by Leela Ash
A waitress with long black curly hair and a tiny waist came out from the kitchen in a red and white checked dress and a white apron. She twirled her hair up high into a straggly bun and pinned it with a pen before she looked up, smiled a big wide smile in Poppy’s direction and made her way over to serve her.
“Welcome to Arlo’s,” she grinned. “Are you eating with us today?”
Poppy’s stomach growled and she nodded enthusiastically. “Yes please,” she said.
“Just you?” the waitress asked.
Poppy nodded and then the waitress turned and presented the bar and the only high stool left that was empty in front of it.
“Sure,” Poppy said, “that’s great.”
She climbed up onto it and watched as the waitress moved around the back of the counter and picked up a menu. She slid it across the bar to her and when Poppy picked it up, she felt a stickiness to it that made her wince.
“Oh shoot,” the waitress laughed as she looked at her own hands. “Looks like Arlo’s signature hot sauce has been spilled again.” She shook her head and swiped the menu away before passing Poppy a clean one, complete with a hot, moist towel.
She rubbed her hands clean and then looked up at the waitress who was watching her with intrigue.
“Is this your first day in town?” she asked, and Poppy nodded shyly.
“Yes,” she said, “I only arrived around an hour ago.”
“Vacation?” the waitress grinned.
“Yes,” Poppy nodded, “with my family.”
“You don’t sound too enthusiastic?” the waitress laughed.
“Well, you know how it is…crazy parents…annoying little brother…not enough of my own space.”
The waitress nodded and sighed, “Yep, I know it all too well...” and then she turned and served another one of the truckers down at the end of the bar.
Poppy noticed that her name tag said that she was called Willow and she knew that she would remember it because she had never heard it before. What a beautiful name, she thought. And it suits her too…
The waitress was lean and her hair was so soft and bouncy, she really was willowy. Poppy looked away, aware that she was staring and going into a daze, but it wasn’t long before the waitress was back in front of her with a notepad in her hand.
“So, what can I get you?” she asked with her pencil poised.
Poppy’s eyes flickered behind the bar, and even though she knew that she really should be eating something, her stress levels were still peaking and all she wanted to do was unwind and relax. She was on vacation, after all.
“I’ll take a bottle of dry white wine and whatever you recommend from the snacks,” she said with a sigh.
Willow the waitress winked at her and smiled. “A girl after my own heart,” she laughed as she leaned behind the bar and opened the door to one of the low refrigerators. She pulled out a crisp and cold bottle of wine and set it down on top of the bar.
“That looks perfect,” Poppy grinned.
Poppy sat and picked at the nachos in front of her whilst she slugged back her Sauvignon Blanc. She had been in the bar for around an hour and even though she was nowhere near tipsy, the wine had relaxed her enough for the tension to leave her entire body and she felt warm inside. Willow had kept checking in with her over the time she had been sitting there, and Poppy was glad that she had chosen to come into Arlo’s because she felt as if she had instantly made a friend.
Willow was kind and sweet, and she seemed to know all there was to know about Lost Creek.
“You need to check out The Nowhere Bar on an evening, especially Friday,” Willow had said. “It’s where everyone our age hangs out. Sometimes they have bands playing, sometimes it’s just full of people having fun, but you get quite a few tourists in there so it’s always good for meeting new people too.”
“Sounds great,” Poppy smiled as she took another sip of wine. “I’m all for meeting new people and having fun.”
And she really meant it. Since she had moved back home after college and got stuck in this horrible rut, she had felt herself becoming more and more withdrawn. All she wanted was to feel like herself again. To feel alive and as if she were really living. She had felt sedated for so long and now she was more than ready to snap herself wide awake.
“Where else is there that’s fun?” Poppy asked.
Willow thought on it for a moment and then she half smiled and shrugged. “I mean, I guess it depends what you’re into, but there’s something for everyone. If you like skiing, get yourself up the mountain, if you like relaxing, then the lake will be for you. There’s some great hikes out in the forests and then around here, on Main Street, there are tons of restaurants and bars. You’ll see, though, that one end is kinda different from the other̶ ” She was cut off by a trucker hollering down the bar to her and she excused herself and moved off to serve him.
One end is different from the other? Poppy thought. What does she mean?
But before she even had time to think about it for a second more, she heard the door slamming open behind her and a heavy set of footsteps enter. The sound was familiar, and so was the scent of cologne that came with it. Poppy’s heart started to thump in her chest and she realized that she was suddenly hot and bothered.
Could it be? she thought before she built up the nerve to turn around.
But when she did, she could barely keep the grin from her face. Her heart danced hard in her chest and she felt her cheeks blush red all over again. Standing right there behind her was the big hulk of a man from the gas station. And he had noticed her all right, too, and he was coming right her way.
4.
