Page 13 of Tangled Emotions
“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 itfeltdifferent. 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?”