She took their order, handed it off in the kitchen and picked up Antonio’s pie and cappuccino. She served him, but they didn’t have time to talk further as a busload of retirees arrived, on a field trip to Longwood Gardens and the antique shops up on Route 30.
By the time she caught her breath again, Antonio was gone, the hot chocolate super machine left on the table, along with a generous tip.
She couldn’t just leave the box there. New customers were coming in. But she was definitely going to have another talk with Antonio about this the next time he stopped by. She didn't want him to think that the gift would buy some kind of personal relationship with her.
As Kate flew past the counter, Eileen wiggled her eyebrows. The boss was close to retirement, but still had the energy of a woman half her age. Her graying hair, usually in a French braid, would fly behind her as she darted around the diner to serve her customers. She always had a smile on her face and at the moment it stretched extra wide. “Things heating up with Antonio?”
“ Maybe.” Maybe a quick affair with a hot guy wouldn’t be a terrible thing.
“ He does have a way of looking at a woman, doesn’t he?” Eileen fanned herself with her hand, but then turned serious. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but did you say you were having trouble with your rental? Is everything okay?”
Kate summed up her situation in two sentences. “Not a big deal. We’ll figure it out.”
“ I didn’t realize you were renting from Murph.”
“ I didn’t either.” Which was the problem, obviously.
“ He’s one of the good ones. All the way. I mean, Antonio is nice, but Murph is the real deal. When I broke my wrist last spring, he came and dug up my garden for me. He’s single.” Eileen smiled innocently.
“ Jeez.” Kate glanced around the room. “I better see to table three.”
When her 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift ended, she walked across the road with Jimmy. Two delivery trucks had blocked the parking spots on the diner's side street when she’d come in that morning, so she’d parked by the bank across the road. She never parked in the diner’s back parking lot. Too secluded.
She didn’t like places where she was isolated or could be easily trapped if Asael caught up with her.
She drove Jimmy over to the library and they did calculus for an hour, while in the back of her mind she worried about Murph.
Jimmy happened to mention that the apartment next to his just freed up. Maybe she should go take a look, maybe they wouldn’t require a credit and background check, she thought as she drove to the mechanic shop on her way home. While she’d been with Jimmy, Fred had called to let her know that the part her heater needed was in. With the worst of winter still ahead, heat in the car was kind of an important thing.
Behind Arnie’s Gas Station, the gray, cement block shop consisted of three bays and an office in the back. The air smelled like motor oil, the floor had some grime to it, but the locals didn’t seem to mind. No frills, no thrills, decent prices.
She liked Fred Kazincky. He was a retired mechanic, working his way down to Florida. He took temporary jobs along the way, only staying in one place long enough to make money for the next leg of his journey. Kind of like her.
He wiped his oily hands on his blue work overalls as he spotted her walking in. “There you are.”
He was about her height, his movements stiff from arthritis, his face lined, carrying the mark of a life fully lived. “Want to leave the car? You could pick it up tomorrow after work. Jackie’s coming off shift at the register, I’m sure she’d give you a ride home.”
“ That’s okay. I’d rather walk.”
The house she rented waited just a few blocks away and the Pizza Palace stood halfway between, selling not only fresh-made pizzas, but all the ingredients right in the store for people to make their pies at home whichever way they liked.
By the time she caught her breath again, Antonio was gone, the hot chocolate super machine left on the table, along with a generous tip.
She couldn’t just leave the box there. New customers were coming in. But she was definitely going to have another talk with Antonio about this the next time he stopped by. She didn't want him to think that the gift would buy some kind of personal relationship with her.
As Kate flew past the counter, Eileen wiggled her eyebrows. The boss was close to retirement, but still had the energy of a woman half her age. Her graying hair, usually in a French braid, would fly behind her as she darted around the diner to serve her customers. She always had a smile on her face and at the moment it stretched extra wide. “Things heating up with Antonio?”
“ Maybe.” Maybe a quick affair with a hot guy wouldn’t be a terrible thing.
“ He does have a way of looking at a woman, doesn’t he?” Eileen fanned herself with her hand, but then turned serious. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but did you say you were having trouble with your rental? Is everything okay?”
Kate summed up her situation in two sentences. “Not a big deal. We’ll figure it out.”
“ I didn’t realize you were renting from Murph.”
“ I didn’t either.” Which was the problem, obviously.
“ He’s one of the good ones. All the way. I mean, Antonio is nice, but Murph is the real deal. When I broke my wrist last spring, he came and dug up my garden for me. He’s single.” Eileen smiled innocently.
“ Jeez.” Kate glanced around the room. “I better see to table three.”
When her 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift ended, she walked across the road with Jimmy. Two delivery trucks had blocked the parking spots on the diner's side street when she’d come in that morning, so she’d parked by the bank across the road. She never parked in the diner’s back parking lot. Too secluded.
She didn’t like places where she was isolated or could be easily trapped if Asael caught up with her.
She drove Jimmy over to the library and they did calculus for an hour, while in the back of her mind she worried about Murph.
Jimmy happened to mention that the apartment next to his just freed up. Maybe she should go take a look, maybe they wouldn’t require a credit and background check, she thought as she drove to the mechanic shop on her way home. While she’d been with Jimmy, Fred had called to let her know that the part her heater needed was in. With the worst of winter still ahead, heat in the car was kind of an important thing.
Behind Arnie’s Gas Station, the gray, cement block shop consisted of three bays and an office in the back. The air smelled like motor oil, the floor had some grime to it, but the locals didn’t seem to mind. No frills, no thrills, decent prices.
She liked Fred Kazincky. He was a retired mechanic, working his way down to Florida. He took temporary jobs along the way, only staying in one place long enough to make money for the next leg of his journey. Kind of like her.
He wiped his oily hands on his blue work overalls as he spotted her walking in. “There you are.”
He was about her height, his movements stiff from arthritis, his face lined, carrying the mark of a life fully lived. “Want to leave the car? You could pick it up tomorrow after work. Jackie’s coming off shift at the register, I’m sure she’d give you a ride home.”
“ That’s okay. I’d rather walk.”
The house she rented waited just a few blocks away and the Pizza Palace stood halfway between, selling not only fresh-made pizzas, but all the ingredients right in the store for people to make their pies at home whichever way they liked.
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