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Michelle chuckled and reached for a glass of water she’d been working on for a while She looked weary and younger than her twenty-three years, dressed in skinny jeans and the diner’s signature T-shirt “First off, I stay hydrated Second, I have no choice You’ll build up a tolerance for it”
A pang of sympathy hit Toni’s heart Of course, Michelle had no choice She was a young single o sit in her office for a few hours before going home to a quiet, peaceful house Michelle spent three hours at home with a ra offices in the evenings No wonder the poor wo over all the time
“You working tonight?” she asked Michelle, after groaning at the pleasure of a good stretch to her calves
“No!” A lightness came over Michelle that Toni hadn’t seen yet She sht set of shiny white teeth and then sighed in pleasure “And, to make the day even better,I’m a free woman for the next fifteen hours”
“Oooh! Any big plans?” Toni raised her ar the knotted muscles in her back A hot bath and some solid couch time was just what the doctor ordered
The laugh that came from Michelle was more of a scoff than a humorous sound “I have no freakin’ idea I don’t even want to tell you how long it’s been since I’ve had ht hours to myself”
After dropping her arainst the back of the plush booth “Do you want to hang out? I don’t really have any girlfriends, and I haven’t actually done anything fun since I’ve been here” Unless she counted sitting on her porch with a forbidden ht out, I’m sure, so why don’t we just have some drinks at my house and watch a chick flick?”
“Yes! That sounds airlfriends have moved away over the last few years and then with Beth, I never get a chance to have any fun” A panicked look cross her face “Not that being with Beth isn’t fun, but—”
Toni held up a hand “Please, no judghter on your ohile juggling two jobs There’s no way I’d begrudge you a night away”
“Will your boyfriend uy I saw you with at the funeral and a few other times Tall, thin, always in a suit”
“Uh, he went back to Chicago” Toni hadn’t introduced him to anyone at the diner, so she didn’t really think her employees had even noticed his presence
“Oh, you must miss him”