-past midnight. I'd say so if I want to get back home at a reasonable hour. I live on the other side of town. Two bus journeys and a ten-minute walk to be exact. But the bus ride turns into a taxi ride this early in the morning quickening the route but draining my pocket twice over.

"Yeah," I start to turn off the light.

Levi follows me to the office, clocking off before he throws on his coat and grabs his car keys. He glances over. "Who's your ride tonight?"