brother—through the front door instead of the employees’ entrance in the back. This was her third home. She was smiling this evening, reliving the moment of seeing the surprise, interest, and appreciation in Junior D.D.S.’s eyes.
This change in him had been flattering. He was something up close, a woman’s wet dream. She wondered what was up with his date, all polish and sophistication, who’d stood by and watched as he held on to her.
The restaurant was empty now, too early yet for the dinner crowd. Her brother’s place had been open going on two years now, with a very loyal following thanks to Jacob, their cook.
Joshua and Jacob had been friends for as long as she could remember—through both high school and the army. Jacob could cook like nobody’s business, old-school Southern-style cooking, learned at his grandmother’s knee. Jacob handled the cooking and Joshua handled everything else. Both men were scarred from the war—Joshua’s were visible, while Jacob’s were more internal and emotional. This place was their respite, therapy, and livelihood all rolled into one.
She usually stopped by daily to fill in or help out in whatever capacity he needed. She smiled at Amber, who was still holding on and seemed to be working out. She headed to the back to the kitchen; she was hungry and needed to eat before the dinner rush of customers arrived.
She pushed through the swinging doors that led away from the main dining area. It was a small restaurant with about twenty tables and a small bar in the corner. They served mostly beer and wine. She knew Joshua was giving thought to purchasing the old house next door to use for parking or expanding, but he hadn’t decided yet. It had been up for sale for a while. She was contemplating giving up her slightly depleted savings to make it happen; not that he’d asked. He was too independent for that.
Hoping to grab a quick bite before it got crowded, she sauntered into the kitchen, not in any hurry to start another job. Jacob stood over some large pot stirring something, hair tied under a bandana, an apron tied around his front. She walked over to stand next to him and grabbed a bowl.
“Hey,” she said, sticking her bowl next to his pot.
“Back at you,” he said, smiling as he spooned something into her bowl. “You working tonight? Who’d he fire?” he asked, shaking his head.
“No one yet.”
“That’s good. Amber’s a sweet girl. Everything goes over her head, which is in an excellent attribute for working with your brother.”
“Don’t I know it. Where is he?”
“In his office.”
“I’m going to see what needs doing. I’ll see ya later.”
“Yep,” he replied and she set off to find her brother. She walked down the hall to his office, drinking from her bowl of soup as if it were coffee.
She entered Joshua’s office, which was sparse in its furnishings: there was a desk and two chairs, one behind it for him and one in front. He looked up as she entered.
“I need you to review the books for me,” he said by way of greeting.
“Sure.” He was handsome, her brother. Wore his hair in braids. They could have passed for twins. She’d heard that comment all of her life. He was older than her by about five years.
“Heard you lost,” he said.
“Yep,” she said, taking a seat in the chair across from him.
“Not off to a good start.”
“I agree.”
“Well, no use dwelling on the bad. Here, look these over,” he said, passing a folder over to her.
“Sure. Any new waitresses I need to train?” she asked, taking another sip from her bowl.
“Nope,” he said, standing up and making his way to the door. “I’ve got to get back to the front. Come up when you’re done.”
“Will do,” she said, opening the folder he’d given her.
* * *
Adam sat at the computer at his desk at the end of his lunch hour. It was the end of the week. He was surfing, specifically searching for information on her . He’d located the website
This change in him had been flattering. He was something up close, a woman’s wet dream. She wondered what was up with his date, all polish and sophistication, who’d stood by and watched as he held on to her.
The restaurant was empty now, too early yet for the dinner crowd. Her brother’s place had been open going on two years now, with a very loyal following thanks to Jacob, their cook.
Joshua and Jacob had been friends for as long as she could remember—through both high school and the army. Jacob could cook like nobody’s business, old-school Southern-style cooking, learned at his grandmother’s knee. Jacob handled the cooking and Joshua handled everything else. Both men were scarred from the war—Joshua’s were visible, while Jacob’s were more internal and emotional. This place was their respite, therapy, and livelihood all rolled into one.
She usually stopped by daily to fill in or help out in whatever capacity he needed. She smiled at Amber, who was still holding on and seemed to be working out. She headed to the back to the kitchen; she was hungry and needed to eat before the dinner rush of customers arrived.
She pushed through the swinging doors that led away from the main dining area. It was a small restaurant with about twenty tables and a small bar in the corner. They served mostly beer and wine. She knew Joshua was giving thought to purchasing the old house next door to use for parking or expanding, but he hadn’t decided yet. It had been up for sale for a while. She was contemplating giving up her slightly depleted savings to make it happen; not that he’d asked. He was too independent for that.
Hoping to grab a quick bite before it got crowded, she sauntered into the kitchen, not in any hurry to start another job. Jacob stood over some large pot stirring something, hair tied under a bandana, an apron tied around his front. She walked over to stand next to him and grabbed a bowl.
“Hey,” she said, sticking her bowl next to his pot.
“Back at you,” he said, smiling as he spooned something into her bowl. “You working tonight? Who’d he fire?” he asked, shaking his head.
“No one yet.”
“That’s good. Amber’s a sweet girl. Everything goes over her head, which is in an excellent attribute for working with your brother.”
“Don’t I know it. Where is he?”
“In his office.”
“I’m going to see what needs doing. I’ll see ya later.”
“Yep,” he replied and she set off to find her brother. She walked down the hall to his office, drinking from her bowl of soup as if it were coffee.
She entered Joshua’s office, which was sparse in its furnishings: there was a desk and two chairs, one behind it for him and one in front. He looked up as she entered.
“I need you to review the books for me,” he said by way of greeting.
“Sure.” He was handsome, her brother. Wore his hair in braids. They could have passed for twins. She’d heard that comment all of her life. He was older than her by about five years.
“Heard you lost,” he said.
“Yep,” she said, taking a seat in the chair across from him.
“Not off to a good start.”
“I agree.”
“Well, no use dwelling on the bad. Here, look these over,” he said, passing a folder over to her.
“Sure. Any new waitresses I need to train?” she asked, taking another sip from her bowl.
“Nope,” he said, standing up and making his way to the door. “I’ve got to get back to the front. Come up when you’re done.”
“Will do,” she said, opening the folder he’d given her.
* * *
Adam sat at the computer at his desk at the end of his lunch hour. It was the end of the week. He was surfing, specifically searching for information on her . He’d located the website
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