Page 14 of Her Silver Fox Mountain Men

“We need to go easy on her,” James warns.

I sense there’s a part of her past that she’s determined to keep to herself. I’ve met enough people who are running from something, hiding from something, to recognize the signs. The sadness, the fear, the trauma masked behind hesitant voices and forced smiles.

Something or someonemade Elise come here to Rustic, Colorado. And it wasn’t the Rockies.

7

Elise

Maury taps on the glass display after he adds the freshly baked scones to their appropriate platters. “Ready to go, ladies.”

“You’re a star, Maury,” Debbie exclaims.

She’s back from table four with an order she just jotted down while I wait for the coffee to finish brewing before I make the rounds at my three tables. The diner is usually busy in the morning, especially between eight and eleven a.m. We get workers coming in from all over town for the Jamaican Blue Mountain brew and Maury’s legendary butter scones.

“Need anything from me?” I ask Debbie.

Chewing on her nicotine gum, she tucks a curl of black hair behind her pierced ear and shakes her head. “Nah, I’m good, honey. They want the egg and bacon special.”

“I’ll get right on it,” Maury says and goes back into the kitchen.

“How are you lookin’ so far?” Debbie asks me.

“All the food is served, I’m just going to make the coffee refill rounds,” I reply. “It’s winding down.”

She nods in agreement. “Yeah, today’s morning rush is over, thank God. My feet are killing me,” she says, glancing down at her Doc Martens, which she paired with thigh-high striped stockings. “Would you mind stopping by my tables with a coffee refill as well?”

“Sure,” I reply.

Looking around, I see she’s got three tables left as well, including the new arrivals. I recognize most of them by now. The lumberjacks at table two. The pharmacists at table three. And Mrs. Pennywise at table four, with her two nieces. We call her that because of the ungodly amount of makeup she puts on. Otherwise, a very nice lady.

“I just need to nibble on one of these scones before Maury gets the food ready,” Debbie says, helping herself to a piece right from the display. “My God, they smell amazing.”

“Dangerously addictive,” I agree, taking the full pot of coffee out for its rounds.

“Like crack.”

I laugh lightly as I stop by my tables first. “More coffee?” I ask.

“Thanks, yes,” one gentleman says, giving me a warm smile.

The coffee pot is half full by the time I reach Debbie’s tables. The lumberjacks are doing alright so I move on to the drugstore fellas next. Stealing a glance back at my coworker, I can’t help but giggle at how much she’s enjoying that scone. Truth be told, my mouth is watering, too. I don’t know what Maury puts in those things, but I’ll bet he could make a fortune selling them toa broader market.

“How are you doing, Elise?” Mrs. Pennywise asks once I reach her table.

“I’m still waking up, ma’am,” I chuckle as I refill her mug.

Her nieces are tweens and clearly unhappy to be up and about this early. Unfortunately for them, they’re cursed to spend their summer here in the mountains. There’s no mall to hang out at, and the local cinema hasn’t got the same appeal. They’re clearly city gals, and they’re obviously miserable.

“Would you young ladies like some hot cocoa before your food arrives?” I politely ask.

“Do you sell energy drinks?” the younger one asks.

Mrs. Pennywise gasps. “Alana, you’re not allowed to drink that kind of garbage.”

“You’re better off having a cup of joe,” I mutter.

“Excuse me?” Mrs. Pennywise gives me a stern glare.

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