“Just make the order,” she spat.
“Write it down and hang it up like you’re supposed to,” he shot back.
She shook her head and pulled out a little notepad from the pocket of her apron and began to write.
“Pancakes,” she said and ripped off the paper and hung it on a little carousel by the cook’s head. “Now you make it.”
He made a reply, but it was too low to hear. Piper made a face and grabbed the coffee and went around filling cups. On her way back by I grabbed her wrist and spun her around. Gently, she pulled away and sat the almost empty pot on the counter.
“Is that guy bothering you?” I asked. I hadn’t liked the way he acted toward her.
“No. He’s new and he doesn’t like me is all. It’s fine. I deal with it.” She picked up the pot again, then smiled. “I can’t believe I haven’t thanked you yet.”
“Thanked me?”
“I got the flowers. They’re beautiful.”
Was she blushing? “I’m glad you liked them.”
“I really do,” she began, and it looked like she might say something more when the cook interrupted.
“Order up!” he yelled.
She took a breath and moved off to put the coffee pot back and deliver the plates of food to a nearby table.
A few minutes later she handed me a plate of pancakes and a glass container of syrup. As I poured the dark liquid over the stack, I thought about her tired eyes this morning. Maybe the reason she looked a little run down wasn’t from lack of sleep or an early morning. Maybe she was still feeling sick from the reaction she had before.
I felt a little stab of something in the center of my chest, but I ignored it. I didn’t have time for feelings. I had to complete this job. My life depended on it.
I took a bite of the pancakes, not really tasting them, as my mind worked to formulate a plan. I needed to get out of town. I needed away from Grim, from Charming… I needed a vacation.
Bingo.
I glanced up to see Piper hanging an order slip for the line cook. I watched as he knocked into her with his side and she fell sideways, nearly losing her balance.
She put her hands on her hips and made a face as the guy yelled, “Watch where you’re going!”
My fork clattered against the glass of my plate as I shoved off the stool and went around to the employee side of the counter.
“Employees only, sir,” the other waitress on staff told me as I shouldered my way past her.
Piper looked up from behind the register. She looked worse than earlier. Something inside me snapped and I shoved the line cook, causing him to pitch forward. He caught himself before landing face first onto the piping hot griddle.
“Hey!” he shouted and turned. “What the hell’s your problem?”
“I don’t like the way you treat the waitresses.”
“It’s none of your damn business!” he said, waiving an oversized spatula around.
“Apologize,” I demanded.
“Dex, just let it go,” Piper said from behind the angry cook.
“Yeah, Dex, let it go,” the cook mocked.
My fist shot out and nailed him right across the jaw. He flew backwards, knocking over a container full of utensils and they all clattered to the floor. He gave a grunt and came at me, and instead of sidestepping like I should have, I stayed still and took his fist right to the left side of my face.
A guy had to do what a guy had to do.
