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Chapter One

Too many people in a sh and low inflections, the constant and faot In the five years that I’d waited tables for Chuck and Phaedra Niles at The Bucksaw Café, being around that ry people day after day made me want to torch the place at ti back It was the co drone of conversation, the heat of the kitchen, and the sweet freedoes I’d burned

“Falyn! For fuck’s sake!” Chuck said, trying not to sweat in the soup

He reached out his hand and stirred the broth in a deep pot I tossed hi

“How is it this hot in Colorado?” he complained “I moved here because I’m fat Fat people don’t like to be hot”

“Then ,” I said with a smirk

The tray felt heavy when I lifted it in my arms but not as heavy as it used to feel Now, I could carry it with six full plates, if necessary I backed into the swinging double doors, buainst them

“You’re fired,” he barked He wiped his bald head with the white cotton cloth and then tossed it to the center of the prep table

“I quit!” I said

“That’s not funny!” He leaned away fro from his station

Turning toward theall twenty-two tables and twelve barstools filled with professionals, fa to Phaedra, table thirteen even included a bestselling author and her assistant I leaned over, coht of the tray, and winked in thanks to Kirby as she opened the stand next to the table where I would set my tray

“Thanks, lovey,” I said, pulling the first plate

I set it in front of Don, ular and the best tipper in town He pushed up his thick glasses and settled into his seat, re his trademark fedora Don’s khaki jacket was a bit worn, like the dress shirt and tie he wore every day On slow afternoons, I would listen to him talk about Jesus and how much he missed his wife

Kirby’s long dark ponytail swished as she bussed a table near the wall of s She held a s at one only long enough to drop off the pile of plates and cups for Hector to wash, and then she returned to her hostess podium Her naturally wine-stained lips turned up at the corners as a light breeze blew through the glass entrance door, propped open by a large geode, one of hundreds Chuck had collected over the years

Kirby greeted a group of four men who’d walked in as I attended to Don

“Would you cut open that steak for me, handsome?” I asked

Don didn’t need a menu He ordered the sa in ranch, fried pickles, a medium-rare New York strip, and Phaedra’s turtle cheesecake—and he wanted all of it at the same time