"What the hell?" leathery guy asked.
"Look, Sam, she's just working and trying to earn a living like us. How'd you like it if I grabbed your ass while you were framing a wall?"
Sam's glower grew darker, and his weak chin moved side to side in anger. Sizing the two men up, I'd say Sam only had experience in his favor. He also didn't have an amazingly handsome face to lose like my other new hero.
A hush seemed to fall over the entire dining area as Sam stared hard at the young man sitting next to him. Then his tobacco-stained teeth glinted behind a grin. "I'd like to see you try, Wilde."
"You should be so lucky," Wilde replied. A slightly crooked smile followed, one that I was sure had left plenty of women quaking in their panties.
Laughter that was still stunted by tension trampled through the room.
I hadn't seen my first hero return from the ladies' room. It seemed she'd witnessed the exchange. She put her hand on the young man's shoulder and gave it an approving squeeze. "Knew I liked you." She then straightened and released a whistle that would put a tea kettle to shame. "Everyone, I need your attention." The woman was short in stature but big in presence. Everyone paused their conversations to listen. "We'll be out onthat job over there for at least a year. That's a nice, steady paycheck for everyone in this room."
Applause followed.
She lifted her hands, and the clapping stopped. "That's not the point I was going to make. We're all going to be spending plenty of time here in this diner, so we will treat the staff with respect." The woman turned toward Carol. "Any complaints, bring them straight to me, Doris Richmond."
Carol nodded. "Thank you."
"Now, get those orders in, so we can get back to work." Doris marched back to her seat. Something told me she'd never crawled around as a baby. She probably went straight to marching.
"I'll take a chili burger, extra onions," Sam said and politely handed me the menu. I went around the circle and ended at the guy with the amazing smile.
"Uh, you know, I'll just have a cola, and can you put it in a cup to go?" He handed me his menu.
"How ya going to last the rest of the day on a soft drink?" Sam asked.
"I had a big breakfast," he said.
I finished putting in orders and delivering plates. Nora, Carol and I raced around like we were on turbo-charged skates. Hank was flipping burgers like a pro. One day in, it was obvious Carol was going to have to hire an assistant cook and at least one more server.
Conversations and activity dulled to a low roar as everyone shoveled in their lunches. My green-eyed hero had taken his soda outside. He sat on the bus stop bench in front of the diner eating a granola bar and sipping his drink. I knew exactly what was going on out there because I'd eaten plenty of granola bar meals myself. My night job had finally given me enough wiggleroom to keep the refrigerator stocked and even have some extra for toys and trips to the local amusement park.
Carol was busy in the office writing up purchase orders and posting job openings. Nora was refilling water pitchers. I walked into the kitchen. Hank was sitting on a stool eating a sandwich. His apron was stained with grease and ketchup, and his face was red with perspiration.
"What a day," he said.
"I'll say. I'm going to have to soak my feet tonight. Is there a leftover sandwich?"
"In the refrigerator. Help yourself. The one on the left has no mustard." He winked.
"Thanks." I didn't bother letting him know it wasn't for me. Carol didn't mind occasionally feeding someone who needed it, but I didn't want to advertise what I was up to. The man had come to my defense today, even knowing that it might get him in trouble with his coworkers. I took the sandwich out, wrapped it in brown paper and tucked in a napkin.
"Nora, I'll be right back."
"All right."
The man was scrolling through his phone as I walked up to the bench. He glanced up at me and squinted at the bright sky past my shoulder. He really did have the most amazing emerald green eyes.
"Now, don't be mad, but I know that look. I've worn it many times myself."
"What look?" he asked.
I pointed at the bench, and he motioned for me to sit down. "It's called hunger." I handed him the paper wrapped sandwich. He took it reluctantly. "Let me guess, you've been between jobs for weeks, your account is dry and will be until you get your first paycheck on this job. So, you've got no food. You didn't have a big breakfast, did you?"
He leaned back. "Actually, I did. I'm staying with my brother, and his girlfriend fixed me some eggs and toast." He unwrapped the sandwich. "But yeah, thanks for this. I'm not sure the granola bar was going to hold me, and I want to show the boss I'm up to the job."
"Doris, then, she's the boss?"