* * *
Ronnie was not the fastest waiter in the universe. He blamed that partly on the fact that every single person who recognized him wanted to chat about why he was back in town. He’d caught up with a lot of old friends between balancing trays of water glasses, bread and drinks. He’d only mixed up two orders all evening, which had to be some kind of coup, considering he hadn’t waited tables in over twenty years.
It had been fun, too, and enlightening to see how smoothly Dana Sue was able to balance her duties in the kitchen with charming the diners. He caught a lot of speculative looks cast their way every time they crossed paths and paused to chat, even if the chat was about nothing more than an update on the availability of the night’s special.
The crowd finally thinned out around nine. Ronnie was about to take a breather when Helen breezed in and headed straight for one of the tables in his section.
“I came to see if the rumors were true,” she said, regarding him through narrowed eyes when he approached her table.
“Which rumors would those be?” he inquired.
“That Dana Sue is now employing the man who cheated on her,” she said. “Just how low do you plan to sink, Ronnie?”
He bristled at the accusation. “There are so many things wrong with what you just said, I’m not sure where to begin. Maybe I should let Dana Sue explain to you, since I’m sure you’d never believe a word I said.”
“I can spot a lie a mile away,” Helen countered. “I want to hear your version.”
“First, I am not working here,” he said. “I pitched in to help Dana Sue out of a jam. There was no discussion of pay. I don’t need her money. Now, are you ordering? The kitchen’s about to close. And before you ask, we’re out of the special, so if that’s what you came for, you might consider coming earlier next time.”
Helen blinked at his rapid-fire response, then sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said, surprising him. “When Annie told me Dana Sue had put you to work, I jumped to conclusions.”
“Yes, you did,” he said. “That’s something you might want to watch. It’s a bad habit, especially for a lawyer who’s been trained to postpone judgment till all the facts are presented.”
“You’re right,” she said with apparent sincerity. “I really am sorry.”
Ronnie glanced around to be sure his tables were still empty, then pulled out a chair. “Look, you and I need to make peace. I appreciate the fact that you’re only looking out for Dana Sue, but I am not the enemy. Not anymore.”
“I’ll withhold judgment on that,” she muttered dryly.
“Fair enough.”
Before he could say anything more, Dana Sue came hurrying out of the kitchen and headed straight for their table. “Brenda told me you were here,” she said to Helen. She cast a worried look from one to the other. “Good. No bloodshed.”
“Not tonight,” Helen said.
“We’re negotiating a truce,” Ronnie added.
Dana Sue looked doubtful. “How’s that going?”
He grinned. “About as well as you’d expect with Helen as one of the negotiators. She’s tough.”
“It’s a good trait,” Helen said defensively.
“Most of the time,” Dana Sue agreed.
“Somebody has to hold his feet to the fire,” Helen said.
“I’m perfectly capable of doing that,” Dana Sue assured her.
“She is,” Ronnie confirmed.
Helen finally sat back and relaxed. “As long as you know I’m keeping an eye on you,” she said.
He winked at Dana Sue. “That’s a given. So, are you eating or not?” He glanced at his ex-wife. “What about you? Have you eaten anything?”
She shrugged. “No time. I’m not hungry, anyway.”
“You need to eat,” Helen said sternly. “I’ll have the salmon. Bring her the same thing.”
In the kitchen, Ronnie gave Erik the orders, put water and bread on a tray, then walked back to the stove, where Erik was already spooning vegetables onto the plates alongside salmon that had been drizzled with olive oil and herbs.
“Last customers?” he asked Ronnie.
“Dana Sue and Helen, actually.” He paused. “Can I ask you a question?”
Erik regarded him warily. “Okay.”
“I know Dana Sue’s family history,” Ronnie said. “I was around when her mom died from complications of diabetes. I know Dana Sue has always been terrified that the same thing would happen to her. Has she been diagnosed with diabetes?”
Erik shook his head, but before relief could flow through Ronnie, Erik added, “The doctor’s warned her, though, that she needs to be careful, eat properly and exercise, or she’ll need medication to control her blood sugar. It’s already inching toward dangerous territory. She’s supposed to check it at least once a day, keep track of it and report in to him once a month. But I don’t think she’s doing it, at least not daily, and probably even less since Annie’s been in the hospital.”
“Which is why you freaked over the chocolate decadence cake the other night?”
Erik nodded. “And that’s all I’m saying. You want to know anything else, ask Dana Sue.”
“Thanks. It confirms what I’d already guessed. And just so you know, I’ll watch out for her.”
Erik gave him the first genuine smile since the day they’d met. “You already have been. I’ve seen that. It’s been the only reason I haven’t offered to beat you to a pulp.”
“One more question,” Ronnie said. “The two of you...you seem close.”
“We are,” Erik agreed. “I could let you interpret that to mean that there’s something going on, but I won’t. Dana Sue and I are a team in here, but that’s it. And so you know, that’s not because I haven’t tried to convince her otherwise from time to time.”
“We’re not going to have to duel at dawn or something, are we?” Ronnie asked him.
Erik
