"Alright, no problem. If you boys need anything, you let me know." More than two or three bobbed their heads, eyes wide, as they followed her retreating rearend.
"Do you know what you want to eat?" I asked, redirecting their otherwise engaged attentions. For several minutes I stood there, writing down simple and complicated orders. Burgers, Salads, arguments about carbohydrates.Who knew guys could be just as concerned about their weight asgirls?
No other customers entered the diner as I waited for the group's orders to be finished. Knix and Alex talked quietly at the counter and Joanna flirted back and forth with the customers in her section. As I entered the food orders, I rememberedsomething.
"Hey, Alex?" Alex paused, mid-sentence, and looked away from Knix. I ran my fingers over the edge of the counter. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt." I glanced back at Knix. "I just wanted to let you know, I can't work thisSunday."
"You can't?" He cocked his head to the side. "I thought you were usually free onSundays."
"I am," I blurted. "I mean, I was – I am usually – but the lady who takes my mom in for her appointments needs a babysitter that day and she's only willing to help me out if I can babysit when she needs me. Do you mind? I can find someone to cover the shift if youneed–"
He waved his hand in front of my face, cutting me off. "No. No. It's fine. Don't worry about it." Alex stepped across the aisle to the drink dispenser to refill a glass with Sweet Tea before returning to set it down in front ofKnix.
"I'm gonna head back and see if Carl needs any help. Harlow, stay here and watch the counter for me, will you?" I shuffled over to take his place in front of Knix as he pivoted towards thekitchen.
"Niceguy."
"Who? Alex?"Of course he meant Alex. Who else could he mean?I mentally slapped myself upside the head while trying to control the blush I could feel spreading up my neck and across my cheeksagain.
Knix chuckled. "Yea, Alex. I've known him for quite awhile."
"I’ve never seen you in here before, not until last night," I said. "How did youmeet?"
"We work for the sameorganization."
"You're into real estate?" That was the only other specific work that I knew Alex did, but for some reason, looking at Knix – his height, his width, his stark appearance – he didn't strike me as the real estatetype.
"Not exactly." He leaned forward and raised his glass to hislips.
My eyes followed as a bead of condensation slipped slowly down the outside. Before I could ask another question one of the football players called meover.
I didn't get a second more to myself until well after Knix had paid Alex his tab and left. Between running food, bussing tables with Alex, and seating customers, my break came well after the sun had set. I glanced up as a strike of bright light flashed across the windows. A few seconds later, a crack and thunder rolled through. Isighed.
"Do you want a lift home?" I paused as Alex locked the door to his back office, set in the corner of the kitchen, with two blind covered windows looking into thearea.
I hefted my satchel over my shoulder. My eyes were drooping, my neck hurt, and I was more than ready to crawl into bed. Not only that, but I really didn't want to walk home in the rain tonight. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble," Irelented.
Alex smiled and patted the top of my head as he passed by. "Not at all, Squirt. Let'sgo."
He led me outside to his truck, opening the door for me, and even assisting me into the cab as the rain poured down. A thirty-minute walk took much less time in a truck, and when Alex's headlights flashed over my mailbox, I unbuckled my seatbelt, said a hurried goodbye, and practically sprinted for my front door. He waited patiently until I had the door unlocked before backing up and turning out of thedriveway.
The house smelled like dust and dollar store hand soap. I passed my mom's room without much fanfare, the light sounds of snoring from beneath her door telling me that she was oblivious to the rocking rainfall outside. Falling face first into my bed, I struggled to reach up and make sure my alarm clock was set for an hour before the bus would arrive in the morning and then sank into blissfulsleep.