Look at that. No one really gave a crap who ate in the diner.
Just her very narrow-minded parents.
“Which section is Shell’s?” The largest of the bikers asked. He had dark auburn hair and a beard to match. No smile, no friendly hello, just tough-guy macho-man vibes. Actually, he had a strong resemblance to Tormund Giantsbane from Toni’s favorite show, Game of Thrones.
“Shell?” she asked, the full coffee pot testing the limits of her biceps. She hadn’t worked this hard in years.
“Michelle,” the woman said. At least she smiled. As she spoke, the brown haired, blue eyed biker she was with circled her shoulders with his muscled arm. He also had a beard. Was it a requirement to join their MC?
No, it wasn’t. The biker who lived next door to her had a face as smooth as silk. A face that had appeared in more than one spicy dream the previous night. The gaze he’d ensnared her with had been intense and stuck with her for hours, heating parts of her that had no business getting hot. Especially since she had a boyfriend. A boyfriend who’d never gotten her as fired up as one smoldering stare from a man she didn’t know.
That was a problem.
“Oh, yes, sorry. I didn’t realize she went by a nickname. You can grab that empty booth right over there.” She pointed toward Michelle’s section with the coffee pot. “I’ll let her know she has another table.”
“Thanks,” the big one said. The couple had pretty much disappeared into their own world, whispering and stealing kisses. The man murmured something in the woman’s ear, probably something dirty, because her eyes heated and she wrapped her arms around his waist.
The pang of jealously that hit Toni was unexpected. Not that she wanted the biker, but their connection was so obvious, no one would miss it. Neither seemed to mind public affection. Toni’s boyfriend would barely hold her hand. He said it looked common, whatever that meant.
Uncle Mark was right about him. He was a dud. They had no chemistry. No fire. No passion. Toni had been ignoring it since…well, since he first kissed her. It was getting harder to ignore by the day.
When they’d gotten together, she’d thought she was making a smart choice in a companion. A responsible choice. Choosing a man who had a stable and lucrative job, goals for the future, one who was dependable, and reliable. Chris wasn’t a bad guy. In fact, quite the opposite.
He’d treated her well throughout their relationship. Hell, he’d even dropped everything and come to Tennessee with her for her parents’ funeral. He just wasn’t a panty-melter. And while she’d tried to tell herself it didn’t matter, it was starting to matter.
Problems for another time. Toni started to turn toward the kitchen, but a large hand on her arm stopped her.
“Like what you’re doing here, lady. Always wanted to eat at this place. Got a lot of growing boys in my club,” the copper-haired giant said with a smile she wouldn’t have thought possible until she saw it with her own eyes. A smile that made him look less fierce and more attractive. “We’ll bring you some good, steady business.”
She met his gaze and saw the unspoken words. And we won’t cause you any trouble.
With a nod she said, “Enjoy your breakfast. I’ll grab Michelle.”
Toni found Michelle in the kitchen, leaning against the walk-in refrigerator with her pad and pen in hand, her head tipped back, and her eyes closed.
“Hey, hon, you okay?” Toni asked.
Michelle’s eyes popped open and she sighed. “Just taking a minute to catch my breath. Busiest day in a while. Guess that’s what happens when people can’t get their breakfast fix for a week, huh?”
“Well don’t stab me with that pen, but you have another table. It’s, uh, three of the Hell’s Handlers.”
Half of Michelle’s mouth moved up in a chagrined smile. “Yeah, I saw them come in.”
“Ahh, might that have anything to do with your sudden need for air?”
“Could be.” She chuckled and said, “Thought I found the one place I wouldn’t have to see them.”
Toni sensed she hadn’t meant to say that last part out loud, so she let it go, though it had her very curious about Michelle’s life. “The big one called you Shell. Seems pretty familiar with you. You okay serving them?”
A very unladylike snort came from Michelle. “Trust me, you don’t want to tell those guys they can’t get what they want. I’ll be fine.”
“You sure? I won’t have anyone making you feel uncomfortable.”
Her blonde curls bounced as she shook her head. “It’s nothing to worry about. Just a lot of complicated…ness.”
“Complicatedness, huh? I may have some experience with that.” Toni flexed and straightened her right elbow a few times. She’d only been holding the coffee pot for about five minutes and the bicep was already screaming. Another few hours and she’d have a dead arm. Time for a gym membership. “Maybe we should grab a drink while I’m here and compare stories.”