It had been lonely and depressing to sleep in her bed the night before in comparison. She also really needed to get a cell phone. Snow had wanted to call her. She’d been embarrassed to admit he could only reach her at the diner. If she had to be away from him, she at least wanted to hear his voice.
Only a day had passed, and she missed him and couldn’t get him out of her thoughts. What was he doing at that moment? Was he thinking about her? Missing her, too?
“Earth to Mel,” Mary said, startling her.
She looked at her best friend. “Sorry.”
“Let me guess. Snow?”
She nodded.
“It would be insane to say yes to moving in with a man after one night of sex, Mel.” Her friend grinned though. “Even if he’s some super-stud. He really got you off that many times?”
Mel nodded again, almost regretting sharing some of the intimate details with her best friend. She’d wanted Mary’s advice, though, and she had to be totally honest to make her understand why she was so torn about not staying at Reservation to live with Snow.
“Spend your off days with him. Take time to get to know him better. I’ll fully support you if you want to move in with Snow after a few months.”
“How long did you date your ex before you let him move into your place?”
Mary grumbled. “A week. See how bad that turned out?”
“He was a cheater though.”
“And you don’t know what kind of guy Snow really is until you date him longer. Learn from my mistakes.”
Mel bit her lip. “Snow is not just any guy, Mary. He’s a New Species. That makes him pretty different.” She held her best friend’s gaze. “Do you know what my last thought was before I drifted off to sleep with him?”
Mary shook her head.
“I’m right where I belong. I didn’t want to leave him, either. It was hard saying goodbye. I wanted to climb right back into that vehicle and have him take me back with him. I miss his already and can’t stop thinking about him.”
Mary frowned. “Don’t jump into something until you get a better idea of exactly what you’re getting into. That feeling was probably caused by hormones or endorphins after all that great sex. Or is it euphoria? Whatever. I’m trying to look out for you. That’s what besties do. Now…the lunch crowd should come in soon. Is it okay with you if I take my break first?”
“Sure.”
Mel watched her disappear into the kitchen and went to work checking to make sure all the tables, the counters, and seats had been wiped clean. There was never a large rush for lunch at the diner during the week, but sometimes they’d get about thirty people. In a small town, that seemed like a lot.
The door opened, and the Nelson couple came in with their two small children. She got them seated in a corner booth, gave the kids crayons with a few coloring pages to keep them occupied, and fetched their drinks. Hal, from the post office, arrived next.
Within five minutes more of the seats filled with other employees from local businesses. Mel was glad when Mary returned, helping her pass out their food and refill drinks.
Another regular customer showed up outside the diner, supported by crutches, trying to get the glass door open. Her foot and lower leg were in a medical boot.
Mel rushed forward. “What happened to you, Mitzy?” She held the door open wide.
“My shoelaces snagged on the bottom of the seat while getting out of my truck and I fell out, believe it or not.”
Mel helped her get settled at the counter, since a barstool would be easier to sit on than tangling with a bench seat. “I’m so sorry.” Her gaze inspected the woman. “Is it sprained?”
“I fractured my ankle. That’s what the doctor said. I feel stupid.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“I was talking on my cell and not paying attention. Then I was on my ass on the pavement, in pain. I’m surprised you didn’t hear about it when it happened evening before last.”
“The diner was closed for a few days.” She wasn’t about to admit she hadn’t been in town, but at Reservation. “I guess I missed out on the gossip.”
Mitzy snorted. “You’re the only one then. Everyone else has teased me a bit. Nancy bought me a pair of slip-on canvas shoes and told me to stick to ones without ties. Can you have Joel make me a special egg sandwich?”
“Of course. Cheese, mushrooms, and bacon cooked into the eggs, right?”
Mitzy grinned. “You got it. Don’t forget the extra mayo on toasted wheat bread.”
“Sure thing. Fries?”
“I’m in the mood for potato salad today.”
