by Naomi Niles
Danny had just finished wiping it down, and it gleamed. I could smell a new pie in the oven, filling the diner up with its soothing aroma. “Looks like someone got up on the wrong side of bed this morning,” he pointed out.
I grunted. “Where’s Lacey?”
“She’s not here yet.”
I sat down and slumped my hands against the counter.
“What’s wrong?” Danny asked sympathetically.
“I called the auto shop this morning,” I replied. “They did a full work up, and apparently, if I choose to do the repairs, they’re going to amount to a thousand dollars – at least.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah,” I sighed.
“For that shitty piece of metal you drive?”
“Apparently,” I nodded. “A thousand fucking dollars… Who has that kind of money?”
“Umm… rich people?”
I shot a frown in Danny’s direction. “Seriously, it feels like all we do is work,” I complained. “We bust our asses every day, and somehow we’re no better for it. I still have the same shitty apartment in the same shitty corner of the road.”
“Hang in there.”
“You’ve been telling me that for the last three years,” I said impatiently.
“Come on, Brit,” Danny said bracingly. “It’s not that bad.”
“It isn’t?”
“Sure, we don’t have it as good as other people might,” he said pragmatically. “But we also don’t have it as bad as some others. I mean, take me for example. I could whine about the fact that I’m thirty-four, divorced, and struggling to keep this diner afloat. Or I could see it another way. I’m thirty-four, and I own my own restaurant and my own land. I get to cook for a living, and I get to go to work each day and see my two best friends.”
I smiled. “Well…”
“See?” he said. “It’s all about perspective.”
“I know it is,” I nodded. “It’s just that perspective shifts according to the bill I’m looking at. And, I have a lot of bills – sometimes it shocks me.”
Danny smiled. “Welcome to being an adult.”
“Urgh, being an adult is overrated,” I said. “And, it sucks.”
Danny laughed, and then he fixed me with a contemplative gaze.
“What?” I asked.
“I have an idea…”
“Which is?”
“They were handing out leaflets on the sidewalk the other day,” he said. “I took one and put it away, but I think it might actually be quite a good idea.”
I rolled my eyes. “Are you planning on sharing this idea with me today?”
“So impatient,” Danny smiled, good-naturedly. “They’re having a winter marathon in a few months. And I was thinking…we should join up, all three of us.”
I snorted. “You’re going to have a hard time convincing Lacey to run a marathon.”
“Leave that to me,” he said, with a conspiratorial wink. “But what do you think?”
“I don’t know,” I sighed. “What would be the point?”
“The point is to do something pro-active, something that could even be fun. The point is to do something together. And, it’ll give us something to look forward to.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Hmm… I guess it would be nice to have something to look forward to, even if it is just a marathon.”
“It’s all about perspective, right?” Danny reminded me.
I smiled. “Alright,” I nodded. “I’m in.”
“Excellent!”
“What’s excellent?” Lacey asked, as walked into the diner.
She was wearing a tight blue tank top and low-rise jeans. She looked like she was ready for a party rather than a shift serving food at a diner.
“We have some exciting news,” Danny said, pairing up his tone. “It’s going to be so fun, and we’re all going to do this together.”
“Really?” Lacey asked, instantly intrigued. “Do tell.”
“This is going to be great,” he continued. “I’m so excited, I can barely get the words out.”
I laughed. “Danny’s signing us up for the winter marathon,” I told Lacey.
The change in her face was instant. She looked at me for a moment and then she turned to Danny as though he had just walked into the diner naked. “Are you fucking serious?” she demanded. “That’s what you’re excited about?”
“Great idea, right?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m out.”
“Aw, come on, Lace,” I said. “I was skeptical at first, too, but I actually think it could be good for us.”
“You’re really on board?” she asked, fixing me with a shocked expression.
“Why not?” I shrugged. “It might be fun.”
“It’s a marathon,” Lacey said, making the word sound dirty.
“It’s a way to keep fit,” Danny pointed out.
“Why would I need to keep fit when I’ve been naturally blessed with this killer bod?” Lacey asked, gesturing to her figure.
“Because a hot body doesn’t necessarily equal a healthy body,” Danny said.
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t see the point.”
“The point is to do…do something,” I said emphatically. “We can do it together – it’ll be a bonding experience.”
“Don’t you think we bond enough at work?”
Danny smiled. “There’ll be tons of guys there,” he pointed out. “And if they’re running this marathon, I’ll bet you anything, they’re fit.”
Lacey raised her eyebrows. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
I laughed. “We should have just led with that.”
“Right,” Danny nodded.
“Fine,” she conceded. “We’ll do the stupid marathon. You guys know me too well.”
We were distracted by the sound of the door as Monica walked in. “Morning, children,” she greeted. “Danny shouldn’t you be in the kitchen making my breakfast?”
“I’ll get right on it, Monica,” Danny smiled. “Poached eggs with salmon, again?”
“And, add some waffles to the plate,” Monica said, as she slid into her booth. “I’m hungry.”
“You got it,” he said as he disappeared into the kitchen.
