Page 1 of Peaks and Promises

CHAPTER 1

Reese

Restless. I’d been back for less than twenty-four hours, and I was already restless.

Without looking up, I pushed the empty mug closer to the edge of the table so the waitress could pour coffee. The busy diner buzzed with activity—dishes and silverware clanked, food sizzled on the grill, the waitstaff bustled up and down the single aisle between booths, and a low hum of conversation hung in the air. Housed in an old railroad car, the diner had a vintage vibe, but I wasn’t there for the ambience. Mostly, it was close to my house.

“Your server will be here in a minute to take your order,” she said as she finished pouring.

Still scanning the menu, I grunted a reply, but she’d already walked away.

Like a reflex I couldn’t control, I checked my phone. As if I’d suddenly have a message from my partner with a new job.

That was how it always went. I’d do a job, come back, and tell myself that would be it for a while. I was going to take some time off. And why not? I’d just spent four months doing security for an archaeological site in Peru. Looters and grave robbers could be a problem, but we hadn’t encountered too many issues. Except the bugs.

Idly, I scratched a mostly healed insect bite on my arm.

Take time off. That made sense. I probably needed a break.

But now that I was back and had all the time in the world for a greasy diner breakfast, I was impatient as hell. Ready to get back to work.

To do something.

My waitress appeared next to the booth, dressed in jeans and a pink T-shirt with the diner logo on the front.

“Oh, hey,” she said. “It’s you.”

Bracing myself for impact, I looked up and met her gaze.

Bam. Those pretty blue eyes and bright smile hit me square in the chest, just like they always did.

“Hey, Summer.”

Her smile widened and she scrunched her nose. She had a dusting of freckles across her cheeks and her blond hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail.

“Where the heck have you been? I thought you disappeared on me.”

“I was out of town for work.”

“Must have been quite the trip.”

“It was long. Glad to be back.”

“I’m glad you’re back, too.” Her cheeks flushed. Biting her lip, she pulled her notepad and pen from her apron pocket. “So, what can I get you? The usual?”

“The usual.”

“Steak and eggs. No hash browns, no toast,” she said as she wrote.

One corner of my mouth lifted. “Good memory.”

She shrugged. “You’re kinda memorable.”

My smile grew.

“Anyway.” She laughed a little, as if she were nervous.

“How’s your son, by the way?” I’d never met her son, but I knew from chatting with her that she was a single mom. When I was in town, I was something of a regular at the diner and usually managed to be seated in Summer’s section.