Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
I laughed.
But then I sobered, because the thought that entered my mind next stopped me in my tracks.
I’d come every single time she called, no matter what I was doing or where I was at.
Betsy, the oldest owner and worker in history, saw us arrive.
Her curious eyes went from me to Alice and back before she shook her head.
A look of knowing entered her gaze as she walked toward us.
“Have a seat anywhere.” She paused. “I have a busboy down with the flu today. You’ll have to give me some grace on all the dirty dishes everywhere.”
“Thank you, Betsy.” Alice smiled at her.
Then, almost as if we’d choreographed the move, we both reached for different tables and started busing them off. Only after all the tables were cleaned off in the area did we take our seats at the bar and not a table after all.
It would be easier for Betsy to clean it off once we left.
If we didn’t do it ourselves, that was.
“We think alike,” Alice said as she took her seat.
I took the one directly beside her, then looked down at the menu.
I wasn’t a huge fan of sweets in general, but Betsy made a mean apple pie.
If I was going to eat bad, generally I stuck to foods that would cause me to remain full for a while. But there was just something about that apple pie…
“Betsy, do you have any pie left?” Alice asked the moment Betsy arrived in front of us.
“Two slices,” she confirmed.
“I’ll take two,” Alice offered up quickly.
“You’ll take one, and I’ll take one,” I corrected. “Or I’ll take two, and you’ll get none.”
Alice shot me a disgusted look before saying, “We’ll both take one.”
“That it?” Betsy wondered.
“No, I’ll take a double bacon cheeseburger, no mustard, extra pickles. Then I want french fries with chili and cheese on them. Followed by a large Dr Pepper.” Alice looked over at me. “You?”
“I’ll have the same,” I said.
My thoughts after she ordered were, ‘there’s no way in hell she would eat all of that.’ But then my mind went in a completely different direction when she asked what she asked next.
“Where did you learn to teach people how to drive five speeds so well?” she asked.
I felt the hit straight to my heart.
I knew she hadn’t meant to deliver the blow, but sometimes it just happened like that.
A memory would pop up, catch you unaware, and lay you flat on your back, bleeding sadness through invisible wounds only you could see.
“Taught myself. Then taught my family. Dad was an automatic only kind of person,” I reminisced. “Then, when I got my car, they all wanted to learn. I went through two clutches teaching them all. But it’s one of my favorite memories.”
She was silent for a long time before she said, “I really appreciate you teaching me. My dad’s not a good teacher. He doesn’t even train the new hires at The Pizzeria or The Marina. They’ll quit before he gets that far.”
I got a good chuckle at that.
Junior’s temper was legendary in the area. Everyone who was anyone knew you didn’t mess with him.
I vaguely wondered if Alice’s ex had ever known that about him. Silvy may be a cop, but his dad was a born-and-bred badass from the wrong side of the tracks. He’d do whatever he needed to for his kids, and that was including kicking anyone’s ass that needed kicking.
“Here’s your food,” Betsy said. “Pie’s on me today. Thanks for busing for me.”
She set everything down, then Alice went proving me wrong entirely.
Not only did she eat all of her food, but she nearly licked the damn plate.
I watched her out of the corner of my eye, completely in awe that such a little bit of a thing could put that much food away.
At some point during the show, I’d gotten a text. But not even my curiosity could win out over watching her enjoy something so thoroughly as she was.
Only after she pushed the plate away and started on the pie that Betsy had brought out did I pull out my phone.
It was a text from the old man working on my tire.
“He said he’s not getting it done tonight,” I grumbled darkly. “You mind giving me a lift home?”
She blinked. Then shrugged. “Sure. Just let me finish my pie first.”
I did.
And my food? It might as well have been cardboard for the amount of attention I paid it.
Not when all of my focus was on the beautiful creature next to me.
CHAPTER 5
I just fucking love plants.
-T-shirt
ALICE
I ate when I was nervous.
In fact, I ate so much at the diner, having been nervous from having Cassius so freakin’ close to me for hours, that I was now so beyond full that I needed to unbutton my jeans.
He wouldn’t notice, would he?