to a booth at the back end of the long single row of booths next to the window, far from the three occupied booths. Joe sat beside her with his back toward the doorway. He motioned a wave of recognition to the diner’s staff.
“Hey Sue, sweetie, how ya doin? George! Good to see you again!” Joe called out, and they responded in kind.
“Funny, I’d have pictured you as a ‘back against the wall’ kinda guy,” she smiled.
He laughed, “Chuck’ll be here soon enough. It’s easier if folks don’t see me around these parts. It’s the difference between hot and cold food,” he smirked. As he spoke, the whiskey on his breath made her catch her own.
Her thoughts flashed momentarily back to her Dad and Tommy packing the boat for their fishing trip, and she stiffened.
“Besides, if we put Chuck in the corner with his back to any woman with potential that might walk in,” Joe laughed harder as he seemed to picture the image, “I’m talkin’ whiplash!”
She quickly turned into the menu, missing his joke. She smiled and nodded.
“So, did you get a chance to see our pictures...how’d we do?”
“Fantastic, I’d say,” she smiled. “You’re very photogenic. But then again, you probably already knew that, didn’t you? That reminds me…why aren’t there good photos on your website? Everything seems to be blurred or distant.”
Joe squirmed in his seat. “Long story. Basically, it all boils down to a pathetic excuse for a manager. We had the best…Marty, Marty Frost.” He was great for us and our career. But…hey, are you gonna tell me what that scent is that’s driving me nuts?” he grinned.
From seemingly nowhere, “Hey Joe, good to see ya! I figured you’d be in. Did ya get my shootout?” she laughed. “You all want coffee?” the waitress began setting coffee cups and ice water glasses around the table, even before they answered
Joe nodded, turning to Libby. She nodded as well. Sue turned to the kitchen, then. quickly returned with a carafe and poured coffee in two of the mugs, and leaving the carafe by the third mug. Turning to Libby, she added, “Hey, I’m Sue. What can I get’cha? She gave Libby the onceover as she put pen to paper.
“Message received…loud and clear. Which one was yours?” Joe laughed as he motioned to Libby for her to order, but she smiled and held up her index finger as she studied the menu.
“Big, goofy guy, but you probably wouldn’t know him. It’s all over but the paperwork; and man, I can’t wait! Had him served last week.”
Joe piped in, “Soon enough, no doubt. Good luck on that! Hey, I’ll have two eggs, sunnyside with grits and bacon, some raisin toast and OJ. Sue, Darlin’, Chuck’s on his way, he wants the 2-A.M.”
Sue nodded as she scribbled, then called back over her shoulder, “Chicks on the beach, freckled with sunshine...gimme a medley.”
“I’ll have what he’s having, but scramble the eggs,” Libby said, pointing at Joe.
“Fluffy chicks on the beach,” Sue called back to the kitchen.
“Y’all let me know if you need something else,” she smiled at Joe.
“Thanks, Darlin’!” Joe returned Sue’s smile before turning back to Libby. “So, tell me about yourself,” he was still smiling, and his body language showed his attention shifted to her completely. “Starting with what makes you smell so good.”
Before she could answer, Chuck crawled into the booth, grinning. “Seen her?”
“I have no idea, man,” Joe growled clearly agitated at the interruption.
Chuck surveyed the room, oblivious to Joe’s anger. Disappointed, he settled into the booth. “Man what a crowd tonight! That place was on fire!”
Joe nodded, less perturbed, and turned to Libby. Before he could speak, Chuck continued, “She said she was coming tonight...damn-it, it looks like she blew me off!”
Wilting in his seat, Joe smiled apologetically at Libby, “Chuck met a girl last night at a gig...seems he’s got a…let’s call it a
“Hey Sue, sweetie, how ya doin? George! Good to see you again!” Joe called out, and they responded in kind.
“Funny, I’d have pictured you as a ‘back against the wall’ kinda guy,” she smiled.
He laughed, “Chuck’ll be here soon enough. It’s easier if folks don’t see me around these parts. It’s the difference between hot and cold food,” he smirked. As he spoke, the whiskey on his breath made her catch her own.
Her thoughts flashed momentarily back to her Dad and Tommy packing the boat for their fishing trip, and she stiffened.
“Besides, if we put Chuck in the corner with his back to any woman with potential that might walk in,” Joe laughed harder as he seemed to picture the image, “I’m talkin’ whiplash!”
She quickly turned into the menu, missing his joke. She smiled and nodded.
“So, did you get a chance to see our pictures...how’d we do?”
“Fantastic, I’d say,” she smiled. “You’re very photogenic. But then again, you probably already knew that, didn’t you? That reminds me…why aren’t there good photos on your website? Everything seems to be blurred or distant.”
Joe squirmed in his seat. “Long story. Basically, it all boils down to a pathetic excuse for a manager. We had the best…Marty, Marty Frost.” He was great for us and our career. But…hey, are you gonna tell me what that scent is that’s driving me nuts?” he grinned.
From seemingly nowhere, “Hey Joe, good to see ya! I figured you’d be in. Did ya get my shootout?” she laughed. “You all want coffee?” the waitress began setting coffee cups and ice water glasses around the table, even before they answered
Joe nodded, turning to Libby. She nodded as well. Sue turned to the kitchen, then. quickly returned with a carafe and poured coffee in two of the mugs, and leaving the carafe by the third mug. Turning to Libby, she added, “Hey, I’m Sue. What can I get’cha? She gave Libby the onceover as she put pen to paper.
“Message received…loud and clear. Which one was yours?” Joe laughed as he motioned to Libby for her to order, but she smiled and held up her index finger as she studied the menu.
“Big, goofy guy, but you probably wouldn’t know him. It’s all over but the paperwork; and man, I can’t wait! Had him served last week.”
Joe piped in, “Soon enough, no doubt. Good luck on that! Hey, I’ll have two eggs, sunnyside with grits and bacon, some raisin toast and OJ. Sue, Darlin’, Chuck’s on his way, he wants the 2-A.M.”
Sue nodded as she scribbled, then called back over her shoulder, “Chicks on the beach, freckled with sunshine...gimme a medley.”
“I’ll have what he’s having, but scramble the eggs,” Libby said, pointing at Joe.
“Fluffy chicks on the beach,” Sue called back to the kitchen.
“Y’all let me know if you need something else,” she smiled at Joe.
“Thanks, Darlin’!” Joe returned Sue’s smile before turning back to Libby. “So, tell me about yourself,” he was still smiling, and his body language showed his attention shifted to her completely. “Starting with what makes you smell so good.”
Before she could answer, Chuck crawled into the booth, grinning. “Seen her?”
“I have no idea, man,” Joe growled clearly agitated at the interruption.
Chuck surveyed the room, oblivious to Joe’s anger. Disappointed, he settled into the booth. “Man what a crowd tonight! That place was on fire!”
Joe nodded, less perturbed, and turned to Libby. Before he could speak, Chuck continued, “She said she was coming tonight...damn-it, it looks like she blew me off!”
Wilting in his seat, Joe smiled apologetically at Libby, “Chuck met a girl last night at a gig...seems he’s got a…let’s call it a
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