Poppy turned back to face the bar and she was so nervous that all she could hear and focus on was the blood pumping through her and thumping in her ears. She could sense him moving closer, and it wasn’t long before he sidled up next to her at the bar and his huge frame seemed to block out the light that was shining in behind him. She breathed deeply, willing herself to turn and look at him, but too nervous to follow it through. He seemed taller than she remembered as she tried to focus on him out of the corner of her eye, and he smelled so good she had to bite her bottom lip.
He leaned over the bar and waved at Willow. She smiled back with a grin that went from ear to ear and Poppy’s heart instantly sank. There was too much familiarity there for him to just be a customer or someone passing through, and she wanted to kick herself for being so foolish, for lusting after a stranger and building up hope when she had only laid eyes on him once.
She dug her nails into her palms and picked up her wine glass. As she threw her head back and sipped quickly, she instantly felt a warm wave of calm roll over her. But she could still feel his eyes on her. He was taking her in, every last inch of her.
“Trucks out back with the new AC unit,” he said gruffly. “Not that we’ll need it if every day’s like today…”
Willow walked over and pressed her hands down on the counter top and Poppy had to resist every pull that was screaming inside of her to turn and look at them both head on. She continued to look down at the ground and sip her wine slowly, her eyes flitting every so often to the very corners to try and catch a glimpse of him again.
“Thanks, Boss,” Willow said. “Maybe Jimmy can come by and set it up next week.” She wiped her hands on an old dishcloth and threw it down behind the bar.
Boss…
The word reverberated around Poppy’s mind and she felt herself sighing with relief as the tension left her body. Willow knew him because she worked for him… Now this was getting interesting.
Poppy still resisted the urge to turn and smile, but she could feel the man’s eyes on her and now Willow’s too.
“Something caught your eye, Arlo?” Willow said teasingly, and finally Poppy had to give in and turn her eyes up to meet them.
He was stood with his arm against the rough wood of the counter top and he was leaning casually and effortlessly. He looked so cool and at ease, it was as
if he knew the place inside out, and with what Willow had just alluded to, it made perfect sense why.
Arlo… He wasn’t just the manager, the diner was his.
Poppy smiled sheepishly and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. After being so confident when she had seen him in the gas station earlier that day, she suddenly felt exposed, on show, and desperately self-conscious.
“I saw you before,” he said with his deep, smooth voice.
And Poppy nodded and bit her bottom lip.
“Oh, you two have met?” Willow chipped in as she leaned in between them with a big smile on her face. “Well, that’s cute! This here is Poppy, she’s in Lost Creek on vacation and just arrived today.”
“Poppy…” he smiled and whispered her name.
As the words left his lips, they sent shivers down her spine and she had to look down to compose herself.
“This is Arlo,” Willow said, “and as you can probably guess by the name of this joint, he is the man in charge.”
He shrugged and scratched behind his ear.
“Yes, that’s me…large and in charge,” he joked and Willow let out a loud, hearty laugh.
Poppy giggled and brushed her hair behind her other ear nervously. She suddenly had the overwhelming urge to fidget, and she didn’t know what to do with her hands. To compensate, she reached for her wine glass again and took another sip.
Arlo’s eyes were heavy and on her. His whole presence was strong and intense and it shook her to the bone. In almost perfect timing, the trucker on the other side of him paid up and got to his feet before tilting his cap, and as he walked away, Arlo reached out and grabbed the high stool he had been sitting on, and pulled it down beneath him. He sat there and nodded to behind the counter.
“I could do with a beer,” he said. “It’s been a long day so far.”
Willow smiled and reached down into one of the refrigerators and when she passed him back the bottle, Poppy watched with half awe and half complete lust as he ripped the top from it with his teeth. He licked his lips and took a long, drawn out swig and then rested the bottle back down between his hands.
Willow moved away and began to serve a new set of customers and Poppy felt as if she and he were the only two people in the room. Everything else around them seemed to evaporate, the noise and movement around them blurred into obscurity.
“So you’re here with your family?” he asked her as he looked down at her with those deep, brown eyes.
“Yes, my parents and my kid brother,” Poppy said with a nod. “I agreed to come just for the break, but as soon as I got into the car with them, I realized it was likely a mistake…”
He laughed, “Does that explain the daytime drinking?”
Poppy smiled and nodded. “It sure does,” she said. “I just had to get out of there for a bit, and I guess it’s always good to get an idea of where you are.”
“I’m the same,” he agreed. “Whenever I travel, the first thing I do is get a lay of the land.”
Poppy had never thought of it like that before, but she knew exactly what he meant. It was good to scope out new surroundings and to know as much as possible. Knowledge was always power.
“And how long are you in town for?” he asked as he took another drink.
“Just for a week,” she said. “I’m sure I could do with a longer break, but when it comes down to it, I’ll probably be more than ready to get away from the family by then.”
Arlo laughed and looked at her warmly.
“I’m sure they’re not all that bad,” he said.
“Hmm,” Poppy smiled thoughtfully. “I guess not, they just have their moments.”
He nodded and looked behind him as the door opened and let in a bright stream of light from outside. In the doorway stood three big shadows and Arlo smiled and nodded in their direction. Poppy squinted as she tried to see their faces, but they were silhouetted and all she could make out was that they all looked big and burly just like him. They were so similar, in fact, it was as if they could be brothers.
