“Actually, I need to look at replacing the siding. I wanted the shingles to last as long as possible, but last year’s snowstorm took its toll on them.”
“Sure, ju
st call my office and we can set something up. I’d love to come check it out. Last time I was out that way, Nikki and I used the lake-” A nudge in Austin’s ribs left him sputtering. Cliff didn’t imagine what those two were doing at his lake. It was no secret what a lot of people did in the back of his property. Thankfully that stopped when he purchased the land and added the no trespassing signs. He hadn’t caught anyone there since.
“Sorry,” Nikki said, “We just came to meet Austin for lunch. Grace and I have a playdate with Aunt Avery scheduled.”
“Good to see you.”
Cliff held open the door to Angie’s diner for Alexis to enter then followed her inside, watching in amazement as everyone turned in their seats to stare at them. Not a peep came from a single customer. He had heard of this happening when newcomers came into the diner, but he had never experienced it for himself. His first time had been with Mrs. Connelly and no one asked questions when she was around.
A rush of people moved toward the entrance at an alarming rate, shoving him out of the way to get to Alexis, but he held her hand firmly. Shirley and Temple Fitzgerald were the first to encase Alexis in their arms, quickly followed by the rest of the Lady Busy Bees. The elderly women moved at a speed that surprised him. Glancing around the room he noticed the center tables pushed together to create one long table down the middle of the diner. They must have been having a meeting.
He looked over to Alexis surprised to find her smiling down at the older women as they regale her with stories and promise to brush up on their shooting skills to help keep her safe. Cliff wasn’t sure if the women having firearms was safer or more of a problem.
“Sorry ‘bout that,” a voice spoke next to him and Cliff turned to find Angie standing at the front of one of the booths. “This booth work for you?”
Releasing his hold of Alexis, Cliff nodded at Angie and slipped onto the vinyl seat. Typically, he’d go for the back booth to keep an eye on the place, but right now, he’d take what he could get. He didn’t think Alexis would like being paraded down the aisle for everyone to stare at.
A few minutes later Alexis slipped onto the seat across from him, smiling warmly with a flush of red on her cheeks.
“Sorry about that.”
“No need to be sorry,” he told her as he lifted the menu up as if to read, but he already knew what he wanted. Unlike his Connelly friends, he would eat just about anything on the menu. The Connelly’s each had their tried and true menu item, and if the meatloaf special was on the board there was no question what they would be choosing. He had the entire thing memorized.
“What looks good?” she asked, her eyes darting back and forth across the laminated sheet.
“I’m going to get a Rueben with homemade fries.”
“Oh, that sounds good,” she exclaimed, setting her menu back on the table.
Cliff leaned back in the booth, extending his legs out before him, placing them on either side of her legs.
“You seem at home here. I can’t remember, but did you grow up in Carson?” she asked as Angie stepped up to their table to get their orders. She immediately returned with their two sweet iced teas.
“Nope, I found Carson on a map when I left the Army. Though, I’m pretty certain Carson found me,” he joked as he took a sip of the cool drink.
“I know exactly what you mean. I grew up in a small town, not nearly as small as this, but you know what I’m saying. But once I was dropped off at the orphanage I jumped from house to house until I found one that could tolerate me. I was a bit of a pint-sized bully.”
“You? I don’t believe it.”
Laughing Alexis continued, “I had to be, otherwise everyone would take advantage. I was lucky. None of the homes were too bad. Some were overfilled, some really wanted a certain age or gender. It just took finding a good fit. Being older in the system was hard, especially when you can remember your parents and wish for them to come get you every day. Made it hard to form attachments.”
“I get it. Truthfully, being in the Army was the same way. Never knew when you would get picked up or moved. If you did go home, you never knew for how long. And it wasn’t just the soldier that suffers.” Cliff cast his eyes downward as an image of his ex-wife came to mind.
Trying to lighten the mood Alexis changed the subject. “So, tell me how you got into tattooing.”
After lunch Cliff and Alexis walked back to the shop, but as they passed by the abandoned bar with the dumpster out front, Cliff stopped. He peeked through the dirty window, wiping away some grime with his forearm. Surprise gripped him. A man stood in front of a plaster covered column, ramming a sledge hammer against it over and over. The man wore a mask so that only his dust-covered dark hair could be seen. Each swing was meant for more than just demolition, he could sense the pain in the man’s strike. After one more hit, an avalanche of plaster and wood boards came crashing down, leaving a column of old exposed brick.
“Well, damn,” Cliff murmured, shocked at what was hiding beneath the tattered exterior of the column.
“What?” Alexis asked from behind him.
“I think I need to introduce myself to our new neighbor.”
“Well, maybe you can do that tomorrow. You have an appointment in a few minutes.”
Smirking, Cliff wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss on the top of her head. He wanted nothing more than to be able to keep her, to make her his. But he had no idea how to give her the kind of life that she would be worthy of.