Chapter 23
23
The following morning, Michelle drove down the mountain to an old diner that had been in business for over fifty years, and it looked like it. The third and fourth generations of the founding family members operated the restaurant. She smiled as she walked through the front door.
“Ms. Carol?”
“Hi, Michelle.”
“I left a message last night about saving a couple of tables this morning. Did you get it?”
“I sure did. The back two, just as you requested. You said you had some friends stopping by. We’re honored you’d bring them to our restaurant.”
Michelle smiled. “They wanted local and low-key.” She crinkled her nose at the thought of a busy restaurant.
The older woman beamed with pride. “We’re definitely local, and the crowd is thinning out. You should practically have the place to yourselves until the lunch crowd starts ‘bout eleven.”
“Thank you, Ms. Carol. Three men should be showing up any minute. I’m just going to wait at one of the tables and out of your hair.”
Michelle had no sooner sat down when she heard a gasp and knew exactly what it was... one of the waitresses recognized Keith. She watched as he spoke with Ms. Carol, who looked at him as if he looked familiar but couldn’t decide where she knew him from. He smiled. “We’re here to meet...”
“Michelle Conroy,” Ms. Carol said.
Keith’s smile widened. “You know her?”
Ms. Carol pointed to Michelle as she narrowed her eyes. “You look familiar. Have we ever met?”
“I don’t think so. I would remember you.” He flashed his killer smile and Ms. Carol blushed. He walked toward the back tables with the swagger of a determined man. He leaned down and kissed Michelle’s cheek, causing her to flush. “You look just as beautiful as I remember.”
“Stop it.”
“Good morning, Michelle,” Chip said.
Max waved.
“Good morning. Keith asked for two tables.” She pointed to the one beside her. “Is that one all right?”
“Perfect.” Chip grinned.
The guys sat while Keith looked at her. “Are you going to let me sit beside you?”
“I thought you’d rather have your back to the other tables for privacy.”
“I’d rather sit next to you.”
She held his gaze as she slid farther into the booth to give Keith room to sit. “Does this work for you?”
“Not if you keep looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
He sat down and whispered into her ear. “Like you’re flirting with me. Are you flirting with me, Michelle?”
“A little.”
“That could get you in trouble if you’re not careful.”
She held both hands up. “You’re too good at this game. I haven’t even had coffee yet.”
He laughed. “I’ve been up since six. I couldn’t wait to see you.”
Her mouth gaped open. “I couldn’t fall asleep from thinking about our conversation last night. When I finally did, I slept hard and almost overslept.”
“I would have been disappointed had I not been able to see you.”
“I’m glad I didn’t disappoint.”
One of the younger waitresses walked over. She was giggly with pink cheeks. “Good morning,” she said, trying to maintain a semblance of professionalism. “I’m Amber. What can I get for you this morning?” Her voice squeaked.
“Good morning, Amber.”
“Hi, Michelle.” She barely contained her excitement.
Michelle nudged Keith under the table. When he looked at her, she moved her hand as if she were signing something. He tilted his head, and she mouthed. “One of those autographs.” He nodded.
“Amber, both of these tables are together. I’ll start with a coffee, but I’m going to need a minute to decide what I want to eat.” Michelle cut her eyes toward Keith.
“Same for me,” Keith said with a smile. When Amber turned toward Chip and Max, Keith said, “Was she even breathing?”
“Barely. Be nice.” She pulled a paper napkin from the dispenser and a pen from her purse. “Sign this for her. We’ll leave it with the tip.”
Keith stared at Michelle. She was unassuming, friendly, and accommodating. His heart raced while he scratched a personalized note on the napkin. When he handed the pen back without ever taking his eyes off her, she said, “What?”
“You.” You said we , he thought.
“What about me?”
“You didn’t put me on the spot.”
“I don’t want her to have to ask, and I don’t want you to feel obligated, but I did warn you.”
“And I agreed if it meant seeing you. Is there anything more I need to sign?”
She cocked her head and lifted her shoulder. “One for Ms. Carol?”
“The lady at the front?”