“I’ll put the order in and bring your sweet tea. Extra sugar.”
“You’re a doll, honey.”
Mel gave the order to Joel, fixed Mitzy her drink, and placed it in front of her.
“Does your apartment allow dogs?”
Mel shook her head. “Um, no. The owner was clear about no pets.”
“Damn. Someone abandoned two puppies yesterday. I’m looking for homes for them. They aren’t what anyone would consider overly cute. I’m worried no one will want to adopt them. We have enough dogs waiting for homes already.”
“Why don’t you take a picture of them, and I’ll tape it on the window next to the door? You also might want to do that at the post office. Everyone goes in there at least once a week. The grocery store, too.”
“Most businesses won’t allow that.”
Mel winked. “Joel avoids customers by never leaving the kitchen. Us waitresses handle everything from cleaning to locking and unlocking the front doors. He won’t even know. Bring me a picture.”
“You really are a doll, Mel. I’ll do that.”
“What about a website? Mary swears by the internet. Does animal control have one of those?”
“It sure does, but not many people visit the site. The only thing anyone’s been interested in lately is the job listing we’ve posted.”
That surprised her. “Someone quit?”
“Boomer did. I knew that shithead wouldn’t last long. He was Paul’s cousin, and he bitched nonstop about the calls he was sent on.” Mitzy narrowed her eyes. “Hey, can you drive a pickup truck? You lived on a farm, right? Are you good with animals? The pay is probably better than waiting tables.”
Mel threw up a hand and grinned. “I was on the receiving end of Boomer’s complaints when he ate here. No way. I’m not going to become a roadkill scooper, herd cows back into pastures when a fence goes down, or search for Mrs. John’s dog that likes to run off. She really should put up a fence in her backyard, or at least keep it on a leash when it needs to go outside. I heard it takes off almost every darn morning.”
“You really should think about coming to work for animal control.”
“No good prospects have applied?”
“Old Ned wants the job. The other is some lady from Los Angeles. She’s interested, but I figure she can’t be serious. Who would purposely move here?”
Mel raised her hand again. “I did.” She decided to change the subject. “Didn’t Ned lose his driver’s license after he tried to park on the sidewalk in front of the post office? I heard he got arrested for drunk driving.”
“Yes. He thinks if we hire him, Sheriff Cooper will just turn a blind eye if he’s behind the wheel of one of our trucks.”
“What an idiot. Sherriff Cooper would never do that.”
“Damn straight. Ned would just get drunk and crash our truck. And we’d be liable. No way in hell is that going to happen. Our budget is tight enough, and we don’t get many donations.”
Mel spotted a stranger entering the diner. “I have to go. I’ll be back with your order.” She approached the older man with a cane and smiled. “Hello. Counter, table, or booth?”
He glanced around through his dark sunglasses, not taking them off. “Counter.”
She grabbed him a menu and followed his limping gait to the counter, putting the menu in front of him. “What will you have to drink?”
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“Coffee. Black.”
“Sure thing. Be right back.” She got him his coffee, dropped off Mitzy’s food, and checked on her other customers. Then she approached the counter and pulled out her pad and pen from the apron tied around her waist. “What would you like to eat?”
His chin rose, and she stared into his dark sunglasses. “Do you get many New Species in here?”
Mel instantly tensed. He didn’t look like one of the nosey reporters who showed up from time to time. Most of them were younger. This guy reminded her of a grumpy grandpa. “Look, mister. We serve food here. Not gossip about our neighbors. If you want to know about the folks at Reservation, they have people there to ask.”
His hand on the counter fisted briefly. But then he flattened it next to his coffee. “I see. I came by yesterday but this establishment was closed. Why was that?”
She tried hard to mask her expressions. Had he heard about the shooting? She went with the story the sheriff had come up with, which she knew had been spread around town. “The fridge broke down and we were closed for a couple days until the owner could get it fixed. A part had to be sent for.”
“That caused the whole place to close down?” He scowled.
