Chapter 2
2
MIKA
“ O rder up, Mika!”
I finish topping off the Sheriff’s mug, then spin around to grab the burger and fries waiting for me at the window. Beside it, I notice two other orders waiting to be picked up, but they aren’t for my section.
Where are Lottie and Tish?
As I walk the burger and fries to table 3 where it belongs, I notice the two of them huddled at the window by the entrance, their attention locked on the town square.
“Let me know if you need anything else, Dr. Bailey,” I say.
She nods with approval at her lunch. “Will do, Mika.”
I walk off toward Lottie and Tish, their faces practically pressed against the glass, speaking with quick and eager whispers.
“Do you see him?”
“Not yet.”
“Eyes on your side!”
“Fran said he was passing by the yoga studio!”
“Yeah, that’s my side. You watch yours.”
“But—”
“Food’s getting cold, ladies,” I say.
They spin around, the skirts of their uniforms flaring around their knees. “Potential sighting inbound,” Lottie says, her green eyes wide open.
“Sighting of what?” I ask.
Tish whips back to look out the window. “Hot new bachelor.”
I roll my eyes. Of course.
“Greg told Monk and Monk told Fran that a Benz broke down just outside of town an hour ago,” Tish says.
“I thought it was a Mustang,” Lottie says.
“No, it was def a Mercedes. Anyway, he should be on his way here right now as we speak.”
“And who told you that?” I ask, not caring.
“Fran!” they both answer as if it were obvious.
“Okay. Well... if you guys aren’t interested in your tips today, I’d be happy to take over your tables for you.”
Tish glares playfully at me. “Oh, come on. You’re curious. You have to be curious.”
“I’m not.”
“Why not? We haven’t had a live one in weeks!”
“There he is!” Lottie cries out, her hand slapping the window so hard I’m surprised it didn’t instantly shatter.
Tish spins around, bonking her forehead against the glass as she fights Lottie for a better view.
Past their shoulders, I spot a man in a suit walking through the town square. He holds a suitcase in one hand, his jacket dangling loosely at his side, his shoulders slumped downward. His face is twisted with a scowl, but he’s admittedly handsome otherwise, with thick brown hair and a strong jawline that reminds me of old Hollywood movie stars.
“Purr,” Lottie sighs. “Fucking purr.”
“He’s so pretty,” Tish whispers.
“Dibs!”
Tish gasps. “You can’t call dibs! That’s not how things work!”
“Ah, yes. Work!” I say, eying the tables of hungry people scattered around the diner. “Speaking of, we should get back to work.”
Tish slaps Lottie’s arm. “He’s coming this way!”
“He is coming this way!”
Outside, I watch him step off the curb and cross the street toward the diner.
“Be cool!” Tish shouts far too loudly. “Everyone be cool!”
I pinch the bridge of my nose as the two of them fluff up their hair and push down their skirts. “You two are ridicul?—”
They shush me as the entrance bell chimes.
The man walks in. Now closer, I see the finer details of him, from his shiny silver cuff links to his bright blue eyes.
“Hello!” Lottie and Tish greet him in unison.
He nods at us.
“You can sit anywhere,” I say.
Another silent nod and he walks in the other direction. Don’t blame the guy one bit on that.
“Please sit in my section, please sit in my section, please sit...” Lottie whispers, her fingers crossed and eyes up toward the heavens.
The man walks past her tables and sits down in the last booth by the windows.
Smack dab in the middle of my section.
Lottie and Tish deflate.
“Shit!” Lottie spits. “What a waste.”
I take a step forward and she grabs my arm.
“Trade sections with me?” she asks.
“No, thank you,” I say.
“Oh, please, please, please! I’ll cover one of your shifts!” She reconsiders quickly. “Next week?”
“Unnecessary, but thank you.”
I try to walk away. She tugs me right back.
“Okay, okay, just...” She narrows her eyes, deeply serious. “Be cool.”
I ease my arm from her grasp. “I think I have that covered,” I say, pointing at their hungry customers. “You have tables.”
They sneer, but get back to work.
I pick up a menu and a set of silverware as I make my way over to his table. “Hey, there,” I greet, throwing on my most successful tip-baiting smile.
He looks up from his phone, his eyes definitely blue, but at this distance, I catch hints of green in them as well. “Hi,” he says.
“Can I get you something to drink?” I ask as I set down the menu and silverware.
“Just coffee, please,” he says, his voice deep with annoyance. “Black.”
“Sounds good,” I say, nodding as I walk away.
I head behind the counter, reaching for the freshest pot, when Tish snatches my wrist.
“Spill,” Tish says, her and Lottie’s heads popping out of the kitchen doorway.
“The coffee?” I ask, my fingers wrapped around the handle.
“No! The tea, you idiot!” Lottie says. “What’s he like?”
“So far, all I know is black coffee.”
They murmur softly. “Might be one of those Big City businessmen,” Tish mutters.
“Wasn’t he heading toward Big City, though?” Lottie asks.
“He got a ring?” Tish asks me.
“You know,” I say, “I didn’t notice.”
They leer at me. “How could you not notice?”
“Because I have better things to do than stalk helpless people just passing through town.”
“Don’t you want to fall in love?” Lottie asks.
“Not really.”
Tish kisses her teeth. “What kind of Small Town girl are you?”
“The kind who doesn’t have time for this.” I jiggle my hand. “Now, would you please let go so I can get back to work?”
“Wait, wait!” Lottie says. “Just gonna…” She reaches out while I’m restrained and plucks a few strands of my blonde hair out from my bun to frame my face.
“Hey—” I twitch my head back. “Stop that.”
“All right!” Lottie says, satisfied. “You look hot. Go.”
Tish releases me, her eyes back on the poor guy. “Look at him,” she says with a sigh, happy to ignore me. “Now, that is a proper man.”
“So proper,” Lottie says in agreement.
“Like he eats pussy with a knife and fork.”
I don’t stick around for the rest of that conversation. I break away, taking the coffee pot along with me back to his table. When I arrive, he looks up from the menu and smiles politely, highlighting a pair of dimples on his strong jawline.
“Need another minute to decide?” I ask as I fill his mug.
“No,” he answers. “I’ll take a cheeseburger and fries. No onions.”
“Cheeseburger, no onions. Coming right up.”
“Thanks.”
He looks out the window at the town square, his blue eyes wide and curious.
I go behind the counter to put his order in. Silently, Lottie and Tish point at their ring fingers questionably.
I take a discreet glance at the man’s left hand. No ring.
I shake my head at them.
They high five.
With rolling eyes, I get back to work.