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“Something like that,” I conceded.

“Right, well, you’re allowed here for ten minutes every two hours. The rest of the time, I don’t want to see you near the place,” Emmy declared adamantly.

“You do remember I’m the one who pays your wages, don’t you?” I reminded her as I started to load the dishwasher.

“Yep. But River is more important than the diner, and you know it. If it were me in your shoes …”

“Yeah, yeah,” I agreed, knowing she had a point. “Give me five minutes and a bucket of coffee, and I’ll get out of your way.”

“Deal,” Emmy agreed with a clap of her hands and a smug smile on her face.

The bells above the door jingled, and Emmy headed out to greet our new customers. Some days, working with your best friend was the smartest idea I’d ever had. Other days, not so much.

After I turned on the dishwasher and the gentle hum filled the kitchen, I checked in with Ryan to make sure he had everything he needed.

“I’m good,” he promised.

“But you’ll call if you’re not? Or if Emmy gets overwhelmed?” I begged.

“Absolutely,” Ryan replied, giving me a hug. Even though he’d promised he would, we both knew he had no intention of calling. Even if the place was on fire, until the firefighters were standing in the smoldering remains, he’d avoid calling.

Shaking off the heaviness, I changed the bin, hauling the trash out and tossing it in the dumpster.

I glanced across at my house. Everything was still. Everything was silent. But the guilt was overwhelming. Paralyzing even. I felt like no matter what decision I made, it would be the wrong one. Leaving River at home to run my business, the business that kept a roof over our head and food on our table, felt like I was letting him down when he needed me. Staying at home with River and hoping my business survived, making everyone else pick up my slack in my business that was my responsibility, felt wrong, too. I couldn’t win.

Standing out here debating with myself wasn’t helping anyone, though. I hurried back inside, put in a new trash liner, and double-checked the kitchen. Everything seemed to be in place.

Finally satisfied, I snuck out behind the counter, put another pot of coffee on, and poured myself a takeaway cup.

I went to set the lid on the top, and because my day was going to shit and I wasn’t paying attention, I pushed a little too hard, crushing the cup and splashing hot coffee all over me and the counter.

“Holy mother fucker,” I cursed as I cradled my hand.

I tried to clean up my mess with the other hand when someone took the crushed cup from me.

“Stop. Let me have a look,” a deep voice instructed, reaching for my hand and cradling it gently.

I could feel the coffee dripping onto my shoes, but I couldn’t force myself to care.

I looked up and got caught in the most intense eyes I’d ever seen. Eyes that bore straight through me. Eyes that I knew were going to change my world.

Chapter five

Cody

Her pulse thumped beneath my thumb where I cradled her hand in mine. Her skin was red and angry, and she was probably in pain. But she wasn’t budging.

“We need to get this under some cold water,” I told her as I rounded the end of the counter without letting go.

“It’s fine,” she deflected, finally realizing I was still holding her hand.

“You’ve got a burn. You need to get it under some water so it doesn’t scar,” I reasoned.

“I’ve got to clean up the mess. Someone could slip and …”

“I got it, Til-Rosie,” the other waitress, the one with the over-enthusiastic personality, told her.

Rosie huffed and rolled her eyes before looking over at me. “Fine. I’ll run it under some water.” Conceding defeat seemed to be something she wasn’t used to, and somehow I found I liked her even more.