Chapter Thirty-Four
“Do you know of anyone around here you trust enough to get this job done?” Joesph asked Mike.
“I do.” Mike took a piece of paper from his back pocket. “I got you all the information you need.”
Joesph couldn’t help but notice how tight fitting Mike’s uniform appeared. “Thank you.” He inserted the page into his notebook. “Jamie wants to know if you want to stay for dinner. He’s making steak, mushrooms, and creamed spinach. I know his creamed spinach, and it’s to die for.”
Mike raised his eyebrows. “Is he still mad at me?”
“He says not. The thing you need to know about Jamie Throneaux is that he doesn’t hold a grudge. He’s one of the most even-tempered men I know.”
Mike nodded but didn’t say anything for a moment. “I’ll say yes, but can I ask a question?”
Joesph nodded.
“What was with his reaction when I said I was bisexual?”
“Oh.” Joesph sighed heavily. “It’s not my business to tell you, but.
.. and I’m going out on a limb in telling you.
” Joesph motioned for Mike to follow him into the dining room of the diner.
“Jamie was seeing this guy in Atlanta. It got pretty serious. Jamie was actually considering asking him to move in with him. And then it came out that the guy was bisexual and was married and had three kids.”
“Oh.” Mike looked down and shoved his hands into his pockets. “I see.”
“It really threw Jamie for a loop. At first, the guy tried to deny it. Did his best to try and convince Jamie not to dump his lying ass.” Joesph took a deep breath.
“Chris, the guy, wasn’t planning on telling Jamie at all, as far as anyone could tell.
He’d still be lying had someone not seen him out with his family and taken a few pictures. ”
“That really sucks.” Mike looked down at Joesph. “I wish I could convince him I’m not like that.”
“The only way to do that is to spend as much time with him as possible. And make sure your intentions are genuine.” Joesph cocked his head to one side.
“And let me tell you something,” Joesph poked his finger hard into Mike’s chest. “You hurt him, and you’ll have me to deal with.
And I’m sure the entire staff of this diner.
” He poked him even harder, knocking the big man back a step. “You hear me?”
Mike grinned and nodded. He held up a hand. “I swear my intentions are purely honourable, so help me God.”
Joesph considered the Army man. “Better be if you know what’s good for you!”
* * * * *
“Salzy, I think that’s gonna do it.” Jamie looked over at the Hispanic man. “There’s only one thing left I want to do before starting dinner.”
“What’s that?”
“I think I want to move the old table from the apartment down to the kitchen. There’s only that one small table, and it’s not big enough for three much less four.”
Salzy nodded, picking up his T-shirt. “You sure you’re okay with Mike being here? It’s none of my business, but you looked pretty worked up after... you know.”
“Yeah.” Jamie wiped his face on his dirty T-shirt. “I have nothing against the guy. Hazel was right, he is a good customer and sends business our way, and he’s helping Joesph with that beam. I don’t want to mess that up. I just won’t date him, is all.”
“Okay. As long as you’re sure. But if he tries anything, you let me know.”
Jamie laughed. “Yeah, you gonna go beat him up?” Jamie started up the steps to the apartment.
“You know the old saying? The bigger they are, the harder they fall?” Salzy propped the screen door open with his shoes.
“You just keep telling yourself that.” Jamie moved the chairs away from the table. “Let’s get this done. I need a shower before I can start dinner. I feel grimy as hell.”
Salzy and Jamie set up the table in the large space at the rear of the kitchen. Jamie had found a big box fan in the garage and set it up so there was some air moving around.
“I could swear that Mamaw told me there was a leaf that went with this table.” He looked over at Salzy. “You don’t know where it is, do you?”
“Ah, I think I do. When you got all the mattresses replaced, I saw something like that under their bed. I’m sure of it.”
“I’ll get Joesph to pull it out. You need a shower. You really do stink.”
Jamie felt heaps better after a shower. There was a little breeze he noticed as he made his way down to the diner.
“Hey, Salzy, where’d ya put the beer?” Jamie yelled across the parking lot.
Salzy was coming down the stairs of the garage apartment as Jamie stepped off the last step of his apartment.
“I put it in the walk-in.” Salzy jogged over to the back door of the diner. “I got a case of Bud Light and a case of the Modelo. The Bud Light was on special, too.”
“Perfect.” Jamie held the screen door open for Salzy. “You want a Modelo?”
“Yes, please.” Salzy stopped after he entered the kitchen. “Whoa.”
“What?” Jamie stopped right behind Salzy, then saw the table, which caused Salzy to abruptly stop.
“What do you think?” Joesph and Mike were sitting at the table.
“It’s uh... very nice,” Salzy spoke first. “Is that the same table we brought down?”
“It is.” Joesph looked at Jamie. “Well?”
“It looks good.” Jamie took a step forward. “Where did you find the tablecloth?”
