Page 7 of Mac
"Here you are.I'll bring the creamer in just a second.Do you know what you want or have any questions?"
"Who's in the kitchen this morning?"Mac asked.He didn't come in here every day but often enough he knew who the cooks were and what he preferred from each one.
"Joey is manning the griddle this morning."
"Oh good.Hope his wife is doing better?"
"I'll double check, but I think she's on the mend."Donna turned to look at Elyse."Anything I can get for you, hun?"
"Do you have any flavored creamers?"
"We do.I'll bring you some right out."Donna bustled away, leaving the two of them alone again.
"You know everyone by name and what's going on with them, you must come in often."
"Two or three times a week, different meals."Mac shrugged."My shop's nearby and it's convenient."
Elyse didn't say anything but turned back to her menu until Donna came back.
"I asked Joey, he says his wife is doing much better, and to thank you for asking."She slid bowl with several tiny containers of creamers onto the table."Are you ready to order?"
"I am," Elyse said before glancing at Mac.
He nodded and waited while Elyse placed her order, then gave his own to Donna, then handed over his menu as Donna collected them and disappeared once more.
"You said your shop's nearby, what kind of shop is it?"Elyse asked.
Mac turned his attention back to her and smiled.He thought she had been ignoring him, but apparently not."I own and run the mechanic shop a few doors down."Mac tilted his head in the direction of his shop.
"Oh, that's nice.I bet it does make it easy to have someplace nearby to catch a quick meal now and then."
"Especially a place I like as much as this one."He didn't tell her he could have gotten food, if that had been all he was after, right next to the shop, at the clubhouse.No.He came here because he liked the food, yes, but also because he liked the people and the atmosphere.The diner might not look like much but it, and the way the staff treated him, made him feel good.He glanced around now, remembering some of the many times he'd been here, with fondness.
It wasn't that he came here to get away from his brothers or the club, they often came with him.The food at the clubhouse was only as good as whatever prospect was in charge of the bar these days, though that had stopped being true when they'd put Jailbait in charge of the bar.Mac had been skeptical when they'd made that decision, but now, he couldn't argue, it had been a good decision.She'd pulled things together and made what he'd thought was running pretty well into a much smoother operation.
Mac shook his head to knock the random thoughts away and turned his attention back to the woman across from him.The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was rude, and not want to go out with him again.
Go out?No this wasn't a date, just a meal, but if it went well, he wouldn't dismiss the idea of a date.
CHAPTER6
"You were right, that was really good."Elyse pushed her plate away and resisted the urge to rub her stuffed belly.She didn't know how she'd managed to miss a place this good.Maybe because she wasn't in this part of town often.It wasn't far from her house, but work was in the other direction.She'd found a grocery store between the house and the bookstore, so she rarely had a reason to venture this way, unless she wanted to go to the mall, which wasn't often, she admitted to herself.
"I told you."Her neighbor leaned back and looked at the empty plates between them before meeting her gaze."I've tried a lot of places.I eat out more than I should, but it keeps me from having to cook.This place is one of the best around."
She smiled.She understood the not wanting to cook part, especially when you were cooking for one.Her solution was processed and ready to eat or nearly ready to eat food."I'll have to get out this way more often.This place is worth the trip."
"I'm glad you liked it."His gaze flicked to the window then back to her.He'd done that several times while they'd eaten and she got the impression he was keeping an eye on something out there, but she didn't ask.She wasn't sure she wanted to know.
"What now?"The words popped out before her brain could stop them.
A faint smile curved Mac's lips, making her realize he could be handsome, if he wanted, or tried just a little."Next I'll take you home.I've got some chores I wanted to get done this afternoon but thank you for coming to breakfast with me."
"Thanks for bringing me.It was the last thing I expected when I got up this morning, but it's been nice."
"Thanks for coming," the waitress said as she walked past, slowing only long enough to slip a ticket onto the table, face down, before hurrying off to refill coffee for someone else.
Before Elyse could even start to reach for the ticket, Mac picked it up and dug his wallet out of his back pocket and pulled out a card."I'll go pay this, then meet you outside."His glance flicked from her to the restroom then back.Elyse couldn't help but wonder how he seemed to know what she needed.She'd only just decided she'd need to use the restroom before getting back on his motorcycle.
