Pops' Diner, an Anthology [A Pops' Girls Anthology]

by Laura Hamby, Meg Allison, Shara Jones

Marty had a feeling that last bet was conjured up by Big Earl.

  When week one slid smoothly by and then the next, and the next ... Marty was one day surprised to realize he and Amy had been dating steadily for three months. And it scared the hell out of him. This was way past his normal point of losing interest—that moment when either he or his woman of the moment decided it had been fun, but it was time to move on to other things.

  Since he didn't have the least desire to do anything but move their necking sessions to the next level, he waited for Amy to dump him like a plate of spaghetti. But she hadn't dropped any food in his lap of late. Not one crumb. Did that mean he no longer made her nervous? And was that a good or a bad thing?

  Marty watched her walk across the diner, the large tray balanced perfectly on her hand as she side-stepped through the aisles. The thought of her dumping him made his stomach churn. He didn't want to lose Amy—she was like a breath of fresh air in his boring routine world.

  "Hi, handsome,” she murmured as she stopped at his booth.

  "Hi, beautiful,” he returned with a smile.

  "Oh, get a room already!” Steve Richland groaned from the next row over as his wife, Cindi, elbowed him in the ribs.

  "Leave them alone!” she scolded. “It's romantic."

  "It's sickening!” Steve insisted, earning a glare from his very pregnant wife.

  Amy flashed the couple a smile over her shoulder and whipped the plates of food down to set each on the table in front of him. Nothing spilled. Nothing broke. And Marty wondered again if that might be a bad omen, somehow. Had she gotten too used to him? Too complacent?

  Bells jangled as Myles and Janie Channing entered, the latter all decked out in her yellow uniform. “Hey, Janie!” Amy called with a wave of her hand. “You're early."

  "Mr. Channing here thinks I should feed him before I start my shift,” she said with a playful frown in her husband's direction. “I told him I'd buy him lunch, but Pops can do the cooking."

  Amy grinned. “I know—all these men seem to think about is food!"

  Marty took the opportunity to slip an arm around her waist and pull her against him. “That's not all I think about.” He loved the way her cheeks turned pink and the little flicker of lust that flamed in her eyes.

  "Are you two at it again?” Myles asked as he and Janie sauntered toward a nearby booth.

  "They're always at it,” Steve added with a wink. “And it's causing us old married dudes a lot of problems. Now our wives are going to expect us to be all lovey-dovey and romantic all the time."

  "Old married dudes?” Big Earl asked from his traditional stool at the front counter. “You boys haven't been married that long! Hell, youth really is wasted on the young. You need to woo your wives—be romantic and such for as long as you can. Hell fire! Chase ‘em around the house naked! ‘Cause once those children start coming, you won't know which end is up. Won't care much either some days. Don't you agree, Ray?"

  Pops glanced through the kitchen window and nodded sagely. “Yes, sir, I do agree you should enjoy every moment you have alone together."

  Myles laughed as he slid into the booth. “The problem isn't with us—it's with the good doctor there. He's still in the first blush of love stage. Now once those wedding bells ring, that'll change but quick."

  Cindi and Janie were shooting daggers at their husbands’ joking, but Marty barely registered their reaction. His own gut had clenched up so tight at the mention of ‘wedding bells', that he was having difficulty thinking. Or breathing. Panicking—now that came naturally.

  "What's the matter, doc?” Big Earl asked. “You're looking a little white there."

  "No,” Steve said as he watched Marty carefully. “I'd say he's more of a grayish color, wouldn't you, Myles?"

  Myles shook his head. “I think he looks a little green, actually."

  "Must be something he ate,” Steve added.

  "You boys leave the man alone,” Momma scolded from the front register.

  "Hey, how come he gets to be ‘the man', but we're still ‘boys'?” Myles asked indignantly.

  "Maybe because he's the only one behaving like an adult?” Janie suggested with a saccharine sweet smile. She looked at Marty. “You just ignore them, Marty. They're both full of hot air."

  "Got that right!” Cindi chimed as she leaned back in her seat and rubbed her belly. “These two are the last ones you should be getting romantic advice from."

  "Hey!” Steve protested without much conviction. “I resemble that remark! But really—who rubs your feet? And who is it that runs you a nice warm bubble bath and goes out at three in the morning for blueberries?"

