Page 18 of Mayhem and Minnie

“I’m fine,” the girl finally speaks, plastering a smile on her face. “He saved me from the cold.”

The waitress narrows her eyes at us.

I get it. I do. She looks fucking young, and I look like…well, like a surly asshole. In one case appearances are deceiving, but in the other not so much.

“You tell me if there’s anything you might need,” the waitress continues, placing her hand over the girl’s. Her eyes widen. “My, you’re so warm. How can you be so warm dressed like this? And your feet…”

“I’m fine,” the girl repeats.

It takes a few more words for the waitress to finally leave us alone to peruse the menu.

Thank God for small mercies.

The girl turns to the menu but doesn’t pick it up. She simply stares at it.

“What are you getting?” I ask casually.

She bites on her lip, her entire body tense.

“I don’t have any money,” she whispers, her gaze still on the menu.

“I have.” I shrug. “And before you ask, I won’t demand anything in return. Take it as goodwill.”

She slowly looks at me. She blinks. Then she swallows.

My ears pick on another noise coming from her stomach.

“Pick something. The sooner you decide, the sooner we eat,” I say and look at my own menu.

My lips curl. It’s all quite basic for a diner and things I wouldn’t normally eat.

But as I glance around from the corner of my eye, I can’t help but shudder at thinking about how sanitary this place is—or isn’t.

Fuck.

With how reluctant the girl is, I doubt she’ll eat anything if I don’t, so I settle on a cream cheese bagel and an omelet.

“So?” I ask again.

She’s still staring at the menu.

“I’ll have what you’re having,” she replies slowly, her lips pulling in a half-smile.

I raise a brow at her. Really? She’s fucking starving and she doesn’t even dare to pick something?

Instead of arguing with her, though, I signal the waitress over.

“What can I get you?” she asks as she pulls out her notebook.

“One of everything on the menu,” I say.

“What? Are you su?—”

“Is that a problem?”

“No, of course not.” She glances at the girl briefly before she jots down the order. “And to drink?”

“I will have a coffee. Steaming hot. No milk. No sugar.”

---