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Ian
Ian watched the waitress across the room tuck a strand of her wispy blonde hair behind her ear. She grinned at the men in the booth and batted her eyelashes, knowing that move would likely double her tip. Everyone in the diner loved her. It wasn’t just her looks either. She seemed like she actually listened to everyone. She got every order right.
Ian turned and took a swig of his cola and put his glass down on the lacquered countertop at the bar. He pulled a small silver rectangular lighter from his pocket and flipped the lid open with his thumb. One flick of his wrist and it closed. He heard the waitress, Jessica, giggle at them as if one of the men had said something ridiculously funny. She laughed like that with customers new to the diner. Her regulars got a more serious version of her. Jessica was smart—like ridiculously smart. She could have gotten into any college she’d wanted. But kids who grew up in Copper Creek never strayed far. Not enough money.
He plucked a fry from his plate and bit off the end. Dishes clattered through the small serving window behind the bar. Silverware clinked against cheap tempered laminate glass plates. Another waitress offered coffee to a customer who sat a few chairs down from him. The smell of chicken fried steak filled the restaurant. Ian flipped the lighter again and ran his thumb over the familiar engraving of the word Jacob. The lighter had been a gift to his father from some hotshot in the ranching community. No one knew his dad as Jacob. He was Jake to all his friends. And he would have loved Sal’s Diner.
Every Thursday for the last six months, Ian had eaten his dinner at this establishment. He’d passed the diner almost every day since he could remember, and yet he’d never happened to go inside. Working his family’s cattle ranch didn’t allow for much time to himself. The moment he’d walked inside and laid eyes on Jessica, he knew he’d find every excuse to make time to see her.
Not that she’d noticed. She was involved with some greasy city kid who lived in Colorado Springs. He couldn’t remember a time when her boyfriend wasn’t high on some kind of drug. Ian suspected the kid sold the stuff.
Taking another pull of his soda, Ian glanced over his shoulder at Jessica as she made her way to the bar. She flashed him a smile. “Can I get you more to drink, Ian?”
He leaned back in his seat and shook his head, returning the smile. “Nah, I’m good. But you could get me a big ol’ slice of Sal’s famous apple pie.”
She nodded. “Coming right up.” Jessica scribbled the order on her pad. She tore off a separate order and slipped it into the rickety, metal ticket corral that sat in the window to the kitchen.
A bell tinkled and a few heads turned as the door to the restaurant swung open. Ian groaned. Speak of the devil. Jessica smiled and waved at Tucker. He didn’t so much as acknowledge her. Instead, he made a beeline for the booth where the strangers sat.
Jessica slid a plate across the bar to Ian. “Here ya go, hun. Let me know if I can get you anything else.” Her eyes were already on the table across the room. She wiped her hands on her apron and picked up a tray full of drinks.
Yep, he was practically invisible. Jessica deserved so much better. Couldn’t she see that Tucker was bad news? It was only a matter of time before the kid ended up in jail or worse. Even Ian could tell the guy had a total lack of respect for everyone around him.
Ian sighed and shook his head. He stabbed his fork into the pie and lifted the bite to his mouth. A burst of apple, cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg overwhelmed his tastebuds. He’d never met Sal, but if he ever did, he wouldn’t shy away from asking for the recipe. No one made pies like Sal.
“Tucker, not now.”
Ian’s ears pricked up. He didn’t turn around right away.
Jessica’s voice was quiet but firm. Her tone had gone from happy to wary in just a few seconds. Ian took another bite of the pie and chewed slowly.
“I mean it, Tucker. I’m working. We’ve talked about this.”
Ian peeked at them just in time to see Tucker pull Jessica onto his lap. She squirmed and the men in the booth laughed.
“You’re my girlfriend. I can do whatever I want.”
Heat burst in his gut and swirled in Ian’s chest. The grip on his fork tightened and his hand shook slightly. If there was one thing his father had taught him before he died, it was how to treat a woman.
Tucker brushed Jessica’s blonde hair from her neck and pressed a kiss at the nape.
“Let me go, Tucker. I don’t want to get in trouble. Please.” Jessica’s plea went unheeded as Tucker tugged at her collar to pull it down her shoulder.
Ian slammed his fork on the counter and jumped down from the bar. He grabbed his black felt hat from the seat beside him and strode toward them. With the hat on his head, he folded his arms. “I believe I heard the lady ask you to stop.”
Five sets of eyes turned toward him. Tucker’s red-rimmed ones were the angriest. Concern poured from Jessica’s expression and curiosity emanated from the three strangers.
“Who areyou?” Tucker’s grip on Jessica’s wrist tightened.
“Ian, don’t. It’s not worth it. Go finish your pie,” Jessica muttered as her gaze dropped.
“Yeah,Ian. Go finish your pie like a good little cowboy.” Tucker laughed, turning to his comrades. “Do you believe this guy?”
Ian didn’t move. “Let her go.”
Tucker’s rage-filled eyes flicked back to Ian. “What did you just say?” The diner had quieted substantially. If Ian had bothered to scan the room, he wouldn’t be surprised to find all attention on their little group.
