Paint The Ice

Chapter 8

RILEY

I'M EARLY.

You'd think the parking lot would be empty at 8AM but it's the opposite. Several cars and bikes fit the slots that if I turn around and try to spot my own I won't be able to. It's easily swallowed up by the others.

Bikers toss their leather jackets over their broad shoulders and cruise to the entrance of Dan's diner. I walk closely behind, letting them enter first. When I'm inside, the overhead bell jingles like keys.

I get a whiff of coffee. Proceeding further inside, I find a table near the window and wait. I appreciate the warmth and lively voices of the diner. An old man with a long gray beard sits at the table closest to me with a little girl and two other adults. The little girl's pigtails bounce behind her ears as she stretches across their table sharing what appears to be a sausage. The old man pinches a small piece of it and smiles lovingly at her but he doesn't eat it. I stare at the kid. And... Now I'm thinking about Tommy. I know Asher doesn't have him this week and even though I didn't want to babysit the kid that night, he wasn't intolerable.

"Emmy, paw-paw doesn't want anymore." The woman at the far end of their table chuckles. By the looks of it, she's most likely Emmy's mother.

"Eat your food Emmy."

While I'm there with my legs crossed over under the wooden table, a waitress comes around to check on me.

"Welcome to Dan's diner, what can I get you?"Mandy, as suggested by her name tag asks with a pleasant smile. I don't know where the girl who took Asher and I's order is but this isn't her. This girl rocks auburn corkscrew braids and a curvy figure that her uniform can't hide.

I tap a nail on the menu in front of me before I flip my attention back to the girl. "Nothing right now. I'm waiting for someone."

The least I can do is wait for Asher. Like he said... and I can't believe I'm saying this but he did say it's not commendable to eat without your guest and I suppose he's right. Because of course he's right. Why do I even remember what he said last Saturday?

Mandy's pleasant tone doesn't quiver. "Oh, that's fine. Just let me know when you're ready to order."

"Sure, yeah," I'm returning her sweet customer service voice. She flashes me one last smile and turns on her heel, making her way to another table that's also near the window.

Fortunately, Asher scrolls through the entrance door causing the bell overhead to jingle. I can see how that can become quite annoying for the workers if they hate their jobs or the customers like myself. I'm glad Asher's here, two seconds late but still here. Because I don't have to be sitting alone any longer. If I wanted that, I would've taken advantage of a Saturday morning of silence in the comfort of my bed.

"You're more excited to see me than I am to see you." His mouth lifts teasingly as he approaches the table.

I snicker. "I'm just here for the food and you're late."

"Yeah? No, you're just early," he says, sliding into the chair on the opposite side of the table. "What are you ordering then?"

When I don't answer right away, his dark eyebrows raise.

"I didn't scan the menu okay?" I pull the laminated paper closer to the edge of the table. I'm baffled by the fact that I can't remember a single item yet I remember the exact words Asher spoke seven days ago. Where's my head today? I call out the first few things my eyes land on. "French toast with raspberries and my usual hot chocolate. What are you getting?"

I'm starting off small.

He nods at my order, not even acknowledging his menu. "Onion rings, eggs, pancakes, not much."