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Chapter Three
Janna
moved around the kitchen of the restaurant, going through the motions of
shutting it down for the night. She was irritated. Get that man out of your mind, Janna.
Tilly,
her chubby, red-headed best friend, and only waitress, came into the room and
frowned. “What’s wrong, girl?”
Janna
pulled her shoulders back, looked up into the concerned face of her friend and
said, “Nothing, why do you ask?”
“You’ve
been scrubbing that stove like you’re trying to kill it. News-flash, it’s
already dead.” She laughed and swatted Janna with the dish towel she pulled
from her round shoulder. “Now tell me what’s up.”
“Nothing,
Tilly.” She ducked her head in shame at the lie.
“Really?
Don’t play me like that Janna. I know you well enough to know when something’s
eating you.”
She
huffed, pouted out her full red lips and looked up. “It’s just that man…”
“Ah-ha!
I knew it,” Tilly said.
“See,
that’s why I didn’t want to say anything.” Janna clamped her mouth shut and
pursed her lips.
Tilly
held her hands up. “I’m sorry, I was just teasing. He looked yummy. He sure was
checking you out.”
“He
was not!”
“Yes
he was. I’m surprised the back of your shirt didn’t turn the color of his eyes.”
She giggled and swiped at the already gleaming silver counter.
Janna
looked at her friend. “Was he really looking at me?”
“Uh…yes.
How could you not know that?”
“If
he was staring at my back how could I see him?”
“I
can always feel someone staring at me.” Tilly walked out and flopped down on
one of the bar stools. “You should ask him out.”
Janna’s
mouth fell open as she followed. “I should not.”
“Why
not? You’ve been here for almost five years and never been on a date.”
“I
don’t date, you know that.”
Tilly
softened her voice. “You can’t go through life avoiding all men because of one
bad episode. Now I don’t mean to sound callous, but it’s true.”
Janna
sat down beside her. “I have to. Every time I think about accepting a date, I
get all freaked-out. Remember what happened with Johnny Lee?”
“Yeah,
but this guy’s different. I can tell and I didn’t even talk to him.”
“Why,
because he’s so good looking?” Janna smirked.
“No…I
don’t know what it is about him, I just have a feeling.”
Janna
threw her head back and laughed. “You mean the way you did with Harold
Whitmore?”
Tilly
gave her a mock-angry look, and then burst out laughing, too. “That’s not fair.
You know my receptors were getting interference from all that was going on at
the time.”
Janna
laughed even harder. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say, and
that’s saying a lot.”
It
was Tilly’s turn to pout. “It’s true though. Something just tells me this one’s
different.”
“I
don’t know, Til. I get that feeling too, and that’s just weird. Maybe it’s his
dog.”
“Yeah,
it was a cute beast.”
“Beast?
He was the most beautiful dog I’ve ever seen.” A smile curved her lips and lit
her amber eyes.
“Oh
no…don’t tell me you’ve got a crush on the dog, too.” Tilly giggled again, her
green eyes dancing.
“I
don’t have a crush on anyone.” But she did, and the lie cut through her like a
laser beam. “Well, maybe the dog…” She laughed and got up from the stool. “Come
on. Let’s get this done and go home. I want to take a hot bath and soak my
cares away.”
“Yeah,
me too, but I have to go home and take care of Jessie first. His dad brought
him back a day early because he cried all day yesterday.”
Janna’s
eyes filled with tenderness for the little red-haired, gray-eyed boy. “Why did
he cry for you?”
“I
don’t think he likes Andy’s new girlfriend. He told me she’s mean to him when
his dad’s out of the room.”
Anger
swept through Janna. “I better not ever catch her or…”
“Calm
down Jan. I got this. I texted him after I found out last night and told him I
wanted to talk to him. We can either hash it out as adults, or we can go to
court. It’s up to him.”
“Still…”
Tilly
laughed. “I love you, girl, you know that, don’t you? I couldn’t find another
friend as loyal as you.”
Janna
thought on it for a second, said, “That’s right,” and rushed over to hug Tilly.
“If it weren’t for you, I think I really would’ve gone crazy. I still believe
God sent me here because of you.”
“That
may very well be. Whatever the reason, I’m glad.”
“Me
too.”
They
walked out of the restaurant arm in arm.
Tilly
went to her blue SUV and Janna to her little red compact.
Janna
felt for her keys in her apron pocket and unlocked her car.
Tilly
was doing the same. “You want me here the same time tomorrow?”
“Yeah,
but maybe a little earlier. I want to try a new recipe so if you don’t mind I’ll
have you peel the potatoes.” She gave Tilly a mischievous look.
“You
just don’t want to peel the spuds. Admit it.” Tilly hopped into her SUV,
started it and waited for Janna to get in her car.
Janna
laughed. “I admit that’s part of it, but I do want to try the new recipe.”
“I’ll
peel them for you, but you’ll owe me,” Tilly yelled, trying to be heard over
her running motor.
“What
will it cost me?” She loved the banter with her best and only friend. It felt good to share part of her life with somebody.
How
about you watch Jessie this weekend coming,” Tilly yelled.
“You
got it.”
Janna
started her car and pulled out of the lot, the same way she had every day for the
last four years.
She
didn’t see the dark-haired man parked down the tree-lined street pull out in
traffic behind her.
She
turned on the CD player and sang along with the popular song, in good spirits
for once in a very long time.
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