Her stomach chose that moment to growl, and heat filled her cheeks. She hadn’t eaten that day, and she was now suffering for it.
“Take a fry,” he said.
“No, that’s your food.”
“Lori, do me a favor and eat the fry. I’ll have the pie with the ice cream, but I won’t if you don’t eat.”
She rolled her eyes, and took a fry. Biting down, she appreciated the sweet gesture even though the fry was completely cold.
“And another one.”
“Don’t you want to eat?” she asked.
“I’ve been told
I’m getting pie.”
She chuckled, and took another fry. After standing with him for a few minutes, she held her hands up. “I’ve got to go and give coffee to others. I hope you enjoy your meal.”
“I’m enjoying the company more.”
Was he flirting with her?
She didn’t know, as she was a plain girl and rarely did anyone flirt with her. She was the kind of woman that everyone overlooked, bland and not important.
“You can come and sit with me if there’s a lull.”
This new customer kept trying to tempt her to spend some time with him, and each time, she refused. George would skin her alive if she sat down on the job.
She looked behind her as he watched her, and she liked his gaze on her body. In a weird kind of way, she felt him actually look at her, seeing her for who she was. The attention was nice for a change.
No one really took a good, long look or cared enough to see her.
Lori didn’t know his name, and once he left, she knew she’d never see him again.
Serving the rest of the customers, she actually felt like smiling even with her bruised eye.
She couldn’t recall the last time she’d been happy.
It wouldn’t last, but for now, she’d keep those depressing thoughts aside.
George already had the pie and ice cream ready, and she served the man. She didn’t know the man’s name, but being near him made her feel happy, safe, and at times a little scared. There was something about the way he looked at her. The intense look that made her think of a wolf with a sheep in his sights.
Those nerves kept her at a distance.
Of course, he didn’t stay forever, and she found herself glancing toward where he’d been sitting, wondering who he was, his name, everything. The empty booth brought out one of those fleeting moments of regret that she squashed just as quickly as it came.
The rest of her shift went by without any hiccups. No one else flirted with her or wanted to know her better. She went through the motions until it was time to clock off.
She grabbed her bags, and was about to leave the diner, not paying attention to anything, until George called her back.
“I don’t suppose you’d throw this outside in the dumpster?” He held up a large black garbage bag.
George would never be a gentleman, but not wanting to piss off her boss, she took the bag and lugged it into the darkened alley.
She hated the back alley, especially at night. It reminded her of every horror movie she’d ever watched. As she threw the bag in to the trash, she gasped as someone wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing a cloth against her nose.
Panic washed over her, and she fought, screaming. With every passing second, her body grew lax, and then little by little, her eyes closed as sleep claimed her.