“Where do you think we store our meat? The fridge. We couldn’t serve our famous bacon cheeseburgers since everything went bad. Joel had to toss everything inside and order new. But we’re good to go now. Do you want to try one of those burgers? They’re delicious.”
“No. I’d like to talk to the other waitress.” He turned his head, seeming to watch Mary.
“She’s super shy,” Mel lied. “She doesn’t like to talk to strangers. I’m the one who handles those. No offense, mister, but we’re a small town with lots of quirks. What do you want to talk to her about? You can ask me instead.”
He jerked his head back her way.
She sighed when he said nothing, guessing the answer. “She’s the last person to ask about the New Species. I can promise you that she’s never talked to one. I think you’re supposed to call the NSO if you want an interview with them. Shouldn’t you know that if it’s your job?”
His mouth firmed into a tight scowl. “There wasn’t a problem here a few days ago?”
Fear whipped through her. Had someone blabbed? “Just the fridge going down, mister. It was a mess clearing out all that rotten food. That was a problem. Now it’s fixed, and we got a new food delivery. Are you going to order something to eat or do you need a few more minutes?”
“I had a tip from a man who called me to say there may have been a shooting in this diner.”
“A shooting?” She gasped, maybe a bit too much. “Definitely not! That would be the talk of the town if something like that happened. Small town. Hello, there’s no secrets.” She was glad she’d worn a long-sleeve shirt that hid her bandaged arm. “The only thing that’s happened recently is Mitzy over there breaking her ankle falling out of a truck.” She motioned down the counter.
He seemed to continue to watch her, but Mel wasn’t sure with those dark sunglasses hiding his eyes.
“Give me a yell when you’re ready to order, mister.”
Mel fled, making the rounds to refill drinks and take more orders from incoming customers. She watched as the stranger approached Mitzy. She wanted to get closer to eavesdrop, to see if he was grilling her about the New Species, but she didn’t dare.
He only stayed with Mitzy for a few minutes before he limped out of the diner, leaving a dollar next to his half-finished coffee.
She approached Mitzy. “What did that guy say to you?”
The older woman had an amused glint in her eyes. “He was a reporter, wasn’t he?”
“I think so. He was nosey about the New Species. I shut him down.”
“He wanted to know how I hurt my ankle and why the diner was closed. Then the old fool asked if I’d heard about anyone being shot! I laughed in his face. He must work for one of those gossip rags. They’re really reaching now. I told him we’re hiring at animal control if he wants a real job.”
Mel forced a smile. “I wouldn’t wish that on you. He was kind of rude.”
“No shit.” Mitzy pulled out cash. “Can you be a dear?”
Mel nodded and took the money to the register, rang up Mitzy’s lunch bill, and brought her change. “You take it easy. I hope you find someone to replace Boomer soon.”
“Me too. Sheriff Cooper said he’d find us a volunteer while I’m out of commission. I’m kind of afraid who he’ll dig up, since you know how he is.”
Mel laughed. “I sure do. Someone will do something to get into trouble and he’ll give them a choice of jail or community service. You’ll get your help soon. No one wants to sit in one of those tiny cells.”
She went back to work after collecting the tip Mitzy left…but her gaze kept returning to the windows of the diner. The old reporter didn’t return. She hoped he’d left town. Part of her wondered if she should alert Sheriff Cooper about him, but then more customers came in, it got too busy, and the time flew by. Before she knew it, her shift ended and Tina, her replacement, walked in.
Mel removed her apron and clocked out in the kitchen. Mary already waited at the back door, avoiding the woman who’d slept with her ex-boyfriend. They walked out to their cars together.
“Didn’t you want to say hi to Tina?” she teased.
Mary shot her a middle finger.
“Do you want to come over tonight? We can watch a movie. I really would enjoy the company.”
Mary unlocked her car door and opened it. “I can’t tonight. My parents came home. Do you want to have dinner with us?”
