Page 18 of Spiritwarrior

“You’re welcome.”

He set one of the plates down in front of the man who was sitting next to his empty chair. Then Jody sat down at the table.

“Can I get any of you some more drinks?”

The older man, who had convinced her to make them something to eat, motioned to one of the men. “Jacob topped all our drinks off already. Please, sit with us as we eat.”

One of the other men motioned to a wedged-in empty chair next to the man who seemed to be the spokesman for the family.

Since there was no one else in the restaurant, she sat down with the group of men, telling herself that she needed to be friendly with her customers if she was going to make a living out of the restaurant, conveniently forgetting she had decided to sell the restaurant before the men had arrived.

“You must think we’re heathens for not introducing ourselves.” The oldest one smiled at her. “I’m Silas Coleman, and these are my brothers, Matthew, Isaac, Jody—whom I believe you’ve already met—Jacob, Moses, and Ezra.”

Sophie stared around the table as Silas pointed at each brother as he introduced them.

“It’s nice to meet you all. I’m Sophie.”

Jody stared pointedly at her nametag. “I knew the name on your uniform didn’t fit.”

“I found the top out back. I ordered a nametag; it hasn’t come yet.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Silas responded then frowned down at the food in front of him.

“Is something wrong with the food?” She bit her lip, noticing he hadn’t touched his.

Silas’ frown cleared. “Not at all, ma’am. It’s just … I seem to have lost my appetite. Here.” He slid his plate in front of her. “You mind joining us for lunch? I’ll just grab a cup of coffee, if you don’t mind.”

“I can—” Sophie started to get up, but Silas placed a hand on her shoulder. “I can get it myself. Eat the burger before it gets cold.”

Hearing the command in his voice, she picked up the hamburger as Silas got up from the table. The men didn’t start eating until she picked up hers.

Across the table, her eyes met Jody’s. She blushed and lowered her eyes to the burger as she took a bite.

All she had eaten yesterday was ramen noodles, sick to her stomach at how the day had gone. Today, she had meant to eat some toast but didn’t have the stomach for it, knowing she was going to have to fire George.

Silas resumed his seat, holding a cup of coffee. “Everyone in town has been anxious for the diner to reopen,” he told her. “King makes a good steak, but his hamburgers are too thick, and he doesn’t open for breakfast.”

Sophie swallowed her bite of food. “I won’t be able to, either, until I can find a cook. No one else has applied. I can cook a few things, like hamburgers and fries. But most of the things people want to eat here are country cooking. I’ve worked in restaurants before, but they’ve been mainly fast food places. I was so anxious to open the restaurant that I didn’t think it through,” she revealed without knowing why she was confiding to a group of strangers. Their sympathetic gazes had her continuing.

“My mother can cook anything. Her mom had a restaurant, and she used to own one when she was married to Marty. Whenshe comes to town, she and my stepfather will be able to help me manage the restaurant.”

“That sounds like a fine plan.” Silas nodded, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Except I’ll be bankrupt before they get here. I was thinking of calling a realtor.”

“You shouldn’t make any hasty decisions,” Jody blurted out from across the table.

Sophie saw Silas giving Jody a quelling look.

“The boys seem to be enjoying the hamburgers and fries. Maybe if you just focus on the items on the menu you’re comfortable making, you won’t need to hire a cook.”

“I can try that,” she agreed. “It’s not like I’m being overrun with customers, anyway.”

“The customers will come back once you provide them with friendly service and good food.”

She took another bite as she listened to Silas, trying to keep her eyes fixed on him instead of the male candy seated around the table.

It wasn’t as if Silas wasn’t as handsome as his brothers, but he put out a brotherly vibe. The other men at the table oozed testosterone. The one seated next to Jody kept drawing her eyes. Sophie remembered his name was Isaac.

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