Dare to Trust (The Dare 1)

She could do this. She could handle serving the three men lunch.

She passed him on her way to the kitchen. “Can I start you off with a drink while you’re waiting for the others?” she asked.

“Sure thing, doll, an ice tea with lemon.”

She nodded her head and headed back to the kitchen.

* * * *

Mike Spencer felt his heart racing. Every time he saw Marlena, she did that to him. Since day one when she showed up in town, looking so sad and in need of a job. His mother noticed immediately and took a liking to Marlena. His dads, Roy and Regan, hired her on the spot. It was perfect timing, since they’d just lost one of their full-time waitresses, Cara, who was having her third baby.

Chance was a nice-size community with great people. They had everything they could ask for in a town. There wasn’t a need to go out of town for much except to change up the pace of things and explore other towns and restaurants nearby.

As he took a seat and stared out the window, he saw his brothers pull up in their big black Escalade. It was pimped out and trimmed in chrome and stood out as much as the custom license plate, “TRPL ACTION.” He chuckled. They used to call one another that as kids when other boys would mess with them. You messed with one Spencer, you messed with all three.

They did most things together, but of course being a deputy after serving in the Navy as a SEAL was Mike’s calling. Danny and Jack had the business sense and mind. Plus, they loved living in Chance so much that after college and making it big in Charlotte, they pooled their money and opened up Spencer’s dance hall and bar. It was one of the local hot spots. They were thinking of expanding, but there was a lot to consider. With a bigger place came more problems, including people coming in from out of town and getting rowdy. They would need more security, and of course they wanted him to head it all.

The door chimed just as Marlena walked by and placed his ice tea down onto the table. She looked nervous as usual but just as gorgeous with her long blonde hair pulled back and arranged on the top of her head in some fancy style he noticed other women complimented her on. But it was her gorgeous, bold green eyes the color of emeralds that stood out most. They showed so much emotion. When she was excited, happy, sad, and even scared. Like now, the poor woman was shaking.

She tightened up the moment Danny and Jack slid next to her. Jack placed his hand on her waist.

“Afternoon, Marlena. You look real pretty today,” he told her.

“Thank you, Jack.”

“She sure does. We got lucky snagging you as our waitress. Good job, brother,” Danny said to Marlena, keeping his eyes on her and not glancing at Mike at all.

Mike had to chuckle. How many times had he told his brother not to be too flirty or pushy with Marlena? It just set her on further edge. They needed her calm and relaxed, so they could make a move.

She slid to the left, pulling out her pad as she glanced around the diner looking to see where she needed to go next.

“Can I start you with something to drink? Maybe you know what you’d like to order,” she said, holding the pen and not making eye contact with Jack or Danny.

“What I want isn’t on the menu,” Jack said to her. She swung her head at him fast and then held his gaze.

Mike’s heart pounded inside of his chest. What were these guys doing?

“And what would that be, Jack?” she asked with a little attitude.

“Can you see if one of my dads can make me a special egg on the burger? He’ll know what toppings to add,” he told her.

She wrote it down. “Sure thing. How about you guys?” she asked.

Danny leaned back and rubbed his belly. “I want to save room for some dessert,” he said and eyed her breasts. They were full and plump, nearly pouring from the blouse she wore. But unlike the other waitress, Alice, Marlena had her blouse buttoned up high. But it still accentuated her large breasts. She was a sexy woman.

“Well then maybe you’d like a salad?” she suggested and Jack laughed. So did Mike.

“I’ll take the same thing as Jack,” Danny said, sounding a little grumpy.

She then looked at Mike.

“What do you suggest, Marlena? What special is the best today?”

“Well, the chicken cheesesteak with homemade hash browns is most popular today. I don’t know how many orders your dads have left.”

“Well put me down for that, and if not, then make mine the same as my brothers,” he told her. She nodded then walked away, clearing some dishes from another table then placing a bill down on another.

“She works so hard. She’s been doing double shifts. Mom said that Tara might not come back,” Jack told them.