Page 3 of A Reaper's Secret

He chuckled and winked at her.“Yeah, I got that, andnow that I know, I’m going to tell everyone the truth.”

She let out a shocked gasp and pressed herfingers to her lips. “I’m so scared. Please don’t tell anyone.”

They all knew it, but the truth was, Amyknew everyone’s favorite. Again, this was why she’d been told shehad a knack for taking care of people, and certainly for feedingthem.

“Let me guess, the housespecial—waffles withextra maple, bacon, and scrambled eggs?”

“You got it.”

“Coming right up.”

“How are things?” Daniel asked.

She was about to step away when he spokeup. “Uh, good, everything is going pretty well. I can’t complain. You?” sheasked.

“Yeah, a couple of arguing tourists, butthen, when you mix them with beer, what do youexpect?”

She couldn’t help but smile. Daniel was agood guy, she liked him, and she enjoyed going to The Reaper aswell. She wasn’t a regular, but some Friday nights after a longweek, she just needed to relax, and having a little dance helpedher unwind.

The Reaper was the only bar in town.Where there were a lotof fast-food joints, as well as random snack bars that appeared anddisappeared within a season, no one would dare compete with TheReaper. She didn’t know if that had to do with the scary rumorsabout Lost Creek, or if people were just afraid ofDaniel.

Either way, it didn’tmatter. She likedDaniel, he was a good guy, but she also knew he had a bad side shedidn’t want to be on.

“Very true, but I feel if you started tomix with nonalcoholic beer, there would be a big problem.”

“Oh, yeah, huge problem. There would beriots.”

She chuckled. “Let me go and get yourbreakfast.” She chanced a glance around the café and saw no oneelse was waiting, or had entered.

Making her escape to the kitchen, shewatched as Martha stood at the stove, handling the bacon.

The waffle batter was resting on the counter. Every morning, Amycame to the café and started the waffles from scratch. There werenever leftovers, and if by chance there ever were, she tended topackage them up, and whoever was last in the café got a littlegoody bag.

She had seen a rise in people stayingquite late, which she didn’t mind. She hated the thought of anyonegoing without food, and there was not a homeless shelter in town,otherwise, she’d send tothem. Amy loved to help where she could.

“I saw that handsome hunk,” Martha said.

Martha had been married for years, but shelost her husband a few years back to cancer. Amy had been there forher. She’d seen a lot of death in her time, but through it all,Martha only had eyes for her man. At no point did she ever call anyman other than her Nigel a handsome hunk.

“Who?”

“That Daniel Long.” Martha gave a lowwhistle. “If I was ten years younger, I would take that boy for aspin, and trust me, he wouldn’t know what happened to him.”

Amy couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sure.”

“I know, but then, my Nigel was alive, andI know my love wants me to have fun.” Martha reached for herlocket, kissed it, and then sent a prayer up. “I know he’s keeping an eye on me. Alwaystaking care of me.”

“I bet he is,” she said.

“Oh, trust me, he is. I have no doubt aboutit. He loves me, and he wants to make sure I’m safe and taken care of. But I alreadyknow Daniel is taken.”

“He is?” Amy asked. This was news to her.She’d never known Daniel with anyone. Well, she knew he’d been withwomen, but she’d never actually seen them.

“Oh, yes, I know there is a special womanout there for Daniel, and like I was to my Nigel, shewill have to be one of akind.”

****

Daniel knew he didn’t have to wait longbefore his food came out. Amy served the best food, and her servicewas always efficient. He didn’t know of anyone ever complainingabout her, not that they would dare.

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