"You're laughing, but I'm not really trying to be funny," Evan said, smiling and confidently shaking his head at me before taking off to sit with his family.
Chapter 11
We had a rush of to-go orders after Evan went to sit with his grandma. Paige and her two little girls came in while I was on the phone, and I smiled at them and pointed toward the table where Evan and Dee-dee were sitting.
They were situated on the far side of the small dining room, and I could see their table from most of the areas behind the counter. Evan took the seat that was positioned looking toward me, so even though he was far away, I could clearly see him when I glanced over there. Paige sat on the same side of the booth as Dee-dee, and her two little girls, Ryan and Izzy, sat with Evan.
I couldn’t help but glance over there while I was on the phone. The Hunt family knew the routine at Amy's. We never went to the tables to take orders—it was pushing it for me to manage getting the food out to the tables once they were ready. Sometimes, when I was in the weeds, if I knew a customer by name, I'd just yell at them to come get their own order. It was a laidback place that was more about a good breakfast than fancy service.
I brought the to-go tickets to the kitchen before leaving the counter headed into the dining room. My intention was to wipe a table that had just come open, but the restaurant was small, and I had to walk right by the Hunt's table.
"I want a cimmanon bun!" Izzy yelled excitedly when she saw me coming.
I squinted and pointed at her as I approached, and she giggled, knowing I was going to poke her ribs. "I know what you want, you little munchkin." I sat on the very edge of the booth seat next to her, and she put her arms around me. I had become good friends with Paige, Cody, and the girls over the years, so their youngest daughter was completely comfortable with me sitting there. Evan was on the same side of the booth, so I couldn't see him without leaning over and looking past his nieces. I opted to look at Paige and Dee-dee instead, since that was most convenient, and they were a lot less intimidating.
"I was coming over to wipe this table, but I think I know what most of you want if you'd like me to put in your order."
"I want a cimmanon bun!" Izzy repeated, in her precious little toddler voice.
"I want a haircut," Evan said as if that was one of the things on the menu.
"When'd you have it cut last?" Paige asked, absentmindedly digging in her purse.
Evan leaned over the table to look at me. "Annabel did it."
"That was your last haircut?" I asked in a shocked tone since that felt like it happened a century ago.
"Yeah, why, do I need to get it cut?" he asked, directing his question to me.
"I can't believe you haven't," I said. "Don't they have stylists getting all fussy over you during photo shoots?"
He shrugged. "They mess with my hair, but they don't cut it. Nobody's touched it since you cut it."
"You need to trim those ends, at least," Paige said, glancing at her brother-in-law like he was a hippie and a half for not having it trimmed. "I have to go by the salon when we leave here, anyway," she said. "You can come with us, and I'll trim you up if you want to."
"Aw," Dee-dee said. "That is so sweet." She looked at Evan. "Paige is gonna do that on her day off," she said, expecting him to say 'thank you' to Paige for the kind offer.
"And I appreciate that, but I think I'm gonna let my regular girl do it."
"Who's your regular girl?" Paige asked with a genuinely confused look on her face.
I knew before he said my name that he was going to say it. My chest started buzzing before it even came out of his mouth.
"Annabel," he said.
Paige smiled at me when she realized what he was saying. "Oh, Annabel, of course." She paused and sighed dramatically. "She's pretty booked, but she can probably work you in before Myrtle Beach."
"I forgot about that," I said, glad for the change of subject since I felt breathless. "Two weeks, huh?"
"Why don't you come?" Evan said. He leaned over to look directly at me, so it was obvious who he was talking to.
The girls both cheered at the idea.
"He's kidding," I said to them as I stood up to go wipe the table, "but even if he wasn't, I can't. I have to be there to work at your mama's salon so she can go on vacation with you." I tickled Izzy, who was closest to the edge. "Let me get back to work," I said as someone came through the door with perfect timing.
"Do what you need to do, sweetheart," Dee-dee said. "I'll send Evan up there to order when we're ready."
***
"So you think you'll be able to fit me in for a haircut?" Evan asked when he came up to the bar a few minutes later. He stood near the register with the intention of placing their order, but instead, he asked about a haircut.
"I think I can make something happen before you guys go out of town," I said with a smile, feeling giddy at the thought of cutting his hair again. I held up the notepad and pen, poised for Evan to tell me his order. "I know what everybody else wants, so you just need to tell me yours," I said.
He grinned at me, and to my own shock and horror, he reached out and pinched at my cheek. "You're blushing, and it's the prettiest thing I've ever seen," he said sweetly. I gasped and stared at him with wide eyes. "Evan Hunt, didn't anyone ever teach you that you shouldn't point out when a lady's blushing," I said, turning redder than ever. "It only makes matters worse." I was so embarrassed, I felt like my face could go up in flames. I picked up a nearby laminated menu and began fanning myself with it.
"I have seriously never seen a blush look this cute before," he said.
I glanced at him to see that he was still smiling at me, and I scrunched up my face at him before turning my attention to the notepad. I used restaurant shorthand to write down everyone else's order before looking at Evan to get his. "Same as last time?" I asked with a sigh.
"Sounds good," he said.
