again and we both looked away.
After a little bit, I gathered up my stuff and my little dog, said goodbye to Archer, and started walking up the driveway.
When I got to the gate , I paused, looking back at the small house behind me. It suddenly occurred to me that Archer Hale had taught himself an entire language, but hadn't had a single person to talk to.
Until me.
**********
The n ext day, as I was carrying a reuben with a side of fries to Cal Tremblay and a BLT with a side of potato salad to Stuart Purcell at table three, the bell rung over the door and I looked up to see Travis walking in wearing his uniform. He smiled big at me and gestured to the counter, asking if I was working it. I smiled and nodded, saying quietly, "Be right there."
I delivered the food in my hands, refilled their waters and then walked back behind the counter where Travis was now sitting.
"Hey," I greeted him, smiling. "How are you?" I held up the coffee pot and raised my brows questioningly.
"Please," he said to the coffee and I started pouring. "I've been trying to call you," he said. "Are you avoiding me?"
"Avoiding–oh crap! I ran out of minutes. Damn. " I put my palm to my forehead. "Sorry, I have one of those pay-as-you-go phones, and I rarely use it."
He raised his eyebrows. "Isn't there any family back home that you keep in touch with?"
I shook my head. "A few friends, but m y dad passed away six months ago and… no, there's really not."
"Jesus, I'm sorry, Bree," he said, concern filling his expression.
I waved it away. I refused to get emotional at work. "It's okay. I'm okay." I was mostly okay, sometimes okay. Better these days.
He studied me for a second. "Well, the reason I was calling you was to see if you'd like to do that dinner we talked about?"
I leaned my hip against the counter and smiled at him. "So you tracked me down when I didn't answer my phone?"
He grinned. "Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a high level, spy-caliber track down operation."
I laughed, but his wording reminded me of Archer and for some strange reason, something like guilt fluttered in my gut. What was that about? I had no idea. Our friendship was blossoming, but he was still closed off in many respects. I understood it I guessed, and it made me so mad that the whole dang town ignored him, when in fact, he was this incredibly smart, gentle man who as far as I could tell, had never done anything wrong to anyone. It wasn't fair.
"Hello, earth to Bree," Travis said, snapping me out of my reverie. I had been staring out the window.
I shook my head slightly. "I'm sorry, Travis. I just got caught up in my own thoughts there for a minute. My brain can seri ously be a black hole sometimes." I laughed softly, embarrassed. "Anyway, uh, sure I'll go to dinner with you."
He raised his eyebrows . "Well, try not to sound too excited about it."
I laughed, shaking my head. "No, sorry, I just… just dinner, right?"
He grinned. "I mean, maybe an appetizer… maybe even some dessert…"
I laughed. "Okay."
" Friday night?"
"Yes, okay ." I held my finger up to a couple that had just sat down in my section and they smiled. "I gotta get back to work, but see you Friday?" I scribbled my address down on a piece of paper from my order pad and handed it to him, smiling.
"Yeah, how about I pick you up at seven?"
"Perfect." I smiled again. "See you then." As I walked around the counter to the table, I could see him leaning back on his stool to check out my ass as I walked away.
CHAPTER 12
Bree
I worked early on Friday and drove home to get ready for my date with Travis.
I took a long, hot shower and took extra time with my hair and makeup, trying to work up some excitement at just being a girl who was about to be picked up for a date.
What if he kissed me? Nervous flutters started in my belly. Strangely, again, Archer came to my mind and so did a vague sense of guilt. That was silly though–Archer was only my friend. I thought
After a little bit, I gathered up my stuff and my little dog, said goodbye to Archer, and started walking up the driveway.
When I got to the gate , I paused, looking back at the small house behind me. It suddenly occurred to me that Archer Hale had taught himself an entire language, but hadn't had a single person to talk to.
Until me.
**********
The n ext day, as I was carrying a reuben with a side of fries to Cal Tremblay and a BLT with a side of potato salad to Stuart Purcell at table three, the bell rung over the door and I looked up to see Travis walking in wearing his uniform. He smiled big at me and gestured to the counter, asking if I was working it. I smiled and nodded, saying quietly, "Be right there."
I delivered the food in my hands, refilled their waters and then walked back behind the counter where Travis was now sitting.
"Hey," I greeted him, smiling. "How are you?" I held up the coffee pot and raised my brows questioningly.
"Please," he said to the coffee and I started pouring. "I've been trying to call you," he said. "Are you avoiding me?"
"Avoiding–oh crap! I ran out of minutes. Damn. " I put my palm to my forehead. "Sorry, I have one of those pay-as-you-go phones, and I rarely use it."
He raised his eyebrows. "Isn't there any family back home that you keep in touch with?"
I shook my head. "A few friends, but m y dad passed away six months ago and… no, there's really not."
"Jesus, I'm sorry, Bree," he said, concern filling his expression.
I waved it away. I refused to get emotional at work. "It's okay. I'm okay." I was mostly okay, sometimes okay. Better these days.
He studied me for a second. "Well, the reason I was calling you was to see if you'd like to do that dinner we talked about?"
I leaned my hip against the counter and smiled at him. "So you tracked me down when I didn't answer my phone?"
He grinned. "Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a high level, spy-caliber track down operation."
I laughed, but his wording reminded me of Archer and for some strange reason, something like guilt fluttered in my gut. What was that about? I had no idea. Our friendship was blossoming, but he was still closed off in many respects. I understood it I guessed, and it made me so mad that the whole dang town ignored him, when in fact, he was this incredibly smart, gentle man who as far as I could tell, had never done anything wrong to anyone. It wasn't fair.
"Hello, earth to Bree," Travis said, snapping me out of my reverie. I had been staring out the window.
I shook my head slightly. "I'm sorry, Travis. I just got caught up in my own thoughts there for a minute. My brain can seri ously be a black hole sometimes." I laughed softly, embarrassed. "Anyway, uh, sure I'll go to dinner with you."
He raised his eyebrows . "Well, try not to sound too excited about it."
I laughed, shaking my head. "No, sorry, I just… just dinner, right?"
He grinned. "I mean, maybe an appetizer… maybe even some dessert…"
I laughed. "Okay."
" Friday night?"
"Yes, okay ." I held my finger up to a couple that had just sat down in my section and they smiled. "I gotta get back to work, but see you Friday?" I scribbled my address down on a piece of paper from my order pad and handed it to him, smiling.
"Yeah, how about I pick you up at seven?"
"Perfect." I smiled again. "See you then." As I walked around the counter to the table, I could see him leaning back on his stool to check out my ass as I walked away.
CHAPTER 12
Bree
I worked early on Friday and drove home to get ready for my date with Travis.
I took a long, hot shower and took extra time with my hair and makeup, trying to work up some excitement at just being a girl who was about to be picked up for a date.
What if he kissed me? Nervous flutters started in my belly. Strangely, again, Archer came to my mind and so did a vague sense of guilt. That was silly though–Archer was only my friend. I thought
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