Chapter 6
Cat
“Order up!” The line cook called, and I skated over to the counter where my basket of fries and two cokes were waiting for me.
I was currently a waitress at a drive-in movie theater in the downtown area. I kind of liked it. Plus, it was a killer workout. Those of us outside were on roller skates, a throwback to the “olden days” as my boss liked to call it, and my legs had never looked so toned.
There was a restaurant attached to the drive-in where people could eat indoors as well. Because I was a strong skater, most nights I worked the parked cars and drive-in clientele. The tips were pretty good, but I encountered my fair share of assholes each night.
Skating over to the powder blue Nissan that was the first car in my section, I dropped off the order to the teenage boy who looked far too young to drive.
The freckled-face adolescent immediately set up his girlfriend’s drink and handed her the fries so that she could have the first bite.
It was a really sweet gesture, and I found myself thinking how nice it must be to have someone who treated you so thoughtfully.
As I skated back to the counter, I thought about the bar Anna and I went to the other night. Like I’d been doing since we’d left, I started fantasizing about him. Ace. The biker with the beautiful gray eyes and the scent that still made me weak in the knees.
Damn, that man really got to me. I hadn’t been able to think of anything other than him since we’d met, especially when it was late and I couldn’t settle and needed a little “personal touch” to go to sleep. It was his face I saw when I played with myself. And his name I moaned, when I finally came.
Even now, my belly fluttered just thinking of him. It did a slow flip as I imagined all the dirty things I wanted him to do to me. The way I wanted him to slide, deep inside my-
“Did you get that, kid?” Harry, the cook, asked a bit impatiently then.
Embarrassed I had zoned out while at work, I blushed and apologized. “Sorry, Harry. Can you say it again? I got lost in my thoughts there for a second.”
The cook smiled and repeated himself. “I said Mary called in sick today, so we’re going to be understaffed. The boss said he wants you to stay until closing.”
I gathered my chicken baskets and placed them on my tray. “Sure. I could use the extra money,” I agreed before skating off toward the cherry red jeep that had ordered them.
Another great perk of this job was that I got to see so many movies. They weren’t all new releases, which I appreciated. Some were classics, like Casablanca, and others were oldies but goodies, like Clue. Like I said, this job had its built-in perks, though it also had its disadvantages, too.
A middle-aged man with a bad comb over, angrily waved his hand at me from his pickup. I could tell he was gearing up to be one of those “disadvantages” for sure.
“Hi! Can I—” I began to ask if I could help the man, but he wasn’t going to bother with simple pleasantries today. Nope, he was determined to be all asshole, all the way.
“What is this?” He demanded, so worked up his cheeks were splotched an unbecoming red.
The customer was holding a hamburger open-faced and staring daggers at it like I should know exactly what he was pointing out.
“Um, a hamburger?” I answered, not sure what else to say to the obvious question.
“Yes, a hamburger!” he slowly ground out, as though that statement should immediately clear things up.
I hadn’t taken the man’s order, so I’m not sure why that was a problem. “Did you order a hamburger, sir?”
“No, I did not, young lady. I ordered a cheeseburger! But you halfwits can’t get an order right to save your lives,” he shouted through the window.
I calmed him down some by promising to get him a cheeseburger right away and that the first burger would be on the house. Finding his waitress, a young brunette with a thick ponytail that most horses would envy, I let her know what was going on.
“Thanks, Cat,” Kelsey said, adjusting the strap of her skate.
She’d never learned when she was younger, and was struggling with the serving and skating combo, though I thought she was doing a commendable job despite this only being her third week.
“I’m a little behind because I haven’t mastered this gig yet. ”
“Hang in there, Kelsey,” I encouraged, patting the girl on her back. “I’ve seen people who’ve worked here five times as long as you who aren’t half as skilled at serving or skating.”
The younger woman beamed at me. “Thanks, I really needed to hear that. To be honest, I thought waiting would be easier than this. Guess I’ve been officially humbled.”