“Yes. She knows that she knows you but can’t place you. It would be a nice gesture.”
“A nice gesture,” he mumbled to himself. When was the last time he’d left an autograph as a nice gesture? It’d been a hot minute. Most people were demanding of them, and here, this beautiful woman wasn’t demanding, just suggesting it’d be a nice gesture. For her, he’d sign a hundred autographs. “Would you please hand me another napkin?”
She did, and as she slid it toward him, he placed his hand on top of hers. “You’re like nobody I’ve met in a long, long time... maybe ever.”
“Not everyone is after your fortune and fame, Keith. But I know the notoriety comes with a price for you. For that, I’m sorry if I’ve asked too much.”
“You’ve not asked anything at all.” He shook his head. “Which feels kinda weird for me.”
She swallowed and watched his eyes follow the movement. Heat ran through her, and it wasn’t a hot flash. “Decided what you want to eat?”
“What do you recommend?”
“They might make a heart healthy omelet, but you’d be looked at funny. I’m having a breakfast sandwich on wheat. But everything on the menu is wonderful if you’re not watching your waistline or have any health concerns like high blood pressure or cholesterol.” She grinned.
He laughed. “I’ll go with your idea. Breakfast sandwich on wheat bread.”
Amber returned and took their orders, all but stumbling over her own feet as she made her way back to the counter to place their order.
“So tell me, are you originally from North Carolina?”
“No, we retired here.”
“Retired? You’re too young.”
“Fair . . . partially retired.”
“How did you manage that?”
“I’d have to bring up my late husband again, and I don’t want a new relationship based in my past. Does that make sense?”
“But you are who you are because of your past.”
She sighed. “My husband made great investments, and I have a little side hustle.”
“Side hustle?”
“That one I’d prefer to explain at another time. It’s not that I don’t want to answer. I will, but not right now.”
“So, we are keeping secrets.” He frowned.
“Not a secret per se, a little mystery? If I tell you everything today, what will we talk about the next time you call?”
He chuckled. “Life. I want to know everything about you from the time you were born until now and where you see yourself going over the next thirty years or so.”
“Hmm, I need to think about that. So, what about you? What got you into acting?”
“In college, I wasn’t doing well in a liberal arts class—as in I was failing. I needed extra credit, and the drama department needed a vampire, so my professor gave me the option of an ‘F’ or helping out with their rendition of Dracula . I wasn’t the lead, mind you, but one of his cohorts.”
Michelle canted her head and focused on every feature of his face. “Nope, don’t see it. You could never be a vampire.”
“I was, and I got my ‘A’. After that, I was hooked. I changed my major from agricultural sciences to performing arts.”
“Agricultural sciences?”
“I wanted my own ranch. Bovine and horses. That was the life my first wife wanted too. Now, you can understand why movies were so far out of her comfort zone.”
“I’m sorry. Our pasts are full of pain, but I decided after my last dreadful date that I can’t live in the pain of the past and have a happy future. I hope you understand that as we get to know each other, our pasts will come out and be a part of us, but I can’t have it dictate and monopolize the here and now. It puts me in a really dark place.”
Us. She used the word us , he thought as warmth spread through his chest. She’s giving us a shot. “I can’t imagine you in a dark place.” He pressed his leg against hers. “I agree wholeheartedly. I want you to judge me for me today and every day with you, not what you’ve heard or think you know or some tabloid bullshit that isn’t even true.” He lifted her hand and enjoyed the feel of it touching his. “But I have to tell you, I want to know who and what made you who you are today, Michelle.”
“Fair, and you will . . . in time.”
“Breakfast is up,” Amber said as she placed their plates in front of them. She turned toward the other table and laid two more plates down. “Can I get you anything else?”
“We’re good. Thank you, Amber,” Michelle said. She watched as Amber walked away. “That girl is about to burst from wanting to ask you for an autograph.”
“Should I offer to take a picture with her before we leave?”
“Would you do that?”
“It would be a nice gesture, don’t you think?” He winked.
“I do,” Michelle said with a smirk from him using her words again.