Page 2 of All in April

“Nonsense. We wanted to see that smile right there.” Wolf’s grin is maniacal as he talks.

Glancing at each of their faces, I’m struck with the hunger in their eyes. It makes my stomach do tiny flip flops wondering what it is they expect in return. “I-I don’t know how to repay you.”

Brahn shifts in the back seat, lifting his hips up and adjusting himself as I pretend not to notice. “You don’t owe us a damn thing. Except burgers. I want a double.”

I fumble with the package and my tray until Wolf reaches over and takes the present from me. “You can have this back after our food. How about that, girlie?”

Despite my reluctance to give the predator attention, I can’t help the smile that comes across my face. No one has shown me affection like these three. Never in my life. I’m not quite sure what to do with it all. So, I return to what I know and take out my pad of paper and jot down their orders.

By the time I return to the kitchen, I’m a soggy mess. An ocean could probably be wrung from my socks and my strawberry blonde pigtails stick to my neck like wet rats. When I enter the side door, everyone seems frozen in time. Marcus lets some burgers burn on the grill and Sandy is at a rare moment of pause by the pickles. Mr. Reynolds folds his hands across his broad belly as he sighs, staring at the two of them, then greets me with a sheepish shrug.

“Hi, April. Come on in.”

My heart thuds hard in my chest. Maybe he’s going to tell me not to flirt so much with the customers or that I’m fired. I don’t know what I’ll do without this job, or worse, what I’ll do without his covered porch.

I skate over and place my order ticket on the rail, then press my ass against the stainless-steel counter. Marcus turns to flip a burger but has no zest in his movements like normal.

Mr. Reynold’s dark brown eyes greet me with barely a glance. Mainly, he stares between my knees. “April, I’m sorry to tell you that I have to close Bud’s diner down.”

Oh no. Oh no, oh no. “What? But it’s been here for, like, fifty years!” What will I do without the income? How soon could I get another job?

“I’m sorry, darlin’, but winter’s always hard here. I thought we could make up for our losses by now. But we just can’t make it. Misses and I have to sell the house and are downsizing. Going to Florida to live near her sister.”

“D-downsizing? How…what…when…”

His eyes finally greet my face. “I’m going to have to ask you to get your stuff tonight. Um, Misses says she needs to clean the porch for the house showings.”

“I see.” I hear the words come out of my mouth, but it’s like it’s all happening to someone else. Jobless. Homeless. Alone.

And soaked.

“We’ll finish this shift, then close up like normal. Can’t afford to open the doors again, though. I’m sorry, you three. I let you down.” No one talks as Mr. Reynolds puts some checks in our boxes near the entrances, then gives us a small fake salute before leaving.

“Worst birthday ever,” I mutter.

Marcus sighs heavily and says, “Order up.” Usually he gives me a pep talk or a joke. But he keeps his face averted from mine. My wheels squeak with rust as I roll around to grab the fries and milkshakes, then the boy’s burgers.

Sandy shrugs and grabs her check, then starts to clean up. “I’m out of here. Too slow anyway. Good luck to y’all.”

I try to keep the tears from falling. I do. But by the time I reach the Thunderbird, the raindrops have mixed with my sad drops until they both stream down my cheeks.

“H-here’s y-your orders…” I hiccup and sob when I reach Wolf’s open window, placing a shaky tray on the side of the car.

“Sweetheart! What’s wrong?” Jack calls to me through the car and as I falter on the wet pavement, warm palms grip my waist and hold me up.

When I glance over my shoulder, Brahn’s big arms surround me quietly, but forcibly. “Mr. Reynold’s can’t afford to keep the diner open. I just lost my job and place to stay. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I guess I’ll get a hotel room?” I ask them all as they exchange knowing glances.

Brahn tugs me back into his firm chest and his words are deep and forceful. “You’re coming home with us. Where’s your stuff?”

I gasp and glance at them. “Oh, no. I couldn’t!”

“Stop. This is what we want, yeah?” Jack says and Wolf’s grin widens with a slight nod of his head.

Wolf’s eyes narrow. “I mean, there will be rules if you choose to stay with us, girlie.”

“Sweetheart, we’ll let you have your own room. Your own bathroom, but yeah. We need to establish some, um, boundaries. Like you’re not allowed to pay rent as long as…” Jack’s green eyes find Brahn behind me and Wolf waits for his reply as well.

When I look up to his tall figure, towering over me, his beard shakes as he speaks. “You won’t pay rent as long as you cook for us, clean up after us, and we get free use of you.”

---