I headed to the coffee maker and poured Monica a nice generous mug full before walking over to her table.
“How are you doing this morning, Monica?” I asked conversationally, setting the mug down in front of her.
“I had a date last night,” she replied. “So I’m feeling pretty good.”
I tried hard to keep my expression unchanged. “I assume it went well?”
“Very well,” he nodded. “So good that I’m actually sore this morning.”
“Wow,” I said, unable to keep my eyebrows from lifting. I laughed. “Well, good for you.”
I turned and headed back to the breakfast counter. I could see that Lacey had overheard the whole conversation and she was fighting back laughter.
“How does it feel?” she asked.
“What?”
“How does it feel to know that a sixty-year-old grandma is having more sex than you are?” Lacey teased.
“Fuck off,” I said, rolling my eyes.
She snorted back her giggles. “I’ve been telling you this for ages – you’d be happier in life if you just got laid more.”
“Sex isn’t the answer to everything,” I said firmly.
“I beg to differ.”
I rolled my eyes. “And, I have sex.”
“When was the last time you had sex?” Lacey demanded.
I thought back, desperate to find a single stand out moment. “That time…”
Lacey gave me a smile. “What time?” she demanded. “I want specifics.”
“Greg,” I said triumphantly.
“Greg?” Lacey repeated, with raised eyebrows.
“Yeah… remember we went to that party at Dylan’s?” I reminded her. “He was visiting Dylan from out of town.”
“First of
all, his name was Gil,” Lacey said, rolling her eyes. “He was useless in the sack, and that was months ago.”
“I have a full time job, you know,” I said defensively.
“So do I,” she said smugly. “And, I still have a healthy sex life.”
“Don’t underestimate a good fuck, Brittany,” Monica said, raising her voice so that she could join in on our conversation. “It keeps you young.”
“Oh my God!” I said, mortified at being overheard, and slightly embarrassed that a sixty year old did seem to have a better sex life than I did.
I escaped their combined laughter by ducking into the kitchen. Danny was busy popping crunchy golden waffles onto a plate with the poached eggs and salmon.
“Just in time,” he said brightly.
“I beg to differ.”
“Something the matter?” he asked.
“Umm…no,” I said quickly. “Nothing… You done with that?”
He handed me the plate, and I sucked in my breath and braved the diner once more. I had just set the plate down in front of Monica when I noticed a tall silhouette approaching the diner. I glanced up, impressed by the sheer size of him.
He was at least six-three, impressively built with strongly toned arms that were clearly visible from his sleeveless hoodie. He had a plethora of beautifully inked tattoos snaking up and down his arms. I could even spy a few peeking out underneath his collar. As he stepped into the diner, his hoodie fell back to reveal his face.
As impressed as I was with his body, I was more affected by his face. He had sharp, angular features, a straight patriarchal nose, full lips, and a light dusting of stubble lining his square jaw. The near perfection of his face was made even more prominent by the fact that he had a completely shaved head, making his piercing blue eyes seem almost otherworldly. He didn’t smile or make eye contact with anyone. He just moved to the back of the diner and took a seat at one of the booths.
“Well, well,” Monica said, breaking my concentration. “Isn’t he a fine specimen of a man?”
I shook myself out of my obvious ogling and gave her a parting smile before I headed back to the counter. It was obvious Lacey was watching him, too.
“Damn, he’s fine,” she breathed, the moment I approached.
“I especially love his smile,” I said, trying to sound unaffected.
She waved away my comment. “He’s far too sexy to smile,” she said. “Look at him. Let me go ask if he wants coffee, tea or…me?”
I smiled and watched as Lacey headed off to his table. I tried to busy myself and not look in his direction, but it was surprisingly hard. Every few seconds, I found myself glancing over at his table. Within a minute, Lacey was back.
“Well?” I asked.
“He’s even sexier up close,” she said. “But he’s not very talkative. I don’t think he’s the friendly type.”
“You have always loved a challenge.”
“True,” Lacey nodded. “But you’ve always had more luck with that type of guy than I have. I think this one’s for you.”
“I’m not interested.”
She smiled. “I’m not asking you to date him. I’m asking you to take his order.”
“Oh, right,” I nodded self-consciously. “You didn’t take his order?”
“He asked for a minute.”
“Oh, okay.”
I hung back to give him his minute. But the whole time I was thinking, why am I so affected by this man?
Chapter Five
Talen
The green and pink of the diner couldn’t be described as anything other than ugly, but for some reason, its boldness amused me. I made my way inside and picked a solitary booth at the back. The waitress who approached was dressed in a sexy outfit that bared her flat stomach. Her hair was an unnatural shade of red and boyish in its cut. But her smile was nothing if not feminie.
“Hi there, stranger,” she said flirtatiously. “You’re new around here.”
I raised my eyebrows infinitesimally. “I am.”
She seemed a little put off by my abrupt manner. I realized she was the kind of woman most men smiled at. I couldn’t find it in me to make small talk this morning, however, especially considering my mind was filled with thoughts of training and the day that lay ahead.
