3. Chapter 3
Edith
5 years later
My feet hurt from closing last night. I barely slept, and my sister was late.
Again.
Evie always ran late.
You know that point in life where you looked around and thought, where did I go wrong? This was that moment for me.
Our regulars? They’re easy.
It’s the after-church crowd that killed me.
Ya’ll just got out of church and some of you still need Jesus.
Today was my day off, but the “baby” had something to do. So Ma roped me into covering part of her shift. Right now, my back ached. I felt greasy, wanted a shower, a cold beer and to sit on my ass.
And I would be doing that right now.
If my sister wasn’t running late to work.
Again.
A woman wearing hot pink waved to get my attention. She’s the definition of a ‘Karen’. And she made my day suck worse.
“Yoo-hoo!” She waved again. “Excuse me, miss?”
Taking a deep breath, I walked over to their table. “Yes, ma’am?”
“This burger is underdone.” Her heavily made-up face looked like it might crack with the sour face she made.
I looked down at the plate of food and noted the mostly eaten burger. “Which part was underdone?”
The woman’s pinched face turned frosty as she glared directly at me. “Are you blind? Right here.” She lifted the chunk of burger to my face.
Pressing my lips together so I wouldn’t snap, I inhaled slowly through my nose before I spoke. “Ma’am, I can get you a fresh one.”
“You know what?” She heaved a sigh, then snapped her fingers at me. “I want your manager.”
“Of course, ma’am.” I walked off to the back, rolling my eyes. “Ma, the lady at table five requests your presence.”
“For the love of Pete, Edith. Now what?” Mom looked up at me with flour all down her front.
“Mostly eaten burger she claims is underdone.”
Ma punched the dough she’s kneading. “Are you kidding me?”
“Two rabbis, Ma” I leaned on the clean prep table. “And where is Evie? Why did she need today off?”
“She’s singing some fancy schmancy song for the mob wedding and then she’ll be in.”
“Ma.” I tilted my head. “You can’t just say it’s a mob wedding.”
“Why can’t I?” She looked over at me as she folded the dough, turning it. “Everyone knows the Cordova family are gangsters.”
“Ma!”
“Edith!”
“Ugh.” I threw my hands up in frustration. “Whatever. So what you’re telling me is that she could’ve been here, then left and came back?”
“Pfft. Like I wanted to go smelling like the diner. Geez, Edith, cut me some slack.” The youngest of our family strolled in, tying her apron. “What’d you do to the lady at table five?”
“What do you mean, what did I do ?”
“She’s miffed, and said you were rude.”
My nostrils flared out, and I wanted to choke my sister. “Nothing. She said her burger was underdone.”
Evie looked at me in confusion. “What burger?”
“The mostly eaten one on her plate.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she held up a finger. “I got this.”
I watched through the serving window as Evelyn walked over to the table and cocked her hip. Mom stood beside me and we couldn’t hear what she said, but we heard the lady apologize.
“How come she can be snappy with the customers and I can’t?” I turned and asked mom.
“Because you’re older and more composed. There’s a reason Evie was the last one.” Ma put the dough back in the bowl, covered it with a towel and took it to rise in the very back. “Aside from being a complete surprise.”
“Your mother’s not wrong, Edie.” Dad came out of the walk-in. “If Evie was the first one, she’d be an only child.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Shaking my head, I stepped through the swinging door and went to get a carafe of coffee to make one last round before I left. “She was the oops baby.”
“Yo. Toots. Some service?” A deep voice called out to me, sounding like my older brother Gene.
I flipped my ponytail, cocked my hip, and retorted. “Service yourself. You should be used to that by now.”
The strange man at the counter pulled his sunglasses down, revealing ice-blue eyes that pierced right through me. His eyebrow rose over his left eye, and he rubbed his well-groomed beard. “Not sure who you’ve been talking to, doll, but I can assure you I am not used to that.”
“Oh, my gravy!” My hand flew up to my mouth. “I am so sorry. I thought you were my brother.”
He splayed his hands out in front of him. “Do I look like your brother?”
“No, sir.”
“Edie? You lose your mind?” Evie snapped at me and strolled over to the counter. “Sorry about that. What can I get you?”
“Her name is Edie?” He motioned to me with his head.
“Yup.” She popped the p. “It’s short for Edith.”
“How well do you know her?”
I stood there gob smacked as my sister ran her mouth.
“Pretty well.” She looked back at me, then turned her attention back to him. “What do ya wanna know?”
“How about her number?”
“No can do, boss.” She thumbed behind her. “See that big man working the grill?” She smiled. “Big E!”
