Page 22 of Knight's Fall

“You have a customer in the dining room. He’s asking for you specifically. I told him you weren’t a waitress, but he said he’d wait until you weren’t busy to see you. He also said he trusted you to bring him whatever you wanted to for his breakfast.”

Courtlyn’s brow shot up quizzically. She took a step back until she could peer out of the order window. It took her a moment to spot him in the corner booth. He sat with his back against the wall, and when her eyes met his, she wondered if he’d been waiting for her to look out from the kitchen and find him. He nodded in her direction.

“Malcolm,” she murmured as she eased back to face Tabby.

“You know him?”

Courtlyn started a batch of pancakes on the griddle as she responded. “He was the customer I waited on the other day while Sissy took her break. We talked for a few minutes. He asked me about any rental properties around here, and then he left me a big tip right in front of Sissy.”

“Right. I remember now. I didn’t recognize him.”

“He’s only been in here the one time that I know of. He seems harmless, just a bit…eccentric, I guess.”

“Are you good to handle his table? I can have one of the others do it.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind, especially since he’s willing to wait.”

Tabby snatched a muffin from the basket on the counter and walked toward her office. Courtlyn plated three pancake platter orders with the requested sides and put those up in the order window for the waitresses to deliver. She completed two other orders before completing a plate of biscuits with tomato gravy, a side of sausage and fresh fruit. Picking up a coffee pot as she passed by the counter, she made it over to Malcolm’s table.

“The owner said you wanted to be surprised. So I brought over one of our signature dishes.”

He eyed it suspiciously as she settled the plate in front of him and refreshed his coffee. He used his fork to pierce a bite of the biscuit smothered in the gravy and chewed slowly. He was taking his time, and she almost went back in the kitchen instead of waiting. Then he nodded, and Courtlyn took that as his seal of approval.

“Enjoy your breakfast, Malcolm. Let me know if you need something else.”

“I do. I need to offer you my gratitude for the suggestions on properties to rent.”

Courtlyn smiled. “You’re welcome. You must have found what you were looking for.”

“Actually, your two suggestions had been rented already, but they led me to a third. It was available and suited my needs perfectly. The owner had not had any takers yet, so I was the first one to inquire about it.”

She didn’t miss the triumphant gleam in his eyes, as if finding a property had been a game that he’d mastered. “Congratulations, Malcolm. I’ll leave you to finish your breakfast before it gets cold.”

“I don’t suppose I could convince you to join me. I remember from last time that you are entitled to a break, and it would be my treat.”

For a moment, Courtlyn thought Malcolm’s invitation sounded like a date, but she quickly dismissed the notion. She guessed him to be quite a bit older than her. Nothing in his demeanor indicated he held a romantic interest in her, but his invitation was odd since they’d only met the one time.

“We’re very busy, Malcolm. I have several orders to fill, but thank you. Enjoy your breakfast.”

This time he didn’t stop her retreat. Once back in the kitchen, she went to work, putting the strange conversation out of her mind. She’d almost forgotten about him, but her gaze landed on him as she placed her last order in the window for another table. She wandered out of the kitchen, ignoring a glare from Sissy.

“I hope your breakfast was to your liking. Can I get you anything else, Malcolm?”

He folded his paper much like he did the last time he had been there and placed it on the table beside his empty plate. “What made you decide to bring me this?”

She blinked. “Oh, um, I don’t know. It’s one of our most popular menu items, but it’s unusual enough that most people haven’t tried it unless they’re local. Did you not enjoy it?”

“Looking for a compliment?”

Courtlyn stiffened. “No. I only want to make sure you were happy with your meal. If not, I’ll be happy to make you something of your choosing.”

Malcolm leaned back against the cushioned seat of the booth as if he had all the time in the world. “That’s not necessary. It was very good, as I’m sure you know. I was just curious as to why you chose this meal for me after only meeting me once.”

She sighed and glanced over her shoulder to see if any of the others were watching. They were all occupied with their own customers, so she turned back and slid in the booth across from Malcolm. She met his gaze, noting his light brown eyes weren’t cold but also held no warmth. Not knowing what he wanted her to say, she opted for the truth, even if it meant driving away a high-tipping customer.

“You’ve come in here alone twice now, and when you asked about rental property, you said it was for you, not you and your family. You sought me out because I was kind to you the last time you were here, which tells me you don’t have a lot of people in your life who show kindness. You ask inappropriate questions and act strangely. At first, I thought you just lacked social skills, but I think you do that because you like to see how people react when you make them uncomfortable. Comfort food is my specialty, Malcolm, and if anyone needed a dose of some down-home comfort food, that would be you. The dish I just served you is one my grandmother made for my family quite a bit when I was growing up. Not everyone likes tomato gravy. It’s different. It’s a Southern thing. But you wanted me to choose, and I took a chance by giving you what I consider the ultimate comfort food.”

He took a long drink of his coffee, almost emptying his full cup. His gaze dipped down to the cup, and she raised the pot to fill it again.

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