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Chapter One

“Ebenezer is here!”

Cassie’s head shot up fro lemons “No way! It’s only Tuesday!”

Ebenezer ate dinner at Edward’s every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday Not on Tuesdays Never on Tuesdays

“I know!” squealed Sara, one of the servers, the one as nicest to Cassie The wait staff knew Cassie hadn’t earned her job as the weeknight bartender—she was a friend of the owner—and some of thee in the bleaching and dieting and grooh-end place like Edward’s, but the servers had to tip her out just the saot it In their shoes, she’d probably resent it too

“And his table isn’t free!” Sara whispered, “Because it’s Tuesday!”

Cassie didn’t bother stifling a dreah as she watched Edward’s most reliable customer in discussion with Camille, the hostess—the one as meanest to her There was no need to hide her admiration because they all loved Ebenezer a little bit Probably not least because he was the World’s Best Tipper Fifty percent, every single time Even Cassie, who as bartender was tipped out only a se of what the servers took in, saw the difference on an Ebenezer night

So, a good tipper, yes, but the girls also loved Ebenezer because he was beautiful A beautiful enigular Wednesday through Friday appearances stretching back al about him, not really, other than that he was some sort of real estate tycoon The servers reported that he was perfectly polite But despite his impeccable manners, or perhaps because of the more than was strictly required He’d answer small-talkish sorts of questions, but in a way thata real gli experi she did—or didn’t do—would affect the seely inviolable fifty percent tip So far, no Whether they spoke only about his order—which, unlike ulars, was never the saedly but politely shut her down, the end result was the salass of ridiculously le malt scotch he started with, and a fifty percent tip

“He’s entertaining enough on a norht when his table is taken?” She looked to the sky andgrin from Sara

But the truth was that Ebenezer wasn’t inherently that entertaining Any given night produced a customer who provided more drama—a steak sent back three tinon three-quarters drunk and then sent back for being corked

Ebenezer never generated that kind of drama They all just made it up to fill in the blanks in his mysterious persona His name wasn’t even Ebenezer Of course it wasn’t Ebenezer! He had a perfectly norleaned from his credit card—Cassie just couldn’t remember it

Whatever it was, it was not as exciting as the story they’d h dinner, spreading out papers, tapping through documents on his iPad That, combined with his expensive, exquisitely tailored suits, and the fact that he was always alone, inspired Cassie to name him Last December he’d strolled in alone, with his spreadsheets and his devices, and she thought, “He’s accu his chains” But she didn’t say that She’d just burst out the e, and the rest of them, who had probably never read the book, eh Cassie protested that the actual Scrooge would never have left a fifty percent tip

So here they were al ever really changed at Edward’s—except Mr Scrooge had appeared on a Tuesday, sending them all into a tailspin

“Oha cloth and wiping a nonexistent spill on the bar Cassie had to restrain herself fro the towel out of the server’s perfectlywith her bar

Sara was right, though Ebenezer was indeed on his way over, leaving an annoyed-looking Camille in his wake God, he was beautiful, in the way a frozen waterfall was beautiful He was all angles—choppy, dirty-blond hair slightly longer than one would have expected froe His face was all cheekbones and chin Pale blue eyes (not that she’d noticed) Six-four at least He had a rotation of suits—ood dozen different ones (not that she’d noticed) Today’s was navy pinstriped He was always perfectly turned out, bordering on conservative, but there was always one detail that threw off that interpretation Today it was a lireen tie