Arlo looked back to Poppy, downed the last of his beer and then rose to his feet.
“It was great to meet you, Poppy,” he smiled as he touched her hand lightly. “I hope I see you in here again later…” His fingers were lingering on top of her hand and his touch was electric. His skin against hers felt like it was on fire and she swallowed hard to stop herself from shaking and stammering over her words. This moment of first touch felt different to anything she had ever know. Her eyes met his again and she felt something strong forge between them. Something binding and something very real.
When she couldn’t think of anything to say, because she was so taken aback, he smiled at her again and winked.
“I’ll be back in here all evening, call in if you can…” He trailed his fingertips away and turned to walk toward the three big men who had now moved into the bar area of the diner and were all in deep conversation. Poppy looked down again and breathed out deeply, her heart was racing and even though there was no reason for her to feel nervous, she felt as if she were walking along a cliff edge.
There was something about him that was unnerving, even though she could tell deep down he was nothing but good. There was a danger to him, an edge that was mysterious and wild, but she couldn’t place it. Around the edge of her consciousness, the words feral and predatory played around… but in a good way. In a very good way indeed. She chewed the inside of her mouth as she watched him shake hands with the other men who seemed so like him, and then they all turned and walked to a door at the very back of the room, almost hidden behind the bar, and disappeared out of sight.
Poppy picked up her glass and drank the remainder of her wine and then she waved toward Willow. She smiled back at her and made her way over and leaned across with her arms on the counter.
“You want another or are you done?” she asked warmly.
“I think I’m done, for now, anyway,” Poppy trailed off.
“Want me to cork it for you?” Willow asked as she picked up the bottle and held it up between them.
Poppy shook her head. She didn’t want to go back to the cabin with a half empty bottle of wine. She had the feeling her parents would be pissed enough as it was seeing as she had pretty much ditched them the second they had got to town. “No thanks,” she sighed. “But what time do you guys close?”
Willow grinned and shrugged, “Whenever we feel like it really. Depends how the crowd is, what else is happening in town… If Arlo fancies locking in and letting his friends have a private party…” She wiggled her eyebrows mischievously and Poppy smiled, she liked the sound of that.
“Well, I’ll come back later,” she said as she got to her feet. “I like it in here…”
“And he likes you…” Willow said.
Poppy stopped in her tracks and turned back around. Willow’s eyes were bright and glinting underneath the low lights, they seemed full of mischief and games.
“You think?” Poppy asked.
“I know…” Willow confirmed.
Poppy was speechless for a moment. She had no idea if this girl was anything more to Arlo than a treasured employee, but she didn’t want to risk saying anything that may dampen her chances, she knew how bitchy girls could be.
“Well, I’ll see you later,” Poppy smiled, trying to brush off what had just been said between them. “So lovely to meet you, Willow.”
Willow smiled back and waved.
“And you,” she nodded. “Hope to see you later!”
Poppy nodded and headed for the door. As she pushed it open and stepped out into the daylight, she shielded her eyes and blinked. She hadn’t realized how dark it had been in there, but now that she was back out in the open and she could see the town in all of its glory again, she realized what an idyllic place it must be to live. She felt on edge and unnerved by Willow’s assured attitude, but Poppy had to remind herself that she wasn’t at college anymore, and not all girls wanted to stab you in the back.
“Some people are just genuinely nice,” she whispered to herself as she started to walk back down Main Street and head toward the road that took her up to her cabin. “And it’s about time you stopped being so wary of every single person you come into contact with.”
It was a habit that was going to be hard to break, but she knew, for her own sanity, she was going to have to give it all she had.
She walked back to the cabin feeling slightly merrier than she had been when she had left earlier in the day, but a heavy tiredness was also creeping through her and pulling her down. She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. It was almost six p.m. and she could hear some of the cabins all around the mountain livening up. Music drifted out across the woodland, along with the sounds of cheers and laughter.
Poppy couldn’t help but think of the big, comfortable bed waiting for her back at her own cabin, but she didn’t want to climb into bed and miss a potentially rocking night at Arlo’s. The man himself had said that he hoped he would see her again, and she knew that she would never forgive herself if she didn’t go along and see what Main Street was like at night.
She rounded a corner and she could see her cabin ahead. Her mom and dad were out on the veranda, sat at a table and uncorking a bottle of wine of their own. She could also see James right at the other end of the deck, past the hot tub, lying on a sun lounger with his headphones on, tapping his feet along to the beat. They all looked relaxed and calm, without a care in the world, and it made Poppy feel even better.
Maybe this vacation is all we need to get along again, she thought as she waved up to them and then approached the main door and pushed it open. Maybe we’ll bond and go back home with a clean slate… And although she didn’t quite believe it, she couldn’t help but hope.
“How was town?” James asked as Poppy stepped out onto the veranda, pulling off his headphones.