I added his order to the others before looking up to let my eyes meet his again. "I don't mind going up to the salon when I'm done here. I can leave at eleven."
"Today?" he asked, seeming surprised.
I nodded and shrugged. "If you want. It'll probably be easier than trying to work you into my schedule when I'm at the salon."
"That busy, huh?" he asked.
I smiled shyly. "Busy time of year, too."
"I'm up for a haircut today if you're sure you don't mind."
"I don't," I said.
"You think your boyfriend would mind?"
I came really close to saying I didn't have a boyfriend, but instead, I just shook my head.
His smile broadened. It was breathtaking. It literally took my breath away. I stood there, not breathing. "Even if he knew your customer had other intentions?"
"He wouldn't care," I said, giggling nervously and unable to think straight. I could not bear to tell him that I no longer had a boyfriend. I knew Evan would know he was the reason I broke up with Garret, and I was just too embarrassed to let the words come out of my mouth.
Evan's hands were clasped in front of him as he smiled and shook his head at me. "I would never let you meet me somewhere after hours if I was your boyfriend."
"I'm not entirely sure that made sense," I said, smiling.
"Sure it did," he said. "I said, if you were my girl, I'd never let you meet someone like me in an empty salon on your day off."
"Are you trying to tell me you're dangerous?"
"I'm extremely dangerous," he said, acting completely serious. "That pilot should be really concerned right now."
"Oh really?"
He nodded. "For sure."
"Maybe we should reconsider," I said.
He shrugged. "I think you should go ahead and give me a haircut." He paused. "But it's not gonna end well for the pilot."
"Oh, you think so?" I said, laughing a little as I put styrofoam boxes into a to-go bag.
Someone was walking toward the register, so Evan walked off, letting me get back to work. It was seve
ral minutes later when the Hunt's order was ready and I brought it out to them. I was only there long enough to drop it off before I had to get back to the counter to help Mr. Voth who had finished his meal and was waiting at the register.
"All done?" I asked.
"I am," he said. He had already paid for his and his sister's meals when he ordered them, so I was uncertain as to why he was waiting for me. "I'd like to pay for another table's breakfast if they haven't already settled up with you," he said.
I knew he was going to say "Diane Hunt's table," and that's exactly what came out of his mouth. Paige usually ordered a fruit cup or two for the road, so technically, they hadn't finished ordering, but the gesture was so sweet and romantic, that I didn't bother spoiling it with details like that. I added up their total so far, and planned on giving them the fruit cup if they asked. Nathan Voth paid their tab and even added a generous tip to the check, and I couldn’t wait to tell Dee-dee he did—I couldn't wait to see the look on her face.
"Don't tell Diane I paid for it, if you don't mind," he said, just as I was thinking about the look on her face. "Just tell her it's on the house."
My shoulders slumped like I was a little girl and he was my grandpa, and he was taking away my favorite toy. "You're seriously not gonna let me tell her?" I asked.
Mr. Voth smiled at me with a toothpick in his mouth. "No."
"That's no fair," I said.
"Maybe some other time," he said, still smiling.
"All right," I said, smiling as I ran my closed hand across my lips, indicating they were zipped. I even did the little motion at the end like I was tossing away the key.
He smiled and winked at me. "Thanks Annabel."
"You're welcome."
I watched as he walked out the door with his sister. I glanced into the dining room, and within seconds made eye contact with Evan. He smiled and looked straight at me. I blinked hard two times in a row since I was just delirious enough to do something stupid and make pretty eyes at him. He smiled and made a silly face at me. I could see his family talking to him, but he kept glancing at me. He appealed to me in a way no man ever had. I felt like I was being physically drawn to him—like there was a rope tied to my waist and I was being tugged by it.
Things were slowing down a little at the register, so I decided to give into the urge to walk over to the Hunt's table. I grabbed a rag and some cleaner so I could look like I had other intentions.
"Breakfast is on the house today," I said once I was close enough to their table that I didn't have to announce it in front of our other customers.
"Is that that man's name?" Paige asked, looking at Dee-dee with a perplexed expression. "House?"
Dee-dee took the napkin from her lap and used it to cover her face when she laughed.
"Oh, you thought Mr. Voth paid for it?" I asked Paige in a sorrowful way that said she was way off base.
"He didn't?" Dee-dee asked, losing her smile as she waited for my answer. I could tell she wanted it to be him who paid for it, but I had already promised him I wouldn't tell her.
"All I know is it's been taken care of," I said, with my hands raised in surrender, trying to look as straight-faced as possible. "Are y'all doing all right over here?" I asked as I got up with the intention of wiping off the table next to theirs. "Can I get you anything else?"
"We'll take some fruit for the road, if you don't mind," Paige said. I smiled and nodded at her, letting her know I'd take care of it.
The next fifteen minutes passed quickly, and before I knew it, the Hunts were on their way out the door.
"I guess I'll be back at eleven, unless you have a better plan," Evan said, right in front of everyone when they came to the front when they were finished eating.
"That's fine," I said. "Or I could just meet you at the salon."
"I'll come here," he said. "You probably want to ride in my truck, anyway."
