Page 14 of Holding Grace

“Better you than me.” There was nothing that could voluntarily get me out of bed before dawn. “What do you do? Sneak up on the fish while they’re sleeping and scoop them up?”

Michael laughed and I decided that was another favorite sound.

“Yep, you got it. That’s exactly what we do.”

I snuggled deeper into my covers, feeling happy in a way I hadn’t since...maybe ever? It was dangerous, I knew, and would be over far too quickly, but I couldn’t help it.

“That hardly seems fair to the fish. You should at least wake them up and give them a head start.”

Michael laughed again. “Believe me, they give us a run for our money.”

I heard voices in the background, which Michael muffled momentarily, then spoke again.

“Sorry about that. Hey, listen. I know we said we’d talk today, but is there any way I can see you again tonight? If you work, I’m fine with waiting until you get off if that’s not too late for you. I have something I want to talk to you about and I don’t want to do it over the phone.”

I thought for a few seconds about Michael’s request, not because I didn’t want to see or talk with him. I did want that – more than I should – I just wasn’t sure what else we had to talk about.

“Sure, that’s fine. I should be done by 9:30 or so if we close at our normal time.”

“Works for me. I’ll pick you up at the diner again.”

“I can just meet you at my apartment. You saw how short of a walk it is.”

“Let me pick you up, okay? You know how I feel about you walking by yourself after dark.”

My mind flashed back to a conversation we’d had when I’d worked at the pub. It had been late at night and raining, and Michael had wanted to drive me home rather than letting me take the bus. I’d wanted to take him up on it, but I’d been scared to let him see where I was staying.

How things had changed since then.

I gave in as graciously as I could. “I remember. You can pick me up.”

“Thanks for humoring me.” The smile I heard in Michael’s voice made me smile in response. What was it about this man that made me feel like I had a silly high school crush?

We talked for another minute about nothing, then ended the call to get on with our respective days. I straightened my apartment, did a few loads of laundry at the laundromat, and got ready for work, all while my mind spun around and around, wondering what Michael wanted to talk to me about.

My shift at the diner was spent checking the clock every three minutes and answering Vanessa’s many, many questions about what had happened with Michael the night before, all while trying not to get on Barney’s “last nerve”, a tough ask on any day.

I was so distracted thinking about what had happened and wondering what would happen later that night, that finally about an hour before close Barney told me to get the hell out of his kitchen and go help Vanessa and Millie, the other server working that night. I distracted myself doing what I could, busing tables and refilling drinks.

Finally, right before we flipped the ‘closed’ sign over at 9pm, Michael walked through the door.

I paused, a handful of straws ready to stuff into a dispenser, and just looked at him. The things the man did to a simple t-shirt, shorts, and baseball cap should be illegal.

Millie hustled toward him before I could make a move, then turned to look at me with wide eyes when Michael inclined his head in my direction. I nodded my thanks to her and moved to meet Michael about halfway across the floor.

“Would it be best if I wait in the truck?”

I glanced over my shoulder to where Barney glared at us through the pass-through. “Probably, yes, if you don’t mind.”

Michael headed back out to the truck while Vanessa, Millie and I rushed through closing. Finally, with a grunt, Barney waved us out.

The nerves that had danced in my stomach all day started up again as I drew closer to Michael’s truck, even more so when he stepped out to open the passenger side door for me.

He climbed back in and settled his big body behind the wheel as I finished fastening my seatbelt. I felt a little silly putting on a seatbelt to drive less than a block, but you never knew what could happen. Michael fastened his, as well, then started up the truck.

“I hope I didn’t get you in trouble by showing up when I did.”

It took me a second to figure out what Michael meant.

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