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“I was redecorating and thought somebody might want these gray ones,” the woman said as Iris forked over the cash.
Ten bucks was a steal, and Iris took full advantage. But at the same time, it wasnicehaving both Eli and Henry Dale care enough to come with her. Well, she’d offered a free lunch, but still. She hadn’t lived here long enough to have a favorite restaurant, so Eli might know where to go.He said he went to school here, right?That meant he was sort of local. Like Iris, he’d probably moved around a bit.
“You pick the place,” she said to Eli.
“Are you in the mood for anything?” he asked Henry Dale.
The old man glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, lord. This isn’t turning into those ‘I dunno, what do you wanna do’ type situations, is it?”
Iris laughed. “I can make an executive decision. I was trying to be polite.”
Henry Dale didn’t quite smile. “Have you been to Bev’s?”
“Not yet. Can you give me directions?”
“Of course I can.”
Iris noticed that Eli got quiet when Henry Dale started navigating. Not GPS style, but according to odd landmarks and funny little details she never would’ve noticed. Driving this way felt like she was getting a glimpse of how Henry Dale saw the world. Soon, they reached a weathered white building on the outskirts of St. Claire. It had a gravel parking lot, a wide porch, and a faded sign that just saidBEV’Salongside an image of a steaming cup of coffee.
Iris parked and hopped out of the car, already loving the retro vibe. Inside, the place was a classic diner from the old jukebox to the torn red vinyl and the Formica-and-chrome tables. There were even a few stools at the counter so people didn’t feel self-conscious about eating alone. Iris eyed the display of cakes and pies, trying not to look overeager. Henry Dale apparently had a usual spot here, as he headed to the second booth toward the back, right-hand side, and slid into the far seat.
Since Henry Dale parked himself in the middle, that left Iris to share with Eli, so she scooted in first. A blue-haired teen trotted over to their table; her name badge readNot Bev. “The menu’s right there.” She pointed.
Oh, that was an ingenious solution. The pages had been laminated and mounted on the wall next to the booth. It was a short list, not a lot to think about. For lunch, it was burger, chicken sandwich, country fried steak, or green salad. Breakfast was a little more varied, and it was served all day, though she’d noticed the café closed at 3:00 p.m.
“I’ll have a cheeseburger,” Eli said.
“Fries or onion rings?”
“Can I say neither?”
The waitress nodded. “Sure, but it costs the same. You want a milkshake instead?”
That was an interesting substitution, but Eli went for it. “Strawberry, please.”
“Chicken fried steak for me,” Henry Dale said. “With all the trimmings and a tall glass of ice water.”
Not Bev laughed, flipping her notepad around so they could see her elegant penmanship. “Already wrote it down, Mr. Macabee. I’ll tell Grandma you stopped in.” She turned to Iris. “Are you ready to order?”
“Biscuit and gravy plate, please.”
“How do you want your eggs?”
“Scrambled.”
“Anything to drink?”
“Iced coffee?”
Not Bev smiled. “We don’t normally serve it, but since you’re with Mr. Macabee, I’ll make you some and charge the same as a hot coffee. My name is Brooke, by the way. The name tag is just a running joke between Grandma and me.”
“The famous Bev?” Iris guessed.
“Yep. She’s on vacation right now. I’ll put your order in and get your drinks while you wait.”
Once the waitress walked off, Iris turned to Henry Dale. “This is such a cute place. Have you been coming here long?”
He thought about it. “Thirty years at least. The food is good, and they make you feel at home.”
