49. Rose
ROSE
“Shirley, my love.” I groan in pleasure when I see Shirley is working today as I walk through the diner’s entrance and make my way to my booth.
I don’t think I could handle someone new when it feels like my head is in a vise.
Seriously, how much did I drink last night?
“I need the largest cup of coffee you have. Actually, bring over the pitcher and a straw, and I’ll drink it straight from there. ”
“Rough night, doll?”
“Honestly, no. However, it is definitely a rough morning. Help me please.” I’m practically begging at this point.
“Here’s some water to start with, and I’ll put in your regular order and then grab you some coffee. Unless you want something different today?”
“My regular is perfect. You’re an angel.”
“Now I know you must be hungover with all that praise. Hang tight, sweetie, and I’ll see if I have some painkillers in my purse as well.”
“Marry me?”
“Oh sugar, you know you’re not my type,” Shirley adds with a wink and glides away to grab what I hope is a jumbo pot of coffee and extra-strength painkillers.
Setting down a large iced coffee with whipped cream on top and extra sugars on the side, Shirley asks, “So does this have to do with a certain dark and brooding man who practically carried you out of here a couple of nights ago? Or, perhaps, the ruggedly handsome gentleman you were eating dinner with when Mr. Dangerous stormed in? Hmm?”
“Ugh, Shirley, don’t remind me. But you are partially correct. I did have a few drinks last night with ‘Mr. Dangerous.’” I add air quotes to the nickname Shirley gave Dante. I wonder what he would think of the nickname? He’d probably like it.
“A few, huh?” Shirley asks with a raise of an eyebrow.
“Turns out, I’m a lightweight, I guess. Who knew?” See, this is why I never drink whiskey. Or maybe I’m just not used to such high-quality alcohol. I don’t even want to know how much the bottle of whiskey we were drinking last night cost. Or was it bourbon? What is even the difference?
“Well, I’ll be back with your food in a bit, and you can tell me all about it.
Now try to drink some of that water before you fill your veins with that caffeine.
I made it extra strong this morning.” Shirley chuckles and heads back toward the kitchen to tend to the few other customers sitting at the countertop.
It’s so rare I see other customers while I’m here.
I guess I need to be more careful about what I say in case someone knows Dante.
The last thing I need is for Dante to find out I’m hungover and gossiping about him to Shirley.
A few minutes later, Shirley is back with my cheeseburger, tater tots, and the largest soda I’ve ever seen, and I almost want to melt to the floor in happiness.
Then she slides into the booth on the bench across from me and takes a sip from her own mug of black coffee.
Gross. But I can’t help the smile that lights up my face when she says, “Well, spill the tea, darlin’. ”
“Ha, spill the tea? Where did you even learn that, Shirley?”
“That’s what the kids these days are saying, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I guess you are right,” I add with a chuckle. “Is it okay for you to sit with me though? I don’t want to get you in trouble, as much as I’d love the company.”
“Perks of being the boss,” Shirley responds with a wink.
“Wait, you own the diner? That is so cool! I recently started my own company and couldn’t imagine going back to working for someone else. How long have you owned the diner?”
“Stop trying to change the subject and tell me about drinks with Mr. Dangerous.” Her beaming smile is filled with mischief, and at this moment, I can imagine what it would be like to gossip and talk about boys, relationships, and all the other things life has to throw at me with a mother figure.
My heart aches for something I never had, but maybe Shirley can fill another void in my life, and we could actually be friends. I would like that.
And so, I eat my burger and tell Shirley about last night and the time I spent with Dante and the tension and draw to him as he spoke about Turnadot.
I left out the part about his childhood and Angelo because that felt private and something meant to be kept between just Dante and myself.
I even told her how I woke up in bed, fully dressed from the night before, with no recollection of how I got there.
“My guess is that big, strong man of yours carried you to bed,” Shirley stated confidently after I finished my recap of the night.
“That’s what I’m worried about!”
“Worried? Heck, I’d let that man carry me around the diner while I served customers if he wanted to! What’s your concern?”
“He is my client, Shirley. My first client since starting my own company, and I don’t want to screw it up.”
“Do you like him? Do you think there could be something more there?”
“It’s complicated.”
“No, it isn’t. Don’t let some fabricated sense of honor or morality get in the way of your future.”
“What if I give in to this thing between us and it doesn’t work out?”
“What if I took all my clothes off and ran around the diner naked?”
I almost choke on the sip of soda I just took as I snort it up my nose in surprise. “What the hell, Shirley? What does that have to do with anything?”
“My point is, sweetie, you can’t let something that hasn’t even happened yet, and might never happen, get in the way of something that could be great. Why don’t you try to look at it from the other side?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if you want to play the what-if game, then ask yourself, ‘What if you give in to it and it does work out?’”
“It’s not that easy, Shirley.”
“Sweetheart, if you can overthink the worst, why can’t you overthink the best as well?”
Well, shit. Shirley might have done more work for me in this one lunch than my therapist did for me over three years.
“I guess you might be right,” I confess, my mind still processing the new advice.
“Of course I’m right, sugar. Now, finish your food, and I’ll grab you a coffee to-go so you can shower and get dolled up for your dinner tonight.” Shirley stands with a pat of her hand on mine and heads to the kitchen without giving me a chance to object.
I did agree to dinner with Dante, so it wouldn’t hurt to give this, whatever this thing between us is, a chance to become something more.
My work on his house should be completed soon if all the delivery timelines hold, so I don’t see why I can’t let things develop during that time.
And once our contract is complete, then I can make a decision.
What’s a few more weeks versus the rest of my life?
Taking the offered to-go cup from Shirley, I thank her and say my goodbyes and then hop in my car, heading back to Dante’s house to get ready for dinner.