Chapter 4

Putting his hands in his pockets of his worn jeans and walked down the road toward the dinner he had originally stopped for. Pushing in through the doors he was hit by the mouth-watering smells of bacon and hotcakes with maple syrup. Laced within those was the aroma of coffee. His stomach grumbled demanding to be feed yesterday.

A few of the tables were occupied, and there were a few men who looked to be regulars were sitting at the counter chatting. Catching a word or two told him they were discussing crops and weather. Connor made his way to a small empty table near the far wall and sat with his back to it, a habit he had picked up in the marines. Always sit where you have a good view of your surroundings, and where you can’t be snuck up on. He was still getting comfortable when he was approached by a waitress.

“Good morning, what can I get you?” she asked with a southern drawl.

Her voice seemed to flow over him like a warm breeze making him feel as if it reached every corner of his soul blowing the dust and cobwebs out. Tilting his head back he looked up at her face. She had big warm brown eyes, and long golden blonde hair framing her pale skinned face. There was a dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks. She was wearing the standard type of uniform in a light blue that went just right with her colouring. The little white apron tied at her waist emphasized her hourglass curves. His mouth went dry and he forgot what he had been planning on saying. It was something light hearted and witty, and it was totally gone. She gave him a smile as if she knew what was going on, or not going on as was the case, in his head. “How’s about I get you some coffee while you make up your mind?”

“Coffee, good, ah I mean, yes thank you ma’am that would be good.”

“Don’t you be calling me ma’am now, makes me sound old, I got enough of that in my bones, don’t need it out in the open like that.”

“Yes ma’am, sir, ahhh, miss?” he asked stumbling over his words.

She just laughed at him and headed back to the counter to grab the coffee pot and a mug.

He watched her noticing her legs were shapely with skin just as pale as her face. She obviously didn’t spend her off time out lying in the sun, nor did she worry about it enough to wear tights. He found himself looking where the apron cinched her waist. The thought crossed his mind that she made aprons look sexy.

Before he was finished watching her she was back. She put the mug down in front of him and filled it with coffee.

“See anything you like?” she asked startling him.

He sat dumb founded again and she rolled her eyes.

“The menu, do you know what you want or should I come back?”

Internally he sighed, she meant see anything he liked on the menu. He glanced up at the menu that was painted on a board above the hatch to the kitchen.

“Ah, bacon and eggs thanks.” It was the first thing on the menu and he wasn’t sure he was up to reading any further just then.

“How do you like your eggs…. Over easy, scrambled, poached?”

“Scrambled.”

“You want a side of toast?”

“Ah, yes please.”

“You want white, wheat, sourdough, or rye?” she was smirking at him openly now.

“Um, wheat?” he said wondering if he had even heard her say it.

“Not much of a talker are you?” she asked with a chuckle before turning and heading back to the kitchen to put the order in.

“You’d be surprised,” he said to himself.

She gave hin a smile as if she knew what was going on, or not going on as was the case, in his head. “Hows about I get you some coffee while you make up your mind?”

“Coffee, good, ah I mean, yes thank you ma’am that would be good. “Don’t you be calling me ma’am now, makes me sound old, I got enough of that in my bones, don’t need it out in the open like that.”

“Yes ma’am, sir, ahhh, miss?” he asked stumbling over his words. She just laughed at him and headed back to the counter to grab the coffee pot and a mug. He watched her noticing her legs were shapely with skin just as pale as her face. She obviously didn’t spend her off time out lying in the sun, nor did she worry about it enough to wear tights to hide the fact. He found himself looking where the apron cinched her waist. The thought crossed his mind that she made aprons look sexy. Before he was finished watching her she was back. She put the mug down in front of him and filled it with coffee.

“See anything you like?” she asked startling him. He sat dumb founded again and she rolled her eyes. “The menu, do you know what you want or should I come back?”

Internally he sighed, she meant see anything he liked on the menu. He glanced up at the menu that was painted on a board above the hatch to the kitchen.

“Ah, bacon and eggs thanks.” It was the first thing on the menu and he wasn’t sure he was up to reading any further just then.

“How do you like your eggs…. Over easy, scrambled poached?”

“Scrambled.”

“You want a side of toast?”

“Ah, yes please.”

“You want white, wheat, sourdough, or rhy?” she was smirking at him openly now.

“Um, wheat?” he said wondering if he had even heard her say it.

She chuckled. “Not much of a talker are you?” she asked with a chuckle before turning and heading back to the kitchen to put the order in.

“You’d be surprised,” he said to himself.