Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
NOAH BARRETT
I lean back in my chair, pretending to look at the menu, but I don’t need to read it. I’ve been to this diner more times than I can count. There aren’t many places to eat on Willow Shade Island, and Peachy Keen has good, home-cooked meals at a reasonable price.
It’s got a southern charm, although I’m not sure why there are ceramic roosters tucked away in almost every nook and cranny. I don’t know if it’s a southern thing, a diner thing, or something else altogether.
I lower my menu. “Are you sure you’re okay eating here? I mean, you work here.”
Savannah waves her hand at me. “It’s fine. This is my day job, but I rarely eat here. This will be a treat.”
She’s lying, but it’s sweet and I let her. I lift the menu again. My mind goes back to Savannah demolishing that wall. I didn’t know she had that in her. She was furious. Primal. I thought she was going to come undone. Maybe she did, I’m not sure. All I know is there’s something that Savannah hasn’t told me, and it’s killing me right now.
The look on her face as she smashed into that wall will never leave me. It’s seared into my brain. I haven’t ever seen Savannah like that before, and I have to admit, it scared me. I want to ask her about it, but I know she’ll deflect. We’re not close anymore. This realization makes my throat tight.
Levi comes over to our table with a notepad and pencil. His gaze bounces between us.
“Hey.” A smile stretches across his face, and his eyes hold silent questions. Is this a date? Are you two back together?
“Hi, Levi.” Savannah glances down at her menu. “I’ll have the Reuben with a side of fries. And I’ll take a glass of water with a slice of lemon, please.”
Levi nods and jots it down on his notepad. “Sure, sure. I know how you like it.” He turns to me and lifts his eyebrows. “And for you?”
I didn’t realize how hungry I was until we walked in, and the smells of the food hit me. “I’ll take the double cheeseburger meal. And can you put some avocado on it?”
Levi writes it down. “Yes. We can do that. What do you want to drink?”
“Water is fine.”
“Can I add one of your famous biscuit muffins to my order?” Savannah asks.
Levi grins, like she gave him one of the best compliments. He’s been so happy since the diner started selling one of his creations, and it’s grown in popularity. The whole town talks about his biscuit muffins. “Of course.”
“I’ll take one, too.” I hand Levi my menu.
“You got it,” Levi says, then waggles his eyebrows at me. Embarrassment floods through me, and I hope Savannah didn’t see that. Levi’s a sweetheart, but he’s not very subtle.
Savannah leans forward. “What comes next with the demolition?”
“We need to pry away the leftover pieces of drywall from the studs with a crowbar. The gloves will come in handy, because there will be nails. And we’ll have to take all the pieces to the dumpster.” I realize my brother and I used a wheelbarrow last time for that, and I don’t have one. Another thing I’ll grab without Savannah knowing.
She stares out the window at the parking lot. Her shoulders turn inward, and she looks small and vulnerable to me. I’ve never seen her that way before. She’s always been slight in stature, but right now, it seems like the world could crush her. “All right.”
We sit silently for a moment. The image of Savannah smashing through the drywall comes back to me. What happened to her? If some guy hurt her, I’ll go find him and tear him to pieces, like she tore through that wall. That wasn’t normal break-up rage. That was something deeper.
The door dings behind me as someone enters the diner. “Hey, Savannah,” a male voice calls.
I turn to see Donald Miller grinning at her. His family runs a boat charter company out on the marina, and they’ve always been one of the richer families on the island. He’s also Josephine’s nephew, and she thinks he’s better than buttered biscuits.
I don’t dislike the guy, but he’s always come across as a little too smooth, with his slicked back hair, wide collar and gold chains around his neck. All he’s missing are bell bottomed pants, and he could have walked off a movie set from the 70s.
He saunters up to Savannah. “You’re not working today?”
She gives him a polite smile. “Nope. I’m off on Saturdays now. You here for more pie?”
Donald puts his thumbs in his designer jeans pockets. “You know I can’t resist your…pie.”
Donald somehow made talking about dessert sound like an innuendo. Gag. I grip the edge of the table, so I don’t pound him into the floor. “Savannah and I are just eating some lunch,” I say, unable to keep the edge from my voice.
Donald doesn’t look at me. “Are you free tonight?”
Heat shoots through my body. Is he kidding me? He’s asking her out right in front of me? How does he know we’re not on a date?
Savannah doesn’t miss a beat. “Bless your heart, Don. You always know how to flatter me. But like I said again yesterday, I’m focusing on getting my business up and running. I’m not dating right now.”
I tense, getting ready to stand up and toss him out if he pressures her more. Luckily, I don’t have to.
Donald steps back. “No problem, little lady. I was just checking to see if you changed your mind.” He finally turns to me and nods. “Noah.”
“Donald,” I say, keeping my tone measured.
He leaves our table and wanders to the pie counter. I work my jaw. “Does he ask you out a lot?”
She smiles, but it’s plastic. “Only every time he comes in here.”
“Yikes.” I don’t have any idea how she can stand it. Is this what women have to deal with? Guys like Donald coming on to them even after they’ve repeatedly said no? My fists involuntarily tighten. “I’m sorry, on behalf of my gender.”
Savannah just laughs. “He’s harmless.”
This makes me bristle. No one thinks anyone is dangerous until they do something terrible. I’ve heard it a million times. He beat his wife? He was a little aggressive, but I thought he was harmless. How could he have robbed the convenience store? He was always strange, but harmless. I deal with “harmless” people all day long as a cop.
Levi comes with our waters. “Your food should be ready soon.”
“Thank you,” I call to him as he leaves. I take a sip of my water, pretending I’m not monitoring good old Donald, slinking around by the pie counter.
“Do you still do jigsaw puzzles?” Savannah asks.
That takes me back. She and I used to spend hours putting together one-thousand-piece puzzles. I shake my head. “I haven’t done one in years. Just too busy, I guess.”
“Remember that Where’s Waldo puzzle you thought would be so much fun?” A glint shows in her eye as she grins at me.
I chuckle. “The one with a million people dressed as Waldo, but only one was actually Waldo? Yeah, that was a bad idea. Worst. Puzzle. Ever.”
Her laugh carries over the sounds of the diner. “Did you ever finish it?”
“No,” I say, snorting. “I threw that thing in the trash. I didn’t even want to give it to charity. That puzzle was torture. No one deserves that.”
She giggles. “Is that why you quit puzzles? Did Waldo ruin you?”
I grin at her. “Maybe.”
She picks up her butter knife and stirs the lemon wedge into her water, a habit I’d forgotten. “What about crossword puzzles?”
“Yes,” I say. “I still do those. They help me relax.”
Levi brings out our food, placing the plates in front of us. He sets a container of sauce beside Savannah’s plate. “I made you some fry sauce, because I know you like it.” He winks.
She grins up at him. “Thank you. You’re a dear.”
Heat snakes through me as I stare at my brother. His eyes crinkle, his warm gaze doesn’t move from her face. Levi’s a huge flirt, and usually it doesn’t bother me, but it’s not usually directed at Savannah. “Can I have some extra mayo?” I bark out.
Levi glances at me, his non-verbal communication asking me what the heck? “Sure, bro.”
He leaves, and I feel foolish. He wasn’t flirting with Savannah. He was just being himself. Levi can’t help but be that way. He knows how I feel about Savannah. I rub my neck. I’m all twisted in a knot. It must be Donald that has me on edge.
I need to cool it and be careful. She was clear with Donald. She’s focusing on her business right now, and I should respect that. If I don’t keep myself in check, it will be really obvious to Savannah that I want more than friendship from her.