Page 17 of Just One Look

“There.” Liz pointed to the corner. “Pull into that parking lot.”

The neon sign for Kelly’s Burgers flashed at him. “They’re still open?”

“Till two am.”

“How’d you know about this place?”

“Emily brought me here on my last visit. Best burger I’d ever had.”

“You really want to eat at a greasy spoon?”

“If the burgers and fries are as good as last time I was here, yes.”

In the parking lot attached to one of the oldest family owned burger joints in the county, he removed his jacket and tie and set them in the back seat, then rolled up his sleeves. “Let’s go.”

This time he resisted the urge to grab hold of her hand. Inside they settled into a booth near the far corner. He doubted the place had changed in the last fifty or so years.

“Did you know that this place has been in the Kelly family since it opened?” Liz didn’t look up from the menu.

“I went to school with Cynthia Kelly. Her grandfather started this place. We used to go to the Kelly’s in north Houston. Though it’s not as nostalgic as this place.”

“I love the décor. It reminds me of an old diner.”

A waitress with her hair in a netted bun paused at the table, setting two glasses of ice water in front of them. “Would you like anything else to drink?”

Liz grinned up at the woman. “I’ll have a cola, no ice, a mushroom cheeseburger, no onions, and the sweet potato chips, please.”

“What kind of cheese?” the woman scribbled on a pad and didn’t glance up.

“Swiss.”

“Got it. And you, sir?” This time the woman looked at him and for just a second, he thought she seemed familiar.

“The same. Except I’ll have ice in my drink, please.” For an instant, he thought he saw recognition in the woman’s eyes as well. Now that was going to nag at him.

“Are you all right?” Liz stretched her hand out and gently covered his for too short a moment.

“Yes, sorry. I was distracted.”

“Still worrying about Stuart?”

“Actually, no. I think we’ve got that all worked out. Though it was a relief to discover his burns weren’t severe enough to keep him in the hospital, so tomorrow we’ll meet at the commercial location and see how fast we can get him back in business.”

“It was fascinating watching you work.” Pushing back in her seat, Liz pulled her hand away, something he instantly regretted.

Stretching for the water glass to give the hand missing her touch something to do besides reach for her, he chuckled softly. “You never watched anyone talk on the phone—a lot?”

She chuckled. “It was more than that and you know it.”

Just then the waitress appeared with their colas, promising their food would be ready shortly.

She reached for the drink. “You stepped in to help. You were as concerned about the waiters as you were for the owner. But, more importantly, you seemed to accomplish more in a few hours than most people do in a few weeks or even months.”

“I could say the same for you.”

“That I talk a lot on the phone,” she teased.

“Touché. I meant it’s fascinating watching you work. At the spec house, you walked in, you saw a problem, and you fixed it. And fixed it well.”

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