“Yo, whachu need?” He leaned close to the order window.
Evie pointed to the guy sitting at the counter. “This guy wants Edie’s number.”
“No can do, Kemosabe.”
“She yours?”
“She was mine before she’ll be anyone’s.” He winked at the customer and hit the bell. “Order up!”
“I’m right flippin’ here.” Evie stomped her foot.
“Then you better get this order right flippin’ there.”
“Ugh. Brothers.” She shook her head, and hip checked me, speaking softly. “Edie, go take his order.”
“Yeah, Edie.” His deep voice purred. “Come, take my order.” He crooked his finger and gestured me over.
He’s a man, don’t fall for it.
Rolling my eyes, I snapped. “I don’t come when fingered.”
His left eyebrow rose again, and a hint of a smile peeked out through his bearded face.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, then walked over. “Welcome to That One Place. What can I start you with?”
He flipped over the clean coffee cup. “Leaded, black.”
I reached behind me and grabbed the coffee urn, filling his cup.
“What’s good eats here, Edie?”
Lord help me. The deep timbre of his voice made my knees weak.
I shrugged, trying to look everywhere but into his eyes. “It’s all good here, it’s diner style home cooking.”
“Yeah, that goes together.” He chuckled. “What’s the house special?”
“Horseshoe.”
“Gimme that.” He winked, lifting the cup to his mouth.
His arms were solid muscle, and my knees threatened to buckle.
No man had the right to look that damn good.
“Big E! House special!” I called over my shoulder.
“On it!” I heard my brother flip his spatula.
Taking the coffee urn, I walked around the restaurant, checking in on all the customers.
This place was my sanctuary. It was home. And this strange man unnerved me in a way no one else had. I felt his eyes on me. Normally I’d find that creepy, but it felt different. Normally everyone noticed Evelyn, she’s short, bubbly and in your face.
I’m not sure what to do with some stranger eyeballin’ me, making me feel all kinds of twitterpated.
Before I went back to the counter, I took another order and took my time getting closer to him.
“I need two on the hoof, one with frog sticks, the other flop two.” I placed my ticket on the wheel and spun it around before picking up the plate for the handsome stranger.
“One special all for you.” I set it in front of him with a bundle of silverware.
“Tell me what I’m eating.” He hooked his sunglasses on his collar.
“Well, you have a wonderful cut of homemade bread we like to call Texas toast. Then you have your burger patty, piled high with hand cut fries and smothered in cheese sauce.”
“And this is your special?”
“It is.”
“Where did it come from?” He picked up the bundle of silverware.
“It was my parents’ favorite when they were dating. So they recreated it here.”
“Good enough.” He winked at me again and took out his fork. “Time to dig in.”
Frank
Romeo told me the diner in his hometown was the best, so pulling into Port Stella, I made it my first stop.
What he didn’t tell me was that the service would raise my heart rate and intrigue me.
She disappeared into the back, and I saw her through the order window, leaning against the prep table, snapping orders to the guy doin’ the cookin’. He flipped his spatula at her and threw his head back in laughter.
My first bite of this horseshoe melted together in my mouth, and I moaned as sweet Edie came through the door and looked at me with her hazel eyes.
“You okay there, pal?”
“Mm-hmm.” I wiped my face. “Damn! This is good.”
“You should taste her pie.” The younger girl swooped in, swapped coffee urns, and darted out.
“Evelyn!” Edie turned to follow her sister, and I couldn’t help the small chuckle that slipped out.
The front doorbell rang, and two men walked in, heading around the counter. If I was a betting man, I’d lay money down that those were part of the family. Dad and another son.
They each got a drink, and their eyes followed both girls. Finally, the younger one looked into the kitchen.
“Big E? What’s shakin?”
The cook leaned over to the window. “Evie told that counter guy to try Edie’s pie.”
“Not try.” Edie snapped. “She told him to taste my pie.”
I watched as all three men struggled not to laugh.
She put her hand on her hip, glaring at them all. “You guys suck.”
“Edie.” The tall one coughed and tried to catch his breath. “I’m sure Evie didn’t mean it that way.”
“I sure did. The way she’s been acting, someone needs to blow the excess flour off.” The youngest winked at me. “If you know what I mean.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Edith slapped her order pad on the counter and slammed through the door to the back.
I let out the laugh I’d been holding in and the guys joined me.
“Evelyn?” An older woman came through the doors, sighing in apparent frustration. “We need to talk.”
“Of course we do.” Evie heaved a sigh. “I’m comin’ ma. Gene.” She snapped at the brother sitting at the counter. “Man the tables.” She walked away with her ponytail swinging and followed the matriarch to the back.
