Glass Ceilings Read Online Free Page B

of us clearly had nowhere better to be. Once we left The Dump, Jase suggested that we get something to eat. Because of Eve, he had pie on the mind and knew the perfect place to get it.
    “You think they’re open?” Eve asked from the backseat.
    “This place is always open.”
    Angela sat beside me in the front seat. She’d been very quiet since leaving the bar. Once we pulled into the snow-covered parking lot of the all-night diner, I reached for her arm to hold her back from exiting the truck. The touch of my hand on her arm caused her to jump in surprise.
    “You sure you’re okay?”
    “Yes. I’m just exhausted. Her energy can run circles around mine. And—” She stopped abruptly, apprehensively looking up into my eyes.
    “And?”
    “I’m so embarrassed. I’m sure the last thing you wanted to do on Christmas Eve was to be forced to hang out with me and my certifiably crazy cousin.”
    “Hanging out with you is the highlight of my week.”
    Her warm smile lit up her face. I stared at her for a few seconds before returning my own smile. She opened her door and joined our friends out in the frigid temperatures of that inclement night.
    Jase and Eve walked arm in arm into the diner, as Angela and I followed. I’d never seen him act this way…especially before he even banged a girl.
    The diner was empty, except for the poor girl who clearly got stuck working Christmas Eve. Based on her age, she was probably low man on the totem pole. She leaned against the worn Formica counter while staring into her phone.
    Jase led us to a booth for four. We all pulled off our coats, hanging them on the hooks that were positioned at the end of each booth. Of course Jase dragged Eve by her arm to sit beside him, leaving Angela and me to once again squeeze in across from them.
    When five minutes went by and the waitress had yet to acknowledge us, Jase said, “Hey, how about some service.”
    She looked up unapologetically and sauntered over to our table. “There’s a limited menu,” she said with pure contempt.
    “We want pie,” Jase responded like a kid asking for ice cream.
    “Cherry or apple?”
    “Two of each.”
    “Whipped cream?”
    “Yes,” Eve said at the same time as Jase said, “No.”
    “Of course whipped cream.”
    “You’ll ruin it, woman. A pie needs to be tasted in its pure form.”
    The waitress watched their exchange expressionless.
    As they argued, I jumped in and said, “Two with, two without.”
    “Coffee?”
    “Yes.”
    “Milk for me,” Jase corrected.
    “What are you, five?”
    “I like milk with my pie.”
    The waitress pulled in a huge breath and rolled her eyes.
    “Um…Candy?” Eve read her nametag and smiled warmly. “I detect some hostility from you, sweetheart. Lose it, or your only chance for a tip during this long boring night will walk out that door along with our asses.”
    Candy balked, her face turning red from either embarrassment or anger, and stormed off but not before muttering a disingenuous apology.
    “Now she’s going to spit in our pie,” Jase whined.
    “I regret agreeing to this pie-eating outing,” Angela said more to herself, but her cousin heard her loud and clear.
    “You could use some pie and to get laid.”
    “I agree with Eve. I may have just met you, but sexual tension is radiating off you like steam coming from a mug of hot cocoa.” Jase lifted a finger and pointed to me. “You too, Dart-man.”
    “Ignore him,” I said into Angela’s ear. “He wouldn’t know sexual tension if it ran his ass over while he lay naked.”
    Angela giggled at my retort, and pushed into my shoulder in a show of solidarity.
    “Would, too!” he argued.
    “You are five,” Eve said with a shake of her head.
    Our pie arrived, and Candy suddenly had a saccharine smile plastered on her face. She served us without a word before retreating back to her corner. Once she was out of earshot, Jase nodded and said, “Oh yeah. She definitely spit on them.”
    Angela and I