Mason released his gentle grip on my arm after he delivered his strict command. I looked down at the massive puddle of dark iced tea spreading across the linoleum tiles, and I nodded my head in agreement. I did not want to stay inside the dining room and endure the staring customers while my clothes were completely soaked in sticky syrup.
I turned around and walked behind the laminated counter toward the employee breakroom.
My ruined canvas shoes squeaked loudly against the floor with every step I took, because the sweet liquid had completely saturated the thin material.
Talia followed me into the small back room, and she wrapped her arms tightly around my shoulders while I untied the strings of my stained denim apron.
"You handled those terrible women perfectly today, Freya," Talia told me sincerely while she stepped back to look at my face. "I was terrified they were going to cause a physical fight, but Mason destroyed their confidence without even raising his voice."
