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His jaw dropped as he peered into two of the most beautiful crystal blue eyes he’d ever seen. Eyes that grew wider by the second as the young waitress stared at him in horror. Eyes that soon filled with tears that held fast to her lids, as if waiting for permission to slide down her flushed cheeks.
An angel.
Chapter 2
The waitress blinked furiously, her mouth working as if she were about to cry, but appeared to hold onto her dignity with a thin thread. “I am so sorry.” She put shaky hands to her lips, seeming frozen to the spot.
A man dressed in a black suit strode up to the girl, his eyebrows drawn together. “Miss Cabot, return to the kitchen. Now.” He turned to Hunter, a slick smile on his face. “I am extremely sorry, sir. I will see that the girl is dismissed right away, and your dinner is free of charge, of course.”
Hunter watched the waitress hurry away from the scene, her head held high as the other girls whispered to each other. He finally snapped to attention and realized what the man had just said. “Dismiss her?” He shook his head furiously. “No. Please don’t dismiss the girl. Please. It was an accident.”
“We have a high standard for our Harvey Girls, sir. We do not allow carelessness.”
“She wasn’t careless.” His mind worked fast. “In fact, I nudged her arm. It was my fault.”
The man’s eyebrows rose. “Indeed?”
“Yes. She bent to place the glass on the table and I accidentally nudged her arm.” Whether the man believed him or not, he had to take the word of the customer.
“If that is what you say, sir. In any event, please allow us to pay for your dinner.” He snapped his fingers at another waitress. “Bring more napkins for Mr. . . .” He gave Hunter an inquisitive look.
“Henderson.”
“Mr. Henderson needs more napkins, Miss Granger. Please bring them immediately.”
The new waitress arrived with several napkins that he used to wipe the water off as best he could. He kept glancing at the door at the rear of the restaurant where the girls hustled in and out, carrying trays of food. He sincerely hoped the manager kept his word and hadn’t fired the girl. After being let go from several jobs himself lately, he didn’t want to see her meet the same fate.
Aside from that, he wanted to see her again. His years of dealing with all sorts of people had honed his skills at reading eyes. The crystal blue-eyed angel was in pain. And not just because she’d spilled water on him. In the d
epths of her eyes he’d seen suffering, and—if he were honest—fear and distrust. Hopefully not from him.
Despite dragging out his meal as long as he could, the angel never again appeared in the dining room. If that manager had fired her anyway, he would be sure to make a ruckus. He tossed a tip on the table and headed to the door, nodding briefly at the man at the door when he handed the jacket over.
Hunter checked his timepiece once more. The lights from the restaurant had dimmed ten minutes earlier. He’d asked around and learned the young ladies who worked at the Harvey House all lived in a boardinghouse a short walk from the depot. So far none of the waitresses had emerged from the building.
What in hell was he doing, anyway? So the girl spilled water on him and the manager threatened to fire her. Why should he care if she got fired or not? Of course he wouldn’t want to see anyone lose their job over an accident, but his concern for the girl’s welfare went far beyond normal curiosity. Something about the wounded look in her eyes touched him, and brought out his protective side. He assured himself that once he spoke with her and was confident her job was secure, he would be on his way and forget the entire incident. And her.
Liar.
A stream of light poured out of the side of the building and girls began to appear. The first three walked together, the next two strolled arm in arm. More girls appeared, chatting easily as they made their way home. When he was just about ready to believe the angel had been fired after all, she came through the door and closed it behind her. Her action blocked the scant light from inside the building. Since his eyes were used to the dark, he clearly saw her take a few tentative steps away from the restaurant while her eyes adjusted.
Not wanting to frighten her, but thinking she could use some help until she could see her way, he cautiously approached her. “Good evening, miss.”
Emily jumped and let out with a squeak as her heart began to pound. Had Louis found her? She’d been looking over her shoulder ever since stepping off the train in Guthrie. Luckily the job the Harvey House had offered had still been available and within two days after arriving she had a room and a job. A job she’d almost lost tonight.
In fact, now that her eyes had become accustomed to the darkness, she realized it wasn’t Louis who stood in front of her, but the man on whom she’d spilled the water. Good heavens, had he come to chastise her? She’d received enough of that from Mr. Tinsdale after the disaster. He’d lectured her and made it clear if she had one more mishap she would be fired. Since that was her first blunder, his edict seemed rather harsh. But really, what did she know of the work world?
“My goodness, you scared me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to alarm you.”
His voice was deep and rich, rolling over her like warm honey. He gave her a slight smile that had her heart pounding again, but nothing to do with fear. “That’s all right. In the dark, you know . . .”
“Yes, I understand. It was probably not the best idea to meet you here.”
What was he doing here? From his demeanor he certainly wasn’t going to reprimand her. He licked his lips, almost as if he were nervous. She knew that action very well. “Is there something you wanted to say to me?”
He seemed to pull himself back from wherever his thoughts had wandered. “Uh, yes. I did want to say something. Actually, I wanted to ask you a question.”