“Need a warmup?” The one Evie called Gene asked.
“Yeah.” I chuckled. “I’ll take one.”
“On a serious note? Edie bakes the pies, and no one has gone away sad.” Big E tossed to me before turning back to his grill.
I hoped Edie was still out here, so I had something pretty to look at, but the food would have to do. Besides, you can only feed one craving at a time.
Once I cleaned my plate, Gene came back and took it. “Can I get you anything else?”
Scratching my beard, I looked up at the chalkboard that listed all the dessert choices. The problem was they all sounded good. “Tell you what. Have Edie bring me a big slice of dealer’s choice.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You want Edith to pick one and serve you?”
“S’what I said.”
“A man who lives dangerously.” He pressed his lips together in a line, nodded his head, and disappeared through the swinging door.
Not more than a minute later, the door swung open, and Edith pinned me with her stare. Her lips twisted to the side, then she disappeared in the back.
I drained my coffee and as I set the cup back on the counter; she came walking over with a plate. Setting it down, she gave me a shy smile.
“That ain’t pie.” I pointed to the dessert.
“Well, no shit.” She cocked her head, reached behind her to grab the coffee pot refilling my cup. “You don’t strike me as a pie man. So, I brought you what I thought you would eat.”
Damn. The mouth on this girl makes me want to do bad things that would get us both arrested.
I picked up a cookie and took a bite. With god as my witness, my dick was hard in an instant. Snickerdoodles were my favorite cookie. Hard to find homemade ones, and even harder to find some that could make you almost bust a nut.
“You made these?” I nodded to the plate.
“Yup.” She popped the p.
“They’re still warm.”
“I bake when I’m pissed.” She shrugged.
With a younger sister like Evelyn, I bet she does a lot of baking.
I gave her a shrug back. “I ride.”
“Everyone does something.” She clicked her tongue and before she walked off, I caught her hand.
“Wanna go for a ride?”
“Pfft. Right.” She chuffed. “Cookies are on the house.” Pulling her hand from me, I watched as she turned and went back through the door.
“Hey, Big E?” I called to the guy in the kitchen.
“Yo!” He popped up in the window.
“What time does she get off?”
He started laughing. “No can do.”
“When’s her next shift?” I took a drink of my coffee.
“Nice try.” He gave me a wink and went back to work.
“Hey. Overprotective brother.” I raised my eyebrow. “I’ll get you a reference.”
He busted up laughing. “Geno! Get a load of this guy!”
Gene came over. “What’s up?”
“That man wants to hook up with Edith.”
Gene shook his head.
“What gives?” I leaned forward on the counter. “You tell your sisters to stay away from boys?”
He doubled over, laughing. “You don’t tell our sisters to do shit.”
“Edie is a powerhouse, and Evie will fuck you up.” Big E laughed. “And if you mess with Edie, the crazy younger one will have your nuts in a sling.”
Chuckling, I pointed at my cup for a top up. “The little one?”
“Don’t let her size fool you. The young one is small and scrappy. Crazy too. I swear if she was our first, my boys wouldn’t be here.” An older man came up and sat next to me. “Are you Francis?”
“I am.”
“I have a delivery for Miss Cora. She wasn’t in church this morning, so we wanted to send a care package.”
“Understood, sir.” I broke my cookie in half. “I will take it to her and be sure she eats.”
“Thank you.” He tapped the counter, and Gene set a cup of coffee in front of him.
Shaking my head, I decided to do something crazy and old-fashioned. “Sir, I’d like to take your daughter Edith to dinner.”
He nodded. “I understand. But that’s her call.” He tipped his head and looked through the window at her. “You can’t come in from the front.” He took a drink. “You understand?”
Ah. She’s been hurt.
“Loud and clear, sir.”
He sighed as he stood up. “I need to go check on my wife and let her have the rest of the day off. Edith is off as well.” Looking around, he narrowed his eyes. “Where is Evelyn?”
“Um, Ma’s chewing her ass.” Gene shrugged. “She upset Edie.”
“Of course she did.” He nodded. “Some things never change. Come back and see us, Francis.”
“Will do.” I lifted my cup up. “What should I call you?”
“You may call me Irv.”
“I’ll see you later, Irv.” I finished my coffee and tossed a fifty on the counter. “Hey Gene, gimme your pen.”
He handed it to me, and I wrote my number on the back of my check with a small note to Edith.
“Later, guys.” I slid my shades on and headed over to my bike to put the food away before taking off to Romeo’s house.