“Bain,” Braxton snapped.
“What?” Bain questioned.
“Be fuckin’ nice,” Braxton hissed.
“I’m just telling it how it is, bro.” Bain shrugged.
“Sooo…” I waited. “Which one?”
“Just get her the regular cheeseburger,” Braxton suggested.
I left then, making a mental note to get Bain another Dr Pepper since he’d already sucked those two down.
Sadly, I also got the rest of them their drinks, put their orders through and then guessed on the chick’s drink since I really wasn’t paying attention to what she was saying.
After dropping Bain’s Dr Pepper first, I placed Braxton’s water down, followed by the water for his girl.
“I brought you a water since I couldn’t remember your drink order,” I said.
“Well, I ordered a water, but I don’t drink water from the tap.” She sniffed. “You can take that back. I’ll have what he’s having.” She pointed at Bain.
I shrugged. “I’ll bring that for you, then.”
There was no point in pointing out how rude she was.
Nor how much the sound of her voice annoyed me.
“He doesn’t want water, either,” Telly said, eyes narrowed.
“Braxton has a sensitive stomach, honey,” I told her. “If he drinks a Dr Pepper, he’s going to be leaving here with an upset stomach.”
Which, of course, Telly took offense to.
“That’s not what he wanted,” she repeated.
“Bring me a Dr Pepper,” Braxton ordered.
I rolled my eyes. “Your funeral.”
“She’s lovely,” Shawna teased as she picked up Bain’s appetizer, which he didn’t order, from the window.
I took it and grinned, forcing my eyes wide. “She’s just the best.”
Shawna’s laughter followed me all the way to Bain as I placed the pretzel down in front of him.
“We’re playing around with a new menu,” I said as I handed it to him and him only. “It’s half the size of the regular one because I wanted you to try it.”
Bain took it and groaned. “It’s spicy mayo?”
“Yep,” I confirmed.
Funny enough, almost half of the menu was inspired by what Bain loved.
All because, over the years, I’d made it a point to memorize it and make suggestions to the cook and the owner based on Bain’s loves.
I wasn’t hung up on him at all…
“Oh, God,” Bain said as he dipped it generously in the mayo. “This is the fuckin’ best.”
I patted him on the chest and walked away, snorting when I heard Telly say, “Are you going to share?”
Bain’s reply of “nope” was music to my ears.
“You’re an ass.” Telly sniffed.
My lips were peeled back into a generous smile as I pulled up at my next customer’s table.
That smile died a fast death when I saw who it was.
Bart.
Or, Bartholomew, to be more specific.
He was a rancher that lived about thirty miles north of Accident and he’d stopped in once about a year ago when he was visiting family and had been back a lot ever since because of me.
Even though I never returned his advances, it never stopped him from making them.
He was vile, and I couldn’t stand him.
But, worse, Shawna couldn’t stand him either.
Therefore, it was me dealing with him regardless of what I wanted.
“Bart,” I said, knowing he hated it when I shortened his name. “What can I get you today?”
“My usual,” he answered with a sickly sweet smile.
“I’m sorry, Bart, but I don’t remember your usual. You’ll have to remind me,” I said, forcing a smile.
His eyes narrowed as he said, “You remembered that guy’s order.”
Oh, so he was pissed because of my familiarity with Bain.
Got it.
“Well.” I shrugged. “Bain and I are very close. It would be really weird if I didn’t.”
“How close?” he asked.
I didn’t answer. “Your order?”
He placed it, knowing that I wouldn’t be answering any personal questions.
Though, I never did.
Smiling stiffly, not giving him the real one that I usually reserved for people that weren’t him, I headed to the kitchen and placed his order.
After dropping coffee back off, I turned and was about to head in the opposite direction when I heard as well as felt it.
The smack on my ass was heard throughout the diner.
“Thanks, darlin’,” Bart cooed.
As if he was somethin’ to me.
I stopped, standing woodenly and stared at the ceiling. That man thought he was big and bad.
The slap on my ass took me by surprise and I turned, awestruck that someone actually thought they could do that to a woman and not have his head knocked off.
“You have two seconds to give me everything in your wallet, or I’ll let the man walking toward us beat the absolute shit out of you. Your choice.”
The fucking prick. God, he was such a tightwad. Yet, he expected me to always deal with his shit and never get compensated for it? Yeah, I think not.
The guy looked where I’d indicated to see Bain barreling down on us.
“Oh, fuck,” the surprise butt slapper said. “It was a joke.”
Bart looked over my shoulder and his eyes widened the closer Bain got.