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CHAPTER ONE
Jonah
I always tried to keep to myself, to mind my own business. It took something egregious for me, actually, to interfere in a situation. Live and let live, that sort of thing. I wasn’t the type of guy who looked for drama, and I sure as hell wasn’t the kind of guy who created it.
But this was egregious.
I sat at the restaurant bar with a drink I desperately needed after a hard day. I didn’t like to behave as though my days were harder than other people’s days. Everybody had their own struggles. Nonetheless, I’d dealt with a horrible traffic accident, and by the time we arrived with the truck, it was too late to get both car fires out. Three of the guys worked on one car and managed to get a couple out along with their four- or five-year-old daughter.
Drew and I wasn’t so fortunate.
The accident had crushed the side of the vehicle and by the time we started with the jaws of life, the machine we use to get autos open in order to rescue people inside, the man inside was screaming, on fire. There was no way to get him out fast enough, so I planned on a couple of drinks now to steady my nerves. I’d drive home, pick up a bottle on the way, and drink as much of the bottle as it took to stop thinking about the man’s screams or pass out. I didn’t really care which result occurred.
But I heard an exchange.
“I’ve been waiting for my sandwich for almost an hour.” The customer wasn’t happy, and I turned to see the person attached to the voice. She was beautiful. She was exactly the kind of girl I went for, not one of those stick-figure types that seemed to be all the rage. On the contrary, she was voluptuous, and beautiful She had a stunning face and hair that seemed to flow like magic over her shoulders. I imagined frustration didn’t often show on her features although she was clearly frustrated then.
She sat on a booth and the man talking to her wore a suit. I imagined he was the manager of the restaurant. Then, the egregious thing happened. He said, “Listen, honey; you look like you can afford to skip a sandwich so how about you stop hassling me.”
I was up from my stool and in front of him in a second. “She’s not your honey, asshole,” I said, “and this restaurant must be doing really well if you pass on a hundred sandwiches.”
“A hundred? Mind your own business.”
“This is my business. Company 82. We have a standing weekly order of a hundred sandwiches. Feeding forty-three firefighters is a lot of work and we order out for three of the meals. Guess we’ll be ordering one of those meals from a different place from now on.”
“I don’t know you,” he said, “and I take those orders—”
“From Jonah,” I said, “and I’m not pleased to make your acquaintance.”
His demeanor changed immediately. “Oh, what a terrible misunderstanding.” He turned back to the girl, “Miss, I’m sorry for the wait. I’ll make sure your sandwich is right out.”
“That’s okay,” she said. “I don’t want it anymore.”
She tossed some money on the counter but when the manager reached for it, I glared at him, and he reluctantly withdrew his hand. I turned to the girl and said, “Keep your money. The restaurant is going to pay for your drinks.” I turned to the manager and said, “Isn’t that right?”
He lowered his eyes and nodded.
“Great,” I said.
I turned back to the girl and said, “Can I walk you to your car?”
She smiled at me, and my heart skipped a beat. Good lord, she was beautiful!
Once we stepped outside, she grabbed my shoulder and lifted herself on her tiptoes to kiss me. It was a brief kiss and very chaste but my body responded immediately and I hoped she couldn’t see the bulge forming in my pants.
“Thank you,” she said. “I don’t think anyone’s ever stood up for me like that before.”
“It’s no problem,” I said.
I turned back to the restaurant and frowned. “I should cancel my order anyway just to get back at that prick.”
She laughed and took my arm. “How about we just find a better place for lunch?”
I smiled and said, “That sounds like a great idea. I know just the place.”
“Excellent,” she replied.
I took her to a local burger joint that I loved. This joint also supplied food to the company, but unlike the prick at the sandwich shop, the manager here was much more agreeable. She set us up with two bacon burgers and the best chocolate milkshakes I’ve had anywhere.