"Yeahhhh! Let's ride in Uncle Evan's truck!" Ryan said.
He rubbed her hair. "I'll take you on a ride right now, if you wanna go," he said.
She cheered and Paige shrugged, saying she was okay with whatever they decided.
"I'll meet you here at eleven so you can ride, too," Evan said, looking at me with an easy smile. I was helpless to do anything but smile back and nod as the whole family looked at me. I would ride in a straight piece of junk and enjoy it with Evan driving. I could only imagine how I'd feel riding in something nice.
Chapter 12
"You've only been here two days, how'd you get this?" I asked when I walked outside a couple of hours later and saw Evan's new truck. It wasn't new at all, actually. It was quite old. I wasn't a huge car person, but I knew a few things from listening to my dad and the guys at the restaurant, and I knew this was nice.
"I've wanted this car since I was in high school. It belonged to my parents' neighbor. I called him the second I decided to move back into town."
"And he just sold it to you after he'd been having it that long?" I asked.
"I'm pretty persistent," he said. He was standing beside me, and I glanced at him to find that he was smiling. The shape of his mouth when he smiled was exactly what a smile should look like. He'd been out in the sun, which made his teeth look exceptionally white. My eyes fell onto the sharp points of his eyeteeth, and that jittery feeling washed over me again. I instantly glanced back at the truck.
"Is it a Bronco?" I asked, pointing at the letters F-o-r-d, which were in the middle of the grill.
"It's awesome that you know that," he said.
"I figured it was a Bronco, but I don't know what year or anything."
"It's a seventy-two," he said. "I've wanted this car since I was sixteen."
"Why didn't you just get one in California?" I asked. "I thought stuff like this was all anyone drove over there."
"Because I wanted this very one," he said. "It's pretty much my dream car. Don't worry about it."
It was one of the most beautiful restoration jobs I had ever seen. It was navy with off-white accents, big tires, and lots of chrome. It had a hard top over the front seats, but the back was open. I walked up to it thinking that it was perhaps the coolest vehicle he could have possibly shown up with.
"Is there a seat in the back?" I asked, walking up to it.
"Why? You worried about Cupcake having a place to ride?"
I opened the passenger's door before I turned to smile at him. "She's gonna be happy you thought about her," I said. I glanced in to find that the inside was just as immaculate as the outside. Brown interior—bucket seats in the front, and a small bench seat in the back with a little bed behind that. "This is maybe the coolest truck ever," I said since it was absolutely true.
"I had to have it," he said. "It's the only crazy purchase I've made since I started working, so I figured I'd treat myself."
I sat in the passenger's seat with my small shoulder bag on my lap and stared up at him. The door was open, and he was standing there with one of his arms on the door and the other one on the truck. There was a gate made of Evan blocking me in, and it was a glorious sight. It was overcast but bright at the same time, and his face seemed to me like one of an angel. His scar had settled in color, and it appeared to have softened some. It fit his face like he was born with it. The combination of the scar and the long hair while I was sitting in the passenger's seat of a really cool truck had my heart fluttering.
"Do I get to ride in it?" I asked feeling a bit like a kid at Christmas.
"Yeah, unless you want to follow me over there," he said, knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that I would say 'no' to that offer.
I didn’t even bother responding. We both knew there was no way I would ever refuse to ride in a truck like this one—especially with a guy like him. I reached out for the door handle and smiled at him, indicating that if he didn't get out of the way, he might get hit with the door. In other words, I was staying right where I was in the passenger's seat. He smiled and smacked the side of the truck before helping me clos
e my door.
"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness," I whispered as he jogged in front of the truck to get to the driver's side.
"You sure you don't mind giving me a haircut on your day off?" he asked once he started the truck and was pulling out of the parking lot. We had to speak loudly over the low rumble of the engine.
"Not at all," I said.
We had just come to a stop at a traffic light, and the guy in the truck next to us smiled appreciatively at me and gave me a thumbs up. I knew he wasn't flirting. He was talking about the truck, which was worthy of such gestures. I gave him a thumbs up back just as the light turned green and the engine roared as Evan took off in first gear.
"Oh my goodness, he gave me a thumbs up," I said once we were on the road and the guy in the truck could no longer hear me.
"People love it," he said smiling while his eyes remained on the road. I asked Evan to put on some music, and he turned it to a classic rock station that was playing a southern rock song by a band that may or may not have been Credence Clearwater Revival. I wasn't familiar enough with the song to know the lyrics, but it was a familiar tune that fit perfectly with the scene—wind whipping through our hair as we cruised Charlotte on a beautiful morning. I was relatively sure life did not get much better than moments like this.
"Does your whole life feel like a movie when you ride around in that thing?" I asked as we were walking into the salon a few minutes later.
Evan laughed. "I've only had it for two days, but so far, yeah it pretty much does."
"Your life's sort of like a movie anyway, I guess," I said.
"I don't really even know anymore," he said, shrugging as we walked. "I didn't think I was tired of everything until it just hit me one day that I was. I think I should have slowed down and trusted the process when I first had the accident. I think God was trying to tell me something by bringing me out here. I just missed it at first."
It's About Time (Hunt Family #5) Page 8