Jigsaw (Hell's Handlers MC 3)

And she did. She wanted it bad.

Needed it.

She reached the center of town in about twenty minutes, jogging right up to the diner she had yet to check out. As long as they had coffee that was better than the swill she’d brewed, she was damn happy to fork over some cash.

A cheerful bell jangled as she pushed through the door.

“Table for one?” asked a tiny waitress as she paused in front of Izzy holding a tray with six heaping plates of food. The woman was small, but clearly had arms of steel.

“I can sit at the counter so I don’t hog an entire booth,” Izzy said, nodding her head toward one of the four empty stools at the long diner counter.

“Perfect, pick any seat, and I’ll bring you a menu in two shakes,” she said as she moved toward a table of burly guys who wore leather cuts much as Jig had in Rip’s shop four days ago. Izzy was embarrassed to admit she’d had a few fantasies about the man since then. Good thing she didn’t know any mind readers.

She chose a seat that had an empty stool on each side. Hopefully, they’d remain that way, and she could eat her meal in silence. So much for interacting with real people.

The cheerful blond waitress appeared in front of Izzy. “Okay, here’s your menu.” She had curly hair that just reached her shoulders, sparkly blue eyes, and a sunny personality. Usually, Izzy would hate her on sight, but it wouldn’t kill Izzy to try to be a little more personable.

“Thanks,” she said, taking the thick laminated menu.

“I’m Shell by the way. You want coffee?”

“Yes!” Izzy said, almost like she’d die if she didn’t get some caffeination.

Shell laughed. “Got it, big mug.”

Izzy smiled. “The bigger, the better.”

Tapping her knuckles on the counter, Shell grinned. “Be right back with that. It’ll give you a chance to check out the menu.”

Two minutes later, a mug the size of a cereal bowl landed in front of her. “You’re a goddess,” Izzy said. “A coffee-bearing goddess.”

Shell threw her head back and let out a loud laugh. “Oh man, today I’ve been called ‘mommy,’ ‘hey you,’ and ‘damned woman.’ I think goddess trumps them all. Could you say it again?”

Izzy laughed. Shell was hilarious. It wasn’t often she made a connection with another female. Most found her intimidating. After all, she was tall, athletic, inked, and had been told she rocked a resting bitch face like no other. But Shell seemed unaffected by any of that. Maybe she was just a good actress, working it for tips, but Izzy had the impression she was just an all-around sweet person. “Damned woman?”

“Yep, twice.” Shell pointed to the table of bikers. “Big red-headed one. I’m kinda the bane of his existence.” She winked and set a bowl of sugar packets and a tiny pitcher of cream in front of Izzy.

“You say that like you enjoy it,” Izzy said as she dumped half the small pitcher into her mug then tore open five packets of sugar in one move. Well, look at that. Back and forth conversation. Huh, maybe the move to Tennessee had been good for her. Perhaps she could loosen up and socialize while keeping herself and her emotions at a healthy distance.

“Gotta get my fun where I can.” Shell snorted out a laugh. She pointed to Izzy’s mug. “Oh, my God, you drink your coffee like I do! And you called me a goddess. I think I’m falling in love with you. Any chance you swing that way?”

It was Izzy’s turn to snort, almost spilling the cream. Shit, had she read the situation completely wrong? Was Shell flirting with her? She’d hate to give the woman the false impression of interest. With a shrug, she said, “Sorry, Shell, I love dick too much to give it up.”

Shell sighed. “Yeah, me, too.”

Ahh, just being snarky. “And I don’t think it’s possible to get coffee light enough or sweet enough.”

“Right?” Shell’s smile was huge. “I’m surrounded by black coffee drinkers in my life. Nice to meet another who doctors the hell out of it. Decided on what you want to eat yet?”

“What do you recommend?”

“Cinnamon roll waffles. They’re our best seller, hands down.”

Izzy groaned. That sounded beyond amazing. “What do you recommend for someone who ate half a sleeve of Oreos last night and is doing penance today?”

“Well, if you were me, you’d still eat the waffles,” Shell said with a grin.

Yeah, like the itty-bitty woman gorged out on fat and sugar-laden cinnamon waffles often.

“But you seem to be looking for something lighter so I’d go with the Mediterranean egg white omelet. Spinach, tomatoes, feta and a side of fresh fruit.”

“Perfect.” Izzy handed her menu back to Shell.

“It’ll be up in a few. Enjoy your coffee.” Shell moved on to a customer a few stools down as Izzy sipped her coffee.