  Cindi grinned. “Yeah, well, I suppose you are good for something."

  Marty could see past their banter. It had been obvious from the beginning that Myles and Steve had both made perfect matches. The two couples were happy, content, joyous even. He couldn't help but envy them.

  How did they know? How could they be sure that marriage was the right thing?

  Amy had moved away from his embrace, but not before he felt the way her muscles stiffened. Something about the conversation bothered her as well. Or had it been his reaction that caused her to suddenly grow distant?

  "I've got to get back to work,” she muttered and walked to the kitchen without another word.

  An uneasy quiet fell over the little group. Marty stared at the food that had sounded so good only twenty minutes ago. It now looked nauseating.

  "Hey, we're sorry, man,” Steve ventured. “We didn't mean to upset her."

  "Yeah, we were just joking around,” Myles added. “Is she okay? You want one of us to apologize or—"

  "No, it's fine, really,” Marty told them as he conjured up one of his best this-won't-hurt-a-bit smiles. “Amy's just tired. She's been working a lot and we've had some late nights these past two weeks."

  He'd prefer a few more ribald comments over their sympathetic smiles, but no one said anything. Apparently his acting didn't do the job because the other men didn't look convinced. The main reason Marty never played poker was the fact he couldn't bluff his way out of anything.

  Yes, Amy was upset. But he wasn't sure why—and that's what bothered him the most. So he sat at his booth, alone, and pretended to eat the food as he waited for her shift to end. But would it be the only thing ending tonight?

  * * * *

  "You going to tell me what's wrong?” Marty asked as he and Amy walked side-by-side down Victorian Drive. It had become their custom to walk to his house after her shift every Friday night. Then they'd watch movies, kiss, make some popcorn, kiss some more. It had become a routine he looked forward to from day to day.

  "Nothing's wrong,” she insisted, arms wrapped around her waist instead of linked through his.

  "I'm not sure I believe that."

  Amy shrugged. “It's the truth. Everything's fine. You're fine, I'm fine ... we're all ... fine."

  He stopped and grabbed her by the arm so she had to turn and face him. “No, we're not. Something is bothering you, Amy and I'd like to know what it is."

  "Why?” she demanded, her harsh tone somewhat jolting. “Why do you care? Where is this going, Marty?” She waved a hand between them. “What's the point of this, anyway?"

  "I don't understand what you mean.” Okay, so it wasn't quite the truth, but he didn't want to discuss this. Not now. He didn't quite know what to say.

  "Why are we together?” she asked. “Is this all you want? A warm body to spend time with? To make-out with? I mean, it's been great ... more than great ... but I want more. I need more."

  "I'm not sure I can give more,” he admitted. “I'm not sure I know how."

  She shook her head. The tears in her eyes sent a knife-like pain through his chest. He'd never meant to hurt her like this.

  "I don't expect you to marry me or anything, but I sometimes wonder...” Amy shrugged again. “I don't understand exactly what you want from me. You kiss me like I'm the only woman on Earth for you, like y
ou want me so much that it hurts and then you take me home or leave. We've been together for three months and you haven't even tried to make love to me. Then someone jokes about weddings and you act like you're facing a firing squad!"

  "I did not!"

  "Yes. You did."

  He opened his mouth to protest further when the realization hit him. She was right. That's exactly how he'd reacted. “I don't know what to say,” he admitted. “I mean, I can't blame my folks—they had a good marriage. Good marriages seem to run in my family. But the whole idea of getting married ... it scares the hell out of me."

  "Why?"

  "I—I think it's because I'm not sure I'd make a good husband. I'm not the most exciting guy in the world—I'd rather be working or at home watching television or reading a good mystery.” It sounded so lame, even to him. But he just couldn't figure it all out so he kept talking with the hopes that somehow he'd make sense—at least to one of them. “I worry about making a bad choice and someone else getting hurt. I worry about saying or doing the wrong thing and making you hate me.

  "I've never had a romantic relationship last longer than a couple of months ... the woman I cared about always left—always said it was my fault. God, Amy! I'm not sure I could handle it if you walked out."

  "You worry too much, Doctor Winston. I'm not sure what I can do to make you understand the way I feel. I think we're both a little scared. We've both been hurt before. It isn't fun, no, but if you don't at least try, what else is there?” She shrugged her slim shoulders and attempted a smile. “I don't want to spend the rest of my life alone, Marty. I don't want to spend another night without the man I-I love."

