“Oh no. People hurt?”
“Yeah. One casualty,” I find myself sharing.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, and I can feel her compassion like a comforting touch. “Are you okay?”
“I am now. Knowing you’re home safe.” The declaration is followed by a drawn out silence as I climb behind the wheel. “Robin?”
“I’m here. I just…I should probably tell you not to worry about me, but…is it awful I really like that you do?”
I chuckle before I answer. “No. Besides, it would be useless. It’s not like I could stop if I wanted to, and I don’t want to.”
“Good.”
“How’s the girl? The one who got burned?”
“Jess? She’ll be okay, but out of commission for a bit, which means we’re juggling the schedule again.”
I’m sure it’s a busy time of year too, like it is at Olson’s. It’ll only get worse if this snow persists. Jimmy does residential snow removal as well, which normally isn’t that much. If what’s fallen so far this season is any indication, we’re in for a busy winter overall. We may soon need to put out a second plow.
Between both our work schedules, it may not be easy to find time to see each other.
“What time are you working tomorrow?” I ask.
“I start at lunch but will probably work ’til closing again.”
“I’ll try to pop in.”
“Okay,” she answers softly, and I can hear the smile in her voice.
“Get some sleep.”
Like a fucking teenager I don’t want to hang up. I should, because I’m freezing my balls off with my ass on the subzero vinyl seat, but I don’t have the heart to start the engine and rush her off the phone.
“I will, you should too.” She sounds like she’s about to end the call when she adds, “Oh, and Gray?”
“Still here,” I rumble.
“Thanks for caring. It makes life less lonely.”
Chapter Eighteen
Robin
I was here at seven thirty this morning and have been chopping and peeling ever since. It’s still an hour before the diner opens and already my feet are sore.
“Take a break,” Jason says, noticing my wince. “Kay and I can handle the kitchen.”
Two giant turkeys are cooking in the large oven and an industrial-sized pot is boiling on the large burner with potatoes. Jason puts on a traditional Christmas with all the trimmings. He baked a bunch of pies yesterday already. It’s going to be an elaborate spread.
I wasn’t supposed to come in until ten or so, but after I got out of the shower this morning, the house felt too empty so I came in early. It’s been a crazy week leading up to today, with Jess still off. I’d taken the bulk of her shifts since I was the only one without family around for Christmas. The day before yesterday, Becca had gone to spend time with her family for the holidays. That was a relief.
Working alongside her proved to be stressful. She wasn’t overtly hostile toward me—not in public anyway—but she was far from friendly and refrained from talking to me at all when no one else was around. Of course it didn’t help that the two times Gray could get away from work for a few minutes, it was during her shifts. I don’t think it went over well he blatantly ignored her and even leaned over the counter to kiss me the day before yesterday.
Those are the only times we’ve seen each other. We’ve had snow almost every day this week, and it’s kept him busy. Ironic, because I can’t remember a single white Christmas since I moved here, and the one year I’m working it snows. Figures.
I’m just finished putting on a fresh pot of coffee when Debra, our other part-time girl walks in.
“Merry Christmas.”
“Same to you, honey.” I fold her in a quick hug.
Debra is a high school friend of Paige. She went to community college in Midland and chose to live at home. She’s worked weekend shifts at the diner since she was eighteen.
“What do you want me to do?” she asks, hanging up her coat and tying her apron.
I duck into the small office and pull out a few bags of decorations I brought from home. We’d put up Christmas lights in the diner the weekend after Thanksgiving, but it still looks a little sparse.
“I thought we could spruce up the place a little.”
“Awesome!” With a big grin on her face, she starts digging through the bags right away.
When we open the door at noon, the diner looks festive and the smells emanating from the kitchen are divine.
Most of the early customers stop in on their way home from church and are just looking for a coffee and a piece of pie. Then around three Mrs. Chapman shows up, a little branch of holly pinned to the lapel of her coat and a jaunty knit Christmas hat covering her hair.
Debra greets her and takes her coat, revealing the sweet lady is dressed up to the nines. A shimmering red blouse, matching the color of her painted lips, over a flared black skirt.
“You look lovely, Mrs. Chapman. Merry Christmas.”
I swear the woman blushes with my compliment. I seat her in her favorite booth and offer to get her something to drink, but before I can get her the tea she ordered, the door opens again to let Eddie and Enzo in. Their buddy, John, and his wife, Marie, are probably visiting with their daughter’s family for the holidays. Enzo is a widower, and from what I understand Eddie has been single his whole life.
The men kiss my cheek and wish me Merry Christmas before walking over to Mrs. Chapman, who seems to be blushing under their attention. It’s like she was the Pied Piper leading everyone here, because over the next twenty minutes more people filter in. Some group together, and a couple choose to sit by themselves.
The last to walk in is Gray, and my heart does a little hop when I see