“The menu’s to your side,” she continued, her tone dulling slightly. “What can I get you?”
“Can you give me a minute?” I asked.
She hesitated. “Sure,” she nodded. Then she turned and walked away, shaking her hips with exaggerated slowness.
I turned my gaze down to the menu and read through the list there. It was standard breakfast fare with a few alternate combinations that I’d never seen before. But I wasn’t really in an adventurous mood today. All I wanted was something plain and hearty and something steaming hot to wash it down with. I had just finished looking through the menu when I noticed the waitress approach me again.
When I looked up, however, it was a different waitress. This one looked much more appropriate than the first. She was wearing sensible jeans that still managed to look sexy and a thin, long-sleeved sweater that took the shape of her body perfectly. She had shocking black hair that fell in waves to her shoulders and highlighted the stunning blue of her eyes. It was an alarmingly light blue that made me think of the sky just before rain.
“Good morning,” she said to me. There was no inflection in her tone. “I’m Brittany.”
“Talen,” I replied, wondering why I had just offered up my name to her. It wasn’t like I was required to.
She smiled. “What can I get you, Talen?”
“Coffee,” I replied. “As hot as you can make it. And toast.”
“Toast?” she repeated, with raised eyebrows.
“Yes.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it,” I nodded.
“Are you sure you don’t want a piece of pie with that?” she asked. “Today’s special is a strawberry custard.”
“I’m sure,” I said firmly. “Just the coffee and toast.”
She gave me an appraising look as though she were trying to figure me out. “Where are you from?” she asked suddenly.
“Colorado,” I replied.
She smiled and nodded. “Sorry, I’ll get you that coffee now.”
She turned and walked away. I watched her go, still seeing the sky blue of her eyes. She returned a few minutes later with a cup of strong, streaming coffee, as well as five pieces of fresh toast with butter.
“There you go,” she said, setting the plate down in front of me. “You know, I could bring you eggs with that?”
“No need,” I said brusquely.
When she walked away without another word, I felt the weird desire to call out after her and apologize. She didn’t look my way for the next half hour, and by the time I was done, she looked a little too busy to pay attention to me. I stepped up to the counter to pay, but she didn’t seem to notice me. Instead, it was the other waitress who turned to me.
“You didn’t have to come up,” she said. “I could have brought you the bill.”
“It’s not a problem,” I said.
I paid quickly and then headed out. I glanced back as I was leaving, searching for a glimpse of her. She was attending to a table and looked up just as I turned to her. She held my gaze for only a moment before she dropped it.
Wondering why I was so fixated, I pushed the image of her out of my head and walked towards the training facility. I knew I was a little early, but I didn’t care. I was looking forward to starting my training as soon as possible. The only thing I wasn’t exactly thrilled about was the fact that I would be working with a few other guys. I usually did better on my own, but if I had to play nice with others in order to see this through, I would.
The facility was large, spacious and full of promise. I headed into the main reception and gave my details to the portly man sitting behind the desk. He barely looked up as he told me to hold on for a minute. A few minutes later
, a tall man in gym togs showed up. He was shorter than I was, but heavily built, like a serious weightlifter.
“Burbank?” he asked.
“That’s me,” I nodded. “Talen Burbank.”
“Right,” he said, in a deep voice that matched his body. “I’m Steven Donovan, and I’m going to be your trainer for the length of this training program.”
I nodded.
“Let’s go,” he said. “Ryan got here early, too.”
“Ryan?” I asked.
“He’s the other fighter who we recruited into this program,” Steven replied. “At the moment, it’s just the two of you, so you’ll have my undivided attention.”
“Is there a possibility of you taking on more fighters?” I asked.
“It’s a possibility,” he nodded. “But unlikely at this stage. There’s no point in any guy starting training halfway through – he’ll get killed in the ring, and that’s a reflection on this program.”
“Right,” I nodded.
We turned the corner and came to a huge gym-like area, complete with training rings decked out with all the bells and whistles. I suppressed a whistle of my own and followed Steven through to the corner ring where another guy was leaning casually against the wall. He was built well, with longer brown hair that didn’t quite match his face.
“Ryan Hart,” Steven said. “This is Talen Burbank. You do are going to be training together.”
“Nice to meet you, man,” Ryan said, in a thick Southern accent. “You’re from California, right?”
“Colorado,” I corrected.
“I’m from Louisiana,” Ryan volunteered the information, despite the fact that I hadn’t asked.
“I’ll give you boys a minute to get to know one another,” Steven said. “I’ll be back in five.”
He left us standing by the ring together. I could barely keep my eyes on Ryan. My gaze kept darting around at the space, admiring all the training equipment we had to work with. I had never been in such a well-stocked gym, and it reminded me that I had finally got my big break.
“Nice tattoos, man,” Ryan continued, seemingly unconcerned with the fact that I wasn’t even looking at him. “Did you get them all at once?”
“Uh…no.”
“Obviously not,” he nodded. “That would be crazy…obviously you did it over a period of time. So, how long have you been fighting?”
