Chapter 2
Matt
I step out of my truck and walk toward the door with trepidation. I hope the food tastes a hell of a lot better than this place looks.
A metal bell chimes overhead as I open the door, and I’m relieved to find the inside is quite different than what greets you in the service area. The bright interior has clean white linoleum floors and shiny metal countertops. Soda fountains and coffee stations are to the left, and the cashier’s counter is to the right. As I approach, I find a portly-appearing older gentleman reading the newspaper on a stool behind the counter.
“Hi. Are you Elliot? I’m working with my brother this summer, and he sent me to pick up lunch for his crew.”
“Ah, Harry your brother?” he asks around a toothpick dangling from the corner of his mouth.
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, any brother of Harry’s is a friend of mine. I’m Jo.”
“Matt. Nice to meet you. Oh. Salty Jo is you?”
He grins, and I instantly have the feeling this man is a fixture in Candy Cane Key.
“I don’t recall this place from when I grew up here.”
“What’re you? Thirty?”
“Close. Twenty-eight.”
The bell chimes again, and I notice customers meandering around the store. No one seems the slightest bit concerned about the condition of the place. I’m sure they have to pass inspections with the health department, but I can’t help being a tad concerned about eating food from here.
“Well, we’ve been around as long as you’ve been on the planet, son. Although it probably looked a bit better back then. Time and tropical storms have taken their toll on the place. After a while, it feels silly sinking any more money into it. But your brother has come to our aid more than once for the important stuff.”
This makes me smile. My brother really is a good dude.
“Speaking of your brother, we need to keep his boys fed.” Jo removes the toothpick that remained in place throughout our conversation and points to his right. “Elliot’s over there. In the hot food area.” A mischievous smirk curls the corner of his mouth.
What’s that about? “Thanks.”
“Nice to meet you, Matt. Hope to see you ’round.”
I head toward the counter next to a glass case full of various food items and feel my stomach grumble as I’m hit with the aroma of fried chicken. Living in a mountain town in North Carolina, home cooking is a staple. For the scent of these gas station offerings to cause me to salivate says something.
Bending forward, I peruse the options. There are perfectly prepared pieces of chicken, both on and off the bone, macaroni and cheese, green beans, collard greens, buttery biscuits, baked apples, and an assortment of pies. Hell, they even have banana pudding here. As my eyes travel to the back of the display area, I find I’m drooling for an entirely different reason. A set of shapely calves, thick thighs, and the hottest backside I’ve ever seen is bent over before me. This girl is leaning into the oven while her tiny cut-off shorts ride up her ass, causing my dick to twitch.
Sweet Jesus, is she on the menu?
As if on cue, she stands to her full height. She’s probably five foot five, with generous curves in all the right places. Those perky tits have to be at least a C cup, if not more. They’re perfectly proportioned to her rounded hips and trim waste. Her thick auburn hair is pulled up in a messy bun, covered with a hair net. Yet, I can’t help picturing it tumbling down her back toward that fantastic ass .
Shit. I don’t remember anyone in Candy Cane Key looking like this when I lived here. Well, maybe one girl, but she was just that. A girl. This one is all woman.
I barely finish my thought before said stunner spins to face me. While I stand here with my mouth hanging open at the beauty wielding metal tongs, I’m met with penetrating green eyes. She gives me the once over as if this happens all the time. This curvy girl has my mouth watering when it suddenly hits me.
Wait. Do these guys come here for the hot chicken or the hot chick?