Chapter Thirty-Six
The sun was shining across the old floorboards when Jamie opened his eyes. It took his eyes a moment to adjust, and then he looked at the alarm clock. “Oh, shit.” He jumped out of bed and pulled on the jeans he’d had on last night.
He quickly brushed his teeth, tried to tame his bedhead hair. He was pulling on a clean, brand-new T-shirt on over his head as he rushed down the stairs to the diner.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Joesph was sitting at the table they’d brought down, a cup of coffee and his computer in front of him.
“Good morning. Why didn’t you wake me up?”
Joesph shrugged his shoulders. “I figured you needed the sleep, and there wasn’t anything pressing for you to take care of.” He looked up. “By the way, you snore. You were sawing logs almost as soon as you turned the light off.”
“I snore?” Jamie asked, sitting down with his own coffee.
“Yes, loudly.”
“Morning.” Salzy entered the diner, his hair as messy as Jamie’s. He went directly to the coffee station. “How is everyone?”
“So far so good,” Joesph answered as he typed something on his computer. “Sleepyhead just got up too. I think the two of you have been burning the candle at both ends.”
“What’s the time?” Salzy asked as he sat down.
Jamie looked over at the wall clock. “Eight fifteen.”
“Okay. Wow. That is late for you and me.”
There was a knock on the back door. When Jamie looked up, he saw Mike. “Come on in.”
“Good morning.” Mike stood there, once again in his khaki shorts, which looked amazing on him and a khaki tank top with Army printed on it. The shirt looked like it could have been painted on, and of course, his muscled arms were on full display.
“Morning, handsome.” Joesph smiled. “There’s coffee over there,” he pointed to the drink station. “The beverage server hasn’t come on duty yet.”
Mike chuckled as he poured a mug of coffee. “How is everyone this morning?”
“Just hunky-dory,” Salzy replied, slurping his coffee loudly.
“Not that I’m not glad to see you, but what are you doing here?” Jamie asked.
“Oh. Mind if I sit down?”
Jamie motioned for Mike to have a seat.
“I have a lot of leave to use up, so I figured I might be helpful here. You know, when the construction guy shows up, about putting in the beam.”
Joesph closed his computer. “I, for one, am very glad you’re here. I have some limited experience in taking out load-bearing walls in houses, but not for a business and nothing this big. Makes me a little nervous.”
“What time are they supposed to be here?” Mike asked.
“They said around nine.”
“Alrighty then.” Jamie stood. “I’ll rustle up some breakfast. Nothing fancy this morning. Sorry. I didn’t realize this was happening so quickly!”
“What do you want me to do?” Salzy asked.
“Would you get the bacon and eggs out of the walk-in for me?”
Salzy moved towards the walk-in. “Anything else?”
“You can pour Mike and me some more coffee,” Joesph smirked.
Jamie laughed as Salzy glared at Joesph.
“Mike, how long do you think it will take to get the beam done?” Jamie took the bacon from Salzy.
“It’s straightforward as long as there are no other issues. I’d say two or three days. That won’t take in the time for Gyprock and finishing.” Mike paused. “If we could clear everything away from that wall, that would help matters.”
Jamie placed a sheet pan covered in bacon into the oven. He looked at all the equipment along the wall. “Well, crap.”
“What?” Mike asked as he approached him.
“That’s a lot of work.” Jamie blew out a breath. “And this stuff weighs a ton.”
“What have you got on today?” Mike answered.
Jamie put some butter on the flattop griddle. “To be honest, I have no idea. I guess whatever it is Joesph needs me to do.”
Joesph leaned against the bread warmer. “There isn’t much for anyone to do until this beam situation is done.”
“Salzy, do you have any plans?” Jamie asked.
“Nope. No plans.” He was emptying the dishwasher from last night.
Jamie looked up at Mike and shrugged. “Sorry, but it seems there isn’t much to do. I hope your day isn’t wasted.”
Mike frowned. “No biscuits?”
Jamie laughed. “Sorry, not this morning. I promise to make some tomorrow.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.” Mike patted Jamie on the shoulder. “Excuse me, but I need to make a phone call.”
Jamie watched as Mike went through the screen door. He blinked hard a few times.
“Oh yeah, I agree,” Joesph all but purred. “That is one fine piece of man-meat.”
“For the love of all that’s holy, would you just shut the hell up.” Jamie started breaking eggs into a bowl. I’ve got to watch myself around Joesph. He sees way too much. But damn... Mike is so handsome and those shorts...
Salzy set a plate of toast on the table just as Jamie set down a huge platter of fried eggs and bacon. Joesph had already set the table, topped up everyone’s coffee and gotten pats of butter into a bowl and grabbed a jar of jam.
“Hope everyone enjoys.” Jamie sat down. “As I said, nothing fancy, but will have to do for today.”
“It’s perfect,” Mike said returning from his phone call. He dipping the edge of a piece of toast into the runny egg yolks.
“I had a thought,” Joesph said before pushing a large bite of bacon into his mouth.
“Did it hurt?” Jamie smiled broadly. “Was there blood?”
Joesph rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you and Sal go up to Atlanta and deal with your apartment? There won’t be much for you two to do until all the major construction is finished.”
Jamie looked at Salzy. “Well?”
Salzy shrugged. “Sure. I mean, if we’re not needed here. How long will it take to get your apartment packed up?”
Jamie thought for a moment. “To be honest, not all that long, I don’t think.”
“Trust me, honey, most of that junk he’s got needs to go in the dumpster.” Joesph shook his head. “He should be embarrassed. He should have his gay card revoked for living in that... mess.”
“It’s not a mess,” Jamie said emphatically.
“It’s a hot mess. I’ve been on you for years to move out of that rat’s nest and get some decent furniture.” He turned to Mike. “Here’s one of the best chefs in Atlanta, and he lives like a broke college freshman.”
Mike looked at Jamie. “Remind me to never invite Joesph to my place.”
Jamie and Salzy laughed. Joesph rolled his eyes.
“I may have to just move down here myself. Appears that there is plenty of work for me here!” Joesph pushed back from the table. “Excuse me.”
There was a loud knock on the diner’s front door.
“That must be the construction company,” Mike said, standing.
Joesph was already going into the dining room to open the glass door, Mike following him.
Jamie looked at Salzy. “How’s the truck running?”
“Just fine. Mr. Solan always kept the service up on it, and I doubt he drove it more than once a week.” Salzy picked up all the plates from the table. It’s a bit of a gas hog, but that’s the way they made them back then.”
“So, it should be okay making the trip and back from Atlanta?”
“Yeah, I’d say so.” Salzy rinsed the plates. “You thinking of heading on up there?”
Jamie started cleaning the flattop. “There isn’t anything else for us to do here in Columbus.”
“Sure. Works for me.”
“There’s a big box store not too far out of the way from my apartment. We can pick up some boxes there.”
“We going to spend the night?”
“Oh.” Jamie thought for a moment. “Yeah, I think so. It’s already past nine here. It’s two hours there and then two hours back.”
“Sleep at your place then?”
Jamie pondered the question. “Why don’t I splurge and get us a hotel room for the night?”
Salzy narrowed his eyes at Jamie. “You’re not planning on trying to get me into bed, are you?”
Jamie handed him the sheet pan that the bacon had been on. “Oh hell, haven’t we moved past that already?”
Salzy flashed him a bright smile. “I know I’m irresistible, and you did kiss me already.”
“Oh, brother.”