Page 112 of Forever Golden
“On it.” I grab the burger and fries he’s just plated and head across the diner.
No sooner than I deliver the meal, the chime over the door rings and I have a new customer to greet.
“Good morning, Sir. Have a seat wherever you’d like. I’ll be right with you,” I say with a smile. The customer, on the other hand, is stoic and only tips his hat before settling into a corner booth.
I eye him on my way to cash someone out, then I’m standing at the newcomer’s side, waiting to take his order.
His cologne’s strong, but not cheap, and his shoes look like they cost him an arm, a leg, and maybe even an ear.
“Can I start you with something to drink?” I ask, getting some pretty intense vibes from this guy and he has yet to say a single word.
“Just coffee today,” he answers, the depth of his voice sending a chill down my spine.
“Sounds good. Would you like a slice of pie or anything to go with it?”
He peers up with the brim of his hat still casting a shadow over his eyes, an odd grin on his face.
“No thanks. The coffee will be all.”
Feeling creeped out, I offer a smile and head back to the counter to grab a mug. I keep my eyes trained on him the entire time I pour. So intensely that I nearly overflow it and burn my hand. After grabbing a tray, I walk the order back to him.
“Thank you,” he says in that unearthly deep voice of his, and again, I only nod before hightailing it back to the other side of the counter.
“Everything going okay now that Mike’s back?” Dusty asks, drawing my attention from the stranger briefly when I flash a look toward the kitchen.
“It’s… strange, but not as bad as I thought,” I explain.
“I’ve seen less of Scar these days, so I figured she’d been with him mostly after school.”
I nod, confirming Dusty’s assumption. “Yeah, who would’ve ever imagined he’d actually keep his word for once?”
Dusty peers up when I glance at him again, still dividing my attention between him and the stranger.
“No signs of him being back on the booze?”
I shake my head. “Surprisingly, no. From what I can tell, he goes to work, then spends the rest of his afternoon and evening looking after Scar. He’s even been to all my games so far.”
The look of shock on Dusty’s face now says it all. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“My thoughts precisely,” I answer with a laugh, but then I spot a hand in the air. It’s the weird guy, beckoning me toward his table.
“That’s my cue.”
I push off from the counter and grab the coffee pot on my way over. Chances are, he just wants a refill.
“More coffee?” I force that smile again when asking.
The man meets my gaze and he’s wearing that same hard look that makes me want to run the other way.
“Actually, I’m all set for the day, but I wanted to give you a tip before I go,” he answers, but instead of sliding cash into my hand, he grabs my wrist tight, jerking me closer to his rail-thin body.
A gasp leaves my mouth, but a stern look renders me silent.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he warns, seeming to notice how I’ve brought the scalding hot pot of coffee closer to him. I’m completely willing to dump the entire thing in this asshole’s lap if he doesn’t let go.
“What do you want?” My voice quivers, but I hope he doesn’t take that as a sign of weakness. After all, Iamarmed with a pot of hot liquid that could change his life in all the worst ways.
He smirks.