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Jo looked at me curiously, then turned to see what I was gaping at. On finding Duke, she hardened to stone. Grant matched her energy, more in defense of Jo than anything Duke might have done. Nobody pissed Jo off without answering to Grant too, and when they joined forces, it was best to run for it and hope neither of them caught you.
Duke was unfazed beneath their withering glares, a feat of skill that sent a shuddering fear through me that I was in way over my head.
“Morning,” he said to the table, but extended a hand to Evan, who stood to greet him.
And even Evan, who had just been plotting his demise, was charmed. He smiled genuinely, their hands clasped tight and pumping once.
“Evan Banks,” Duke said fondly. “How’s law here in Lindenbach?”
Evan laughed. Rude. “Last week, I settled a dispute over a herd of goats that crossed a property line, so pretty good, all told.” When he made to sit back down, he bumped me down the bench to make room for Duke.
I stared a flaming hole in the back of his head as the bench bounced from Duke’s weight, which was substantial enough to make my knee hit the bottom of the table. He was solid as a rock, broad-shouldered and thick-thighed with a trim waistline clearly visible without his suit coat on. Like Evan, he wore a tailored shirt and slacks, but when they’d shaken hands I’d noticed Duke filled his out in such a way, my mouth watered. Normally, a belt wasn’t a thing I’d notice, but not only was his close to eye level, it took my gaze a little lower to the subtle shape of his bulge beneath it.
I wished I didn’t know that bulge intimately. I also wouldn’t hate knowing that bulge again, were it attached to anyone but Duke.
“Duke Daniels,” Bettie called as she approached, “c’mere and hug an old lady, would you?”
He stood, redistributing the weight once again.
I’m gonna kill him, I said to Jo with a look.
Her answering stare said something like, Not here, too many witnesses.
Duke bent so Bettie, the ninety-year-old owner of the diner, could wrap her arms around his neck, and then he stood tall enough to lift her toes off the ground. The sassy old lady was cooler at her age than any of us would ever be in chunky, hot pink glasses, wide-legged pants and Converse, and a T-shirt that read Old is the new black. She cackled and wiggled her dangling feet, slapping his back when he put her down.
He kissed her cheek. “How are you Bettie? Saw you at city hall but didn’t get a chance to say hello.”
“No, you were too busy ruining Poppy’s day,” she said on a laugh, fussing with her wavy silver hair. I didn’t miss the rise of color on her cheeks. “Whatcha eatin’?” she asked as he sat back down.
My knees hit the table again, and my jaw locked. I grabbed a butter knife and fisted it.
“Just need a couple things to go,” he said. “Four orders of biscuits and gravy, if it’s no trouble, and a cherry pie.”
“You got it, kiddo. I’ll send Aggie over to get your plates. Perks of owning your own restaurant—there’s always somebody else to do the dishes.” When we laughed—well, they laughed. I was too mad to do anything but fume—she said, “Duke, come on over to the counter so we can catch up when you’re done here, all right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You oughta just take him with you, Bettie,” Jo said. “Nobody invited him.”
“I invited him,” Evan noted.
“Well, I’m uninviting him. Poppy’s got that butter knife poised to give you both a nasty scratch.”
Evan and Duke shifted so they could both see me. I smiled and flashed the cutlery.
Evan laughed like Jo was kidding. “Oh, come on, Pop. Duke and I have been friends since we played in the sandbox in Miss Riddle’s backyard.”
“Her cats must have been using it for dumping grounds because you’re both out of your minds,” I said. “I don’t know how I feel about eating eggs with the enemy.”
“You finished your eggs,” Duke noted.
“That’s it,” I muttered, scooting into Evan so he’d take the hint and get out. When both men were up and I’d wiggled my way out, I grabbed Duke by the arm and yanked him toward the door. “Come with me, asshole,” I said through a sweet smile, nodding at townsfolk as I dragged him to the exit and down a little ways so we weren’t being watched by the entire town. Just the half that wasn’t at Bettie’s.
He had the audacity to chuckle as I came to a stop and threw his arm back at him.
“What the hell, Duke?” I spat. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He hitched a thumb in the diner’s direction. “Getting biscuits.”
