Page 56 of Singled Out
My seven a.m. shift at the Dragonfly Diner came way too early the next morning, even for an early riser like me.
I hadn’t gotten much sleep at all. I’d like to say it was strictly from thinking about Cambria’s proposition, but there was a lot of mooning over Max in there too.
No, not mooning. Just remembering.
Last night with Max… It was hot. Like, best-sex-of-my-life hot, and I’d had my share of good sex.
I hadn’t been able to get him out of my mind even once I got home. After three orgasms, I should’ve been able to move on, but instead I’d lain there and relived our sexy times. That wasn’t my usual MO. Usually it was nice while it lasted, and then I carried on with the rest of my life.
Max had spiced up my dreams for the short hours I’d slept. Then I’d woken for the day with my mind on him, my body jonesing for another go-round.
That was probably a red flag, but honestly, for sex that good, who cared? We’d said it was one and done, but if I had my way, Max and I would have a repeat…or a dozen.
“Your best customer’s here,” Monty, the owner and morning cook, said as I stopped for Rosy McNamara’s and Nancy Solon’s breakfast orders at the window.
I picked up the plates—a scramble and a Dragonfly Dust Waffle—and turned toward the front of the restaurant to see my dad ambling to the counter. He greeted nearly everyone on his way.
“Hey, Dad,” I called as I passed nearby.
“Good morning, Harper.”
Rosy and Nancy’s table was in the front corner by the window. “Here you go, ladies,” I said as I set their plates in front of them. “Looks like Monty put an extra dose of sprinkles in your waffles, Nancy.”
“Ooh,” Rosy said, checking out her friend’s plate, which was, in fact, about twice as colorful as usual. “He knows they’re your favorite.”
“He ought to. How long have we been coming here?” Nancy asked.
“Can I get you two anything else right away?” I asked, doing a quick check that there were enough creamers on the table for Rosy. She used three per mug of coffee and normally had at least one refill.
“We’re good, darling girl,” Rosy said.
“Tell Monty these waffles are even better than usual.” Nancy had drowned her plate in syrup the second I laid it down and already had a bite in her mouth.
“You got it.”
I checked in with Chloe and Ava Henry, who were deep in conversation, then headed toward my dad.
“How’s my favorite server this morning?” he asked as I stopped on the opposite side of the counter from him.
“I’m good. How’s it going?”
“Couldn’t ask for a better day. I saw the pictures from the gala. You looked mighty pretty.”
“Thanks, Dad. You want the usual?” I picked up the coffeepot, flipped over his mug, and filled it.
“Sure do. How’d it go with Coach Dawson?”
My body went hot just from the mention of his name. I turned away to put the coffeepot back on the warmer, summoning an expression of nonchalance before I faced my dad again. “Great. He ended up knowing several people there and introduced me around.”
“That worked out well then,” he said.
Maybe it was my imagination, but I could swear, as he raised his mug for a sip of coffee, he perused my face like only an over-concerned father could.
I worked to keep my face blank as I wrote his order down and sent it back to Monty, though my boss probably already had the corned beef hash cooking and the egg ready to go.
“Max was a gentleman,” I assured him, which was the truth. If we were only talking about Saturday night at the gala. Which we were.
“Order up, Harper,” Monty called through the window.