“There are several boxes under my bed, and this was in one of them.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen it.” Jamie felt the fabric, and then he looked at Mike. “Hey.”
“Hi,” Mike answered. His voice was low and soft, almost tentative.
“It’s never been out of the original packaging,” Joesph said. “There are also six matching napkins.”
“Mamaw wasn’t much into being fancy enough to use tablecloths. Neither of them was.” Jamie took the beer that Salzy had brought him. “Looks good. I see you found the other two chairs.”
Joesph nodded. “Did you know about the china?”
“What china?” Jamie took a long drink of his beer. “I’ve never seen any china.”
“Well, there’s a full setting for six. A complete set, actually, including serving bowls and a platter.”
“Nope. Never saw it. Not even for Christmas.” Jamie sat down next to Joesph, directly across from Mike.
“I didn’t think so.” Joesph scowled at Salzy. “Didn’t even ask if we wanted anything to drink, now did ya?” He looked at Mike. “May I be so kind as to offer you a beverage?” He returned to scowling at Salzy.
“Hey, I thought you were the drink server,” Salzy said, grinning ear to ear. “I could have just asked you to get the beer.”
“See what you’ve done?” Joesph popped Jamie on the back of the head as he passed him. “Now everyone is going to expect me to be responsible for all the drinks. I won’t be a server when this diner opens up!”
“Why not?” Jamie smirked at Salzy. “We could get you one of those cute little frilly aprons. Like what those French girls wear at the South of France restaurant at Cheshire Bridge.”
Joesph returned with a beer for himself and a glass of water for Mike. “I will not even dignify that with a comment.”
“Maybe get him one of those feather dusters while you’re at it,” Salzy said, chuckling.
Joesph rolled his eyes. “See what I have to put up with,” he indicated Jamie and Salzy with his beer bottle. “I don’t know how I’m ever going to survive this job.”
Jamie cracked up. “It’s either me or that other woman you dumped to come here.”
“Oh lordy, don’t remind me of her.” Joesph did a little shiver. “Just thinking of her makes my beer taste bad.” They all laughed, even Mike.
“Do you have any idea of what the schedule is going to be?” Jamie asked, having moved over close to the stove and started chopping an onion.
“Mike has given me the name of someone to do the beam. That has to happen first.” Joesph started getting cutlery for the table.
“I’ve called and told them this was a time-sensitive job and needs to happen ASAP,” Mike added, refilling his own water.
“I heard back from the guy who’s doing the tables and chairs.” Joesph flipped through his notebook. “He was absolutely thrilled to see the old stuff. He’s knocking a grand off for those six barstools, too. The expected delivery is in twenty-eight days.”
“That’s pretty exact.” Jamie looked over his shoulder as he stirred his bechamel.
“Everything else is on hold until the beam is installed.” Joesph flipped his notebook again. “I did get the new cabinetry ordered for the dining room.”
“That’s great.” Jamie dumped the onion and spinach into the pan, flipping it a bit. “It’s white?”
“Correct. However, the countertop will be the same as what is going on the tabletops. The same green. The guy who’s doing those will do the countertop when he delivers the tables and chairs.”
“You’ve been busy,” Mike said. “That’s a lot in just twenty-four hours.”
Joesph levelled a gaze at the man in khaki. “I am a professional!”
Mike laughed. “I can see that. I wish the Army would move that quickly. It would make my job much easier.”
“The signage people said they could get the new signs in place in about a month. It will depend on when they get their next aluminium shipment in, though.”
“Oh. I didn’t know we decided on that,” Jamie said as he put the creamed spinach into the oven. “I’ve not seen a drawing of it.”
“I, being the professional that I am, took the initiative after you said to just get things done.”
“Damn, this is going to be tricky,” Jamie said as he held his hand over the charcoal grill. “This thing is so old and too small to do a decent job. I should have checked it before I started.”
“I’m sure it will be great,” Mike said, his voice low and rumbly, having stepped up behind Jamie. “Everything you’ve cooked has been nothing short of amazing.”
“Thank you,” Jamie said, glancing over his shoulder. “This will test my ability, I’m afraid. Glad I decided to replace everything. It’s all so... old and worn out.”
“Are you thinking of putting steak on the menu?” Mike asked, having stepped even closer to Jamie, watching him as he worked.
“I have been toying with the idea.” He looked at Mike. Damn, he has such nice eyes. “We’ve never had steak on the menu. Papaw said it wasn’t cost effective.” Jamie had to laugh. “But, things have changed, and beef is easier to get now, and not as expensive as it used to be.”
“I do enjoy a good steak. That steak au poivre you made was superb.”
“I like that too.” Jamie tossed the mushrooms in a large pan. “I don’t think it would go over in the diner, though. I was thinking of a simple grilled steak, but well-seasoned.”
“Nothing wrong with that.” Mike leaned in. “Smells so good.”