Mel wasn’t in the mood to listen to her best friend’s parents recount all their latest RV adventures. They usually had a ton of pictures and videos of where they’d visited. It could get boring after an hour or two. “I’ll pass.”
“Lucky you. At least they’re only home for two days this time to do laundry and check up on me. Otherwise known as grill me about my life and remind me that they want grandkids before they die. Like at twenty-six I’m about to become an old maid and my ovaries are going to dry up.”
“Where are they going next?”
“I’ll find out tonight. I get the whole retirement thing, and being able to travel and living what they consider ‘grand adventures.’ It’s just not my thing, though. I can’t imagine being locked up in a small RV for weeks or months at a time. The bathroom is a nightmare. You can sit on the toilet to pee with the sink practically in your lap to brush your teeth, while taking a shower at the same time. They act like that’s a good thing.” Mary shuddered.
Mel smiled, opening her own car door. “It sounds easy to clean.”
“Want to trade parents? Never mind.” Mary grinned. “For a second I forgot about your mama stories.” She waved, got into her car, and backed out of the parking lot.
Mel started her own car after buckling her seat belt and left the diner. It was a short drive home, and once more her thoughts were on Snow. It was tempting to see if the guards at the gate of Reservation would allow her in to see him. Instead, she parked in her spot, climbed out of her car, and walked to her apartment door.
She unlocked her front door, pushed it open, and closed it behind her. It was automatic to twist the deadbolt. Locking doors was one of the first things she’d learned since moving out of her parents’ house. She went to the couch, dropped onto her butt, and lifted her foot to untie her sneakers. Her feet always hurt after her shift. She removed them and her socks, wiggling her toes.
“Be free!”
She smiled, pulled the coffee table closer, and put them up with a sigh. A nice soak in her tub sounded nice, maybe watching a movie on the DVD player and eating a frozen dinner. She planned to do that right after she sat on her butt for a good half hour first.
Snow entered her thoughts yet again. She wondered what he was doing—
Sudden movement out of the corner of her eye had her jerking her head toward the hallway.
A big beefy guy wearing a black ski mask lunged toward her from the direction of her bedroom.
His presence shocked Mel enough to freeze her in place.
The man tried to round the end of the couch to grab her but slammed his knee into the coffee table instead. He grunted, losing his balance, his arms outstretched toward her.
Mel remained frozen in fear.
He fell, landing partly on the couch and partly on the coffee table. The cheap fake wood broke under his weight and her feet hit the carpeted floor.
The guy’s head ended up in her lap, one arm over the front of her legs, his hand by her foot. His other arm had landed on the cushion of the couch behind her.
That jolted her into action.
Some stranger had his face in her lap!
She screamed as he started to move, punching at his head. He turned, his weight shifted, and he slid off the couch onto the broken coffee table. Her legs were pinned between his body and the couch, but she kept punching him, screaming louder.
“Fuck!” He sounded pissed.
He threw his arms up, trying to protect his masked face, and rolled.
The movement freed her legs. She jumped up and turned to run out the door, but just as she twisted the deadbolt, he grabbed her ankle with a gloved hand and gave a mighty jerk.
She fell backward, landing on her ass, on the man’s back.
He grunted, his hold on her ankle loosening enough for her to kick free. She twisted, slid off his bulky body, and grabbed the first thing she could. It was a leg from the cheap coffee table. She rolled and started whacking him in the head again.
“You crazy bitch!” he bellowed, trying to defend his head again.
The cheap wood broke in two, and she ended up with just a piece of it in her hand. She scrabbled backward and got to her feet—accidentally putting him between her and the front door.
He sat up slowly. The mask had dark netting over the eye holes and the one for the mouth. She couldn’t make out anything about him.
She stumbled back farther, hating how small the living space was. She felt trapped in the kitchen now. He could lunge to grab her if she tried to rush to the front door, or even toward her bedroom.
Best Friends (New Species Book 15) Page 10