I studied her ample ass and wondered if she might be taught.
The thought had merit and made me smile.
“Hey, man.”
I was pulled from my thoughts by Rowan’s cook, and I turned to face him. “Yeah?”
The big man studied me. “You better be careful with her.”
“I think Rowan can handle herself just fine,” I replied casually.
“Never said she couldn’t,” he replied, not so casually. “Rowan took a chance on me when no one else in the world would. That makes her family to me, and no one fucks with my family. You understand?”
I gave him a chin lift. “I don’t fuck with good people. You have my word.”
Without another word, he turned back to the grill and continued with the lunch orders.
* * *
Rowan
I escaped out to the front, noticing the dining room was beginning to fill up, so I went to work, helping Dusty wait tables. Right before five, several of Scooby’s biker friends walked in, so to say that we truly had a dinner rush was an understatement. They actually ate us out of everything Dusty had baked for the entire day.
It wasn’t lost on me that the older gentleman who went by ‘Gizzard’ seemed to quite like Dusty. He kept ordering more and more food (I suspect) so he could continue to sit in her section despite the growing line of waiting patrons.
I led a family of six back to our biggest booth by the window, handing them menus before heading behind the breakfast bar to fill glasses with water.
“You’re gettin’ busy,” Scooby said.
“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” I retorted.
“Can I help?”
“Can you wait tables?”
He smirked.
I chuckled. “Can you help Monty plate food?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I can do that.”
“Thanks, Scooby.” I let out a relieved sigh. “You have no idea how much I appreciate you.”
He squeezed my arm. “I feel it, Rowan.”
His touch sent a shiver down my spine, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from leaning into him.
Lordy.
This man was getting to me.
* * *
Scooby
I tied up the sack of trash and made my way out back toward the dumpster where I found Monty standing opposite three young men. These guys clearly lived on the streets and were likely looking to roll Monty for some quick cash. The guy in the middle was holding a large hunting knife and judging by his demeanor, was lit up like a fucking Christmas tree.
“Everything okay out here, Monty?” I called out as I approached.