“Will I see you at the diner later?”
“Yes.” I can’t stay away. Maybe she knows that.
“Thanks, Sully.” She holds the bag against her side and turns to leave, her sweet dress flaring out from her as she hops down my back stairs. “I’ll bring it back tomorrow.”
“See you later.” I get my lathe spinning again, but I keep my eye on Orchid. After all, she’s in danger.
2
ORCHID
I let out a small moan as the first bite of Dixie’s strawberry cake melts in my mouth. She says I’m a terrible taste tester because I love everything. Growing up, there wasn't a lot of variety when it came to food. We only had the same few things on repeat. I don’t think anyone even used salt or pepper. It’s been three months since I escaped that life, and still I’m finding foods I’ve never tried.
“Let me guess. You like it.” Dixie gives me a teasing smile as she sets the cover back over the cake.
“Her uniform doesn’t,” Roxie mutters as she passes behind me to drop something into the sink.
I glance down at my uniform, unsure of what she means. I think the uniform is kind of cute. It has that old diner feel to it. Plus, like all the other dresses I get to wear these days, it doesn’t go to my ankles. In fact, my uniform looks to have gotten a few inches shorter than it was when I first started wearing it. The hem of the skirt used to sit right above my knee, and now it rides higher up my thighs.
“Go be a bitch somewhere else,” Dixie snaps at her.
I let out a small gasp at her outburst, followed by a laugh. Cursing might not be totally new to me, but hearing those words come from an older woman that could be my grandmother makes me laugh every time. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it. But I’ve thought that about a lot of things since I came here.
“Whatever.” Roxie rolls her eyes before pushing back through the swinging door to the front of the diner.
“Don’t listen to her. I think your uniform is looking better than ever. Your cheeks too. When you smile now, those dimples really shine.” I reach up and touch my cheeks. “But if it’s bothering you, we can get you a bigger size.”
“Oh!” It hits me what they mean. My weight. “It doesn’t bother me,” I admit.
My cheeks warm. I’ve noticed the weight too, but it hasn’t bothered me. In fact, when I look in the mirror when I step out of the shower, I look more womanly. Back home, they’d call my body sinful. Maybe that’s why they make the food so terrible—so no one gets hips and boobs. I like them. For the first time in my life, my body feels as though it belongs to me. Not that I haven't thought about it belonging to someone else. Someone I choose.
“I think Roxie is the only one it bothers.” She cackles. “Maybe Sully too.”
“Sully?” Hearing his name alone can make my heart flutter. I mean, how could it not with how handsome he is? I have to admit that the man rules most of my thoughts. Even giving me ones I’d never had before. He’s inspired them inside me. So much so I’ve been starting to write them all down.
“Roxie just wants the attention on her is all.”
I start to ask Dixie about Sully, but Roxie bursts back through the swinging door. “You’re up,” she says, letting me know someone either sat in my section or requested me.
“Thanks.” I check to make sure I have my notepad before I head toward the front of the diner. My eyes flick to the clock. The same giddy feeling hits me when I see the time. It’s Sully. He comes every night at this time to eat an early dinner and always sits in my section.
He’d actually been my first table ever. That’s both a good and bad memory all wrapped into one. I ended up spilling half his food all over the table and partly into his lap. I could never forget that day. It’s branded into my mind. I was sure I was going to get fired.
The whole diner had grown eerily quiet except for the sound of Roxie’s smothered laughter. Everyone was waiting for the beast of a sexy man that had somehow managed to fit himself into one of the booths to explode. And he hadn’t disappointed them in the least. However, it hadn’t been directed at me. Well, not fully at least.
He was snapping about them letting me carry too much. That I didn’t need to rush to get the food to him. That he was in no hurry when he came to the diner. He said I needed to slow down and take my time.