  A lump rose in his throat—and this time it wasn't fear. “You ... you love me?"

  She nodded. “Yes. I love you. I think I've been falling in love with you from that first day when I spilled the chocolate milk down your shirt."

  He laughed and didn't mind the relieved tears that sprang to his eyes. “I think I fell for you when you dumped the gravy in my lap."

  Her smile faded. “You don't have to say it just because—"

  "I'm not,” he insisted as he grasped her hands. “I'm saying it because it's true. I love you, Amy. You're funny and intelligent and kind...” He stepped closer until he could smell the subtle scent of her perfume and the lingering odor of Pops’ Diner. “You're beautiful ... magical. I thought I knew what love felt like, but I was wrong. I've never felt this way before."

  "Never?” Her expressive face wore such a skeptical look that he almost laughed again. “Not even with Katie Morrison?"

  "No, not even close. I cared for her, yes, but not this strongly.” He smiled at her and swallowed hard to keep his voice from breaking. “I didn't mean to fall in love with you—it was a complete accident. But I'm so glad I did. And I don't want to spend another night without you ... the woman I love."

  Marty swept her into his arms and feasted on her mouth, savoring the taste of her kiss, the feel of her body pressed to his like a second skin. She relaxed against him, her hands moving over his back in slow, intense strokes until the shrill honk of a car horn passing jerked them back to reality.

  "Your place or mine, Doctor?"

  "Mine,” he whispered. “It's closer. Besides, your aunt still hates me."

  "No, not really. Who do you think told me not to let you get away?"

  His eyes widened. “Seriously?"

  "She's making us a love potion even now.” Her gaze dimmed a bit. “But tell me the truth. Is this just for tonight?"

  Marty smiled and shook his head. “Let's just say, I think Big Earl finally won himself a pool.” He kissed her right palm where the thin red scar had begun to heal. “Unless you don't think you can handle the long haul."

  Amy's smile lit up her pretty face before she placed a sweet, warm kiss at the corner of his mouth. “I think I'll take my chances. Besides, I could really use the exercise—with the right partner, of course."

  Don't Miss

  The Blue Plate Special Pops’ Girls Novels

  Blue Plate Special: Pops’ Girls: Janie, Learning to Trust by Laura Hamby

  Janie Powell is a woman on the run. Leaving an abusive ex-fiance behind, forming attachments is low on her list of priorities. However, a certain hardware store owner with the most amazing eyes tempts her resolve. Learning to trust him and embracing the future requires nerves of steel. Will her past let her go?

  Myles Channing has his hands full with high-maintenance women. Besides being a woman who needs love and nurturing, Janie is a woman Myles himself could fall in love with easily. Will he be able to teach her to trust men again, him in particular?

  Available April 2006

  Blue Plate Special: Pops’ Girls: Cindi, Lessons in Love by Shara Jones

  Struggling waitress and surrogate mother to her younger brother, Cindi Petroneli will do anything to help Ryan—including reluctantly hiring handsome college professor, Steve Richland as his tutor. Determined to rely on no man, can she resist when her resolve is tested by the sexy-as-sin professor and his LESSONS IN LOVE?

  Steve Richland is passing time in small town Glen Meadow until his California dream job comes through. Providing math and baseball instructions to Ryan keeps him in sexy Cindi's playing field, but will it keep him from leaving Glen Meadow and surrendering his freedom for fatherhood?

  Available May 2006

  Blue Plate Special: Pops’ Girls: Katie, Learning to Live by Meg Allison

  Katie Marie Morrison hides behind a flirtatous mask as she serves burgers and peach cobbler at Pops’ Dinner. Her bright smile and sarcastic wit hides the devastating knowledge she was just a one-night-stand for the one man she ever loved.

  Jeff McAlester, her only lover, returns home for good. But timing is everything and it's Katie who's now ready to leave. Despite their rekindled love, she doesn't want to stay. Can Jeff, the man with bluer-than-blue eyes and highly-charged kisses, help Katie learn to live a little ... the old fashioned way with a white picket fence and Happily Ever After?

  Available June 2006

  * * *

  Visit www.moonlitromance.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.