We both laughed as she skated off, albeit a little clunkily, toward the cook’s counter. Though it looked a bit rough, I knew, by the end of summer, she’d be as good as anyone here.
When it got late enough for the movies to begin, I popped in a single ear bud to tune into the show. It was a double header tonight: Legally Blonde, followed by some new blockbuster action film I’d never even heard of.
At this point, I’d seen the Reese Witherspoon flick more times than I cared to admit.
I could practically quote the entire damn thing from start to finish.
In between getting people their drinks, snacks, and meals, I’d silently recite the dialogue of the film to myself, laughing at all my favorite scenes.
As I was skating back to the cook’s counter, I heard the rumble of something off in the distance. Muting my single earbud, I glanced up and saw several motorcycles pull into Quick Silver’s across the street. It was a bar and grill and served mostly lackluster tavern food to a very diverse crowd.
Without thought, I held my breath and searched the sea of faces for Ace.
An avalanche of disappointment cascaded over me when I couldn’t find him.
This wasn’t his club. I remembered him telling me that he was part of the Night Stalkers MC.
Though I couldn’t quite make out what their emblem was from this distance, these bikers didn’t have the same patch with predator’s eyes that the Night Stalkers had.
Eyes, I was assuming, that depicted a wolf by the color and shape of them.
I squinted, trying to figure out what was on these bikers’ gear. All I could make out were what looked like some jagged lines shooting down the length of their vests. When Kelsey skated up behind me, she gave me the 411 about the Club.
“Stay away from those guys, Cat,” she warned, “That’s Los Lobos, and they’re no good.”
Curious, I tilted my head and asked, “Why do you say that?”
Kelsey frowned as she tightened her heavy ponytail higher on the crown of her head.
“You’re not from around here, but everyone knows those guys are bad news.
I once knew a girl who partied with them and said they were absolute animals.
I mean, complete psychos! Once she kicked her habit, she said she was lucky to have left that Club House in one piece.
And she was no delicate flower, if you know what I mean. ”
I shivered at the tale, glad for her friend that she’d managed to get clean and leave such violent men in her past.
“That’s terrible,” I said with a shiver. “Thanks for sharing.”
“Of course,” Kelsey said with an earnest head nod. “Us girls have to stick together and look out for one another, right?”
That was the truth. “We really do.”
A nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach bloomed to life then and I tried to tamp it down.
I’m not sure what my problem was, but I couldn’t shake this terrible feeling that I needed to stay away from these men at all costs.
It must just be the story Kelsey had shared.
Her poor friend could have been injured, or much worse, by simply partying with these guys.
Swallowing down my fear, I reminded myself that nothing was going to happen. They weren’t even at the drive-in; they were across the dang street! Besides, even if they did come to Krammer’s, it’s not like they gave one shit about my ass.
I laughed, feeling some of the tension ease from my shoulders.
When had I become so conceited that I was worried bikers couldn’t keep their hands off me?
I guess Ace’s compliments and good looks had really gone to my head.
Skating off toward one of the cars who was waving me over, I got busy serving.
The night slowed down some as people began to settle in for the second film.
I should have been exhausted. I’d been running around for over five hours straight, but I still had so much energy.
It must be that new multivitamin I’d been taking, because I felt great.
Better than great, actually. It was like an electrical current was streaming through my body and giving me boundless amounts of strength and vitality.
As I was picking up some food, Harry told me I needed to take my break with a complimentary side of fries and a coke. He appreciated that I never complained about staying on for a second shift, so he gave me the snack as a “thank you” for being a team player.
When we took our breaks, we always made sure to stay out of sight of the public. If we didn’t, they’d assume we were on the clock and ask us for napkins, food, or general questions about the menu. It NEVER failed.
My hiding spot was on the hillside that was perpendicular to the movie screen.
Behind me were woods and a hiking trail where waitresses who smoked could have a quick puff before returning to work.
Harry, understandably, didn’t allow the staff to smoke in view of the public.
He said customers were more likely to complain about food “tasting like an ashtray” when they knew the waitress smoked.