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"Diesel, get the le everyone who’s had to sit here and watch the dra to drink, a free slice," Ethel ordered, then pointed at Bray "You find a seat Stay in it If you go running off again I’un off the wall in my office and chase you down Are we clear?"

I paled Ethel was threatening Bray Oh dear God I didn’t look back at hihter fro "Yes, ma’am We are clear"

He’d sounded respectful Not sarcastic I started to turn back to look at hiers "No you don’t! Focus is this way, dear" She winked at me and went back into the kitchen

Diesel stalked past ue that Bray needed to leave or he was angry about giving out the pie I was pretty sure it was the forry at Bray Not that it was his business to be I wondered how long they had been standing there arguing when I walked out Bray had a short te on him like that made e of Diesel sprawled out on the floor flashed throughon the few customers we had left My cheeks arm from the pink stain on theood lookin’ youngover you," Mrs Warrior said in a loud whisper and a grin as I filled her cup ater "Reer days"

Mr Warrior htin’ over you, Jane? I shoulda given you to ‘em and they could have saved me a lot of trouble and money"

The Warriors had been married sixty years I knew this because they’d told ularly, and Mrs Warrior flirted with the other senior citizen males in the place She must have been pretty once because she carried herself as if they all were looking at her

"I should have chosen one of the rich boys anted to court otten to see New York City I always did want to see that big ole tree at Christmas they have there"

Mr Warrior rolled his eyes "What rich boys? You sure you aren’t getting your life confused with one of thehtened up in her chair, correcting my assuhter "The summer people," she said as if Mr Warrior was too beneath her to knohat that was "The wealthy ca city," she told me matter-of-factly "My momma worked for several of the like you were highfalutin and let the girl do her job," Mr Warrior grumbled

I smiled and hurried to the next table I knew froet ht and I wasn’t interested I chanced a glance back at Bray to see he was still here His gaze following ry to be told to take a seat Or in a hurry to leave He wasdifferent

"Can I have a coffee to go, sugar?" the man atnot to think about Bray Not yet anyway But he was here He hadn’t left me He’d left to come back to me I didn’t knohat to think about that Or if I could believe it

"I don’t reckon that one is leaving," the man said, then winked at me

My already waret hio for the road I could tell by the s and endless consued to the se out with the pie and a scowl on his face as I got to the drink station