by Sophie Stern
When I step inside, the diner goes completely silent. Aside from the music, everyone stops talking and just looks at me. My mouth goes dry. Did I interrupt a private event? That would be just my luck, wouldn’t it? First a ticket: now crashing a party. What was I going to do next? Steal candy from a baby?
My eyes roam the room as I lick my lips, wondering what to say or do. There must be 20 different people staring at me. No one looks mean or angry. They just seem curious, like they weren’t expecting an out-of-towner.
Like they weren’t expecting me.
Suddenly a friendly looking young woman appears from the back and waves her hand at the diners.
“Carry on, folks,” she says. “Let’s not be rude.” As if nothing had happened, the room grows loud once more and everyone turns back to what they were doing. How did she do that? This woman is pure magic: that much is for certain.
“Um, hi,” I say, turning to her, and she smiles.
“Can I help you, honey? You want something to eat, or do you just need directions?”
“Food would be good,” I manage to say, and she motions for me to take a seat at the counter. I slip onto the metal barstool. It’s got a red vinyl cushion on the top that’s seen better days, but I love the vibe of the restaurant. It’s completely classic.
The woman appears on the other side of the counter with a glass of water and a menu.
“Take your time deciding,” she says. “Just let me know when you’re ready.” Her ponytail bounces as she walks away and I’m immediately put at ease. Something about this woman feels comfortable and homey. She reminds me of a big sister or a really fun babysitter. If she were older, she’d remind me of a super-cool aunt, but she can’t be more than a few years older than me.
She grabs a coffee pot and begins making her way throughout the diner, refilling mugs and chatting with customers. How long has she worked here? She seems to know her way around the place. When the woman moves, she glides. She can’t be more than 30, I imagine. She’s cute and curvy and seems really friendly.
Maybe Honeypot won’t be so bad after all.
A few minutes later, I’m ready to order, and when she catches my eye from across the room, I nod to let her know I’m all set.
“What’ll it be, darling?” She says, and I’m reminded of every movie I’ve ever seen where the sweet diner waitress is secretly a single mother who works really hard and manages to fall in love. I like this girl already. No matter what her story is or what secrets she might be hiding, I hope she gets her happy ending.
“Is it too late for waffles?” I ask, but she just chuckles.
“It’s never too late for waffles, hon.” She takes my menu and laughs again, pointing at a nearby table where four bearded men are eating stacks of waffles. They look over at us, but I quickly turn away, blushing.
“It’ll be just a few minutes,” she says kindly, and disappears into the back.
I try not to fidget as I wait, but I’m suddenly very aware of the fact that I’m in a strange place by myself. Not for the first time, I’m wondering if this was a bad idea. It wasn’t, I tell myself. It isn’t. I have to do this for myself.
I have to prove I’m better than my past.
Casually glancing around, I take in the records hanging on the wall and the black-and-white pictures. Some of them are kind of weird. Most of them look like a younger version of Honeypot. Maybe that’s what the town looked like long ago. Everyone looks happy and swank. Seriously. These people dress nicely.
There’s a painting on one wall that stands out simply because it’s a painting. It features a man with wings and a young woman with long brown hair. She’s looking up at the man and smiling like he’s her entire world.
For just a second, my heart threatens to crack a little more, but I fight back the sadness. I can’t let this get to me today. Not today. Right now, I have a lot to worry about. The last thing I need to do is focus on love. The past may have hurt me, but I won’t let it keep me down. I won’t let it hold me back.
I take a deep breath and lean forward again, propping my chin in my hands. The counter is clean and smooth: not sticky, the way some diner counters get. I have the feeling that the server really takes pride in her work. She’s the only one I see working, though I assume there’s a cook or two in the back, but she seems to have everything under control.
I twirl on my seat, taking in the rest of the room. The counter where I’m sitting takes up one side of the room and the other is lined with booths. Every single one is full of people laughing, talking, and sharing stories.
I get the distinct impression that everyone here knows everyone else and that Honeypot is a very tight-knit community. This could be a good thing or a bad thing.
What will that do for my job prospects? Is there any chance I’ll get the position at the ranch? It’s not like I’m the most qualified candidate. I get that. The truth is that I don’t know very much about taking care of animals and I don’t know much about running a ranch. Looking around the diner, it seems like most of the other people here know exactly what it takes to run a ranch.
Almost everyone is wearing jeans or overalls and muddy boots. A couple of people still have cowboy hats on, even though it’s evening and even though they’re indoors. I’ve never seen so many giant belt buckles as I’m seeing right now and if someone walks past me in a gingham dress with twin braids, I won’t be shocked.
“Order up,” the server says, and places a plate of waffles in front of me. She produces two bottles of syrup: one blueberry, one maple. “Pick your pleasure,” she says with a smile.
“Thank you.” My stomach grumbles audibly and I blush, but she just laughs.
“What brings you to Honeypot?” She asks, leaning against the counter. I hesitate, wondering if I should say what’s really brought me to town. What do I have to lose, though? It’s not like everyone isn’t going to figure it out if I get the job. It’s just that when she asks me, I swear the volume of the restaurant has gone down, as if everyone is listening, even though they couldn’t be.
That would be crazy.
“I have a job interview,” I tell her. “Tomorrow, actually.” I choose the blueberry syrup and slather my waffles, then take a tentative bite. Immediately, I groan. “These are so good,” I murmur, and she just laughs.
“Secret recipe,” she says with a little wink. Then she leans forward on the counter, placing her elbow down and her chin in her hand. The gesture reminds me of gossiping with my friends when I was in elementary school. “So what’s the job?” She asks. “You gonna work here with me?” She grins, and I feel immediately at ease.
“This would probably be more fun. Trust me. No, it’s a ranch job. I’ve applied to be an employee at the Blair Ranch. Do you know it?”
Her jaw drops open and for a moment, she’s silent. Then the girl bursts into wild laughter and she giggles.
“Won’t they be in for a treat,” she says. “Oh yes. A big treat indeed.”
“Why’s that?” I ask, not sure what she means.
“Um, they’re three super hot brothers, for one thing. And they’re all delightfully single, for another.”
“Is that so?” I ask. I shove more waffles in my mouth, then sip my water. “Good thing I’m not looking for a boyfriend right now.”
“You might not be looking, hon, but love’s gonna find you and catch you. If you get this job, I guarantee one of them will sweep you off your sweet little feet.”
“What makes you say that?”
“You’re exactly their type.”
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Did you love Dragon's Whisper? Then you should read A Dragon's Bite by Sophie Stern!
Ashley is a girl who is running from her past...
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When their paths cross unexpectedly, nothing can ever go back to the way it was before...
Ashley seeks refuge from a storm in an abandoned mansion, but she doesn't realize it's very much inhabited by a sexy, overbearing dragon. When Theodore offers her a position as a nanny for his son, she realizes that she can't refuse this dragon anything.
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