Page 196 of Devil's Bargain

THIRTY-FOUR

“Babe, babe, babe! The table is clean!” Nancy laughs, but I don’t stop rubbing with the wet cloth in my hand.

“I have made it my life’s mission to get rid of this orange spot! It is driving me insane! Every time I roll past, it winks at me. Literally winks!”

Nancy laughs one of her tinkling laughs. “The regulars are starting to worry about you,” she jests.

I wave at Charles, Peter, and Frank, who raise their coffees at me in greeting. “No need to worry about me. This orange stain is on my bucket list! It’s going, one way or another!”

“How did it go today with the cute physical therapist?” Frank winks.

I glare at Nancy. “You told him?”

She pops her gum. “Correction. I told them!”

I throw my head back with a groan. “He’s my physical therapist. We’re not dating, and we’re never going to date!”

Charles lowers his cup. “A fine young lady such as yourself, he’d be lucky!”

“Thank you, Charles! I knew I liked you!”

He winks.

“Anyone want a refill?” I ask as I make my way behind the bar.

“Sure, I can do with one, sugar,” Peter says, pushing his cup across the counter to me. I give him my refill, then peek my head inside the kitchen to see how George is doing. He’s washing pots and singing along to the music on the radio.

“Hi, old man!”

He guffaws. “Old man? You’ve got some cheek!” I squeal with laughter as he flicks dishwater at me. When I wheel around, I pause.

Hazel eyes stare back at me.

Charles, Peter, and Frank look like they’ve seen a ghost.

“Is that an NFL player in here?” Frank blurts.

Charles nods. “Sure is, unless my eyes are betraying me. If that’s the case, he needs to work as an impersonator and charge a ridiculous amount of money to show up at children’s parties and spin a football on his finger.”

I’m glued to the spot, my mouth hanging open as I stare at Rick. He’s bigger. Broader. His face is more manly. Gone is the teenage boy.

“I’ve been told the cupcakes are out of this world?”

My mouth snaps shut.

“Oh, yeah!” Charles agrees. “Best cupcakes in town!”

Rick’s eyes hold mine.

Nancy hurries up to the desk, alarmed that I haven’t rushed into action to serve the famous NFL player. “Hi, welcome. What can I get you today?”

Rick reluctantly tears his hazel eyes away from me. “I want the girl with the blonde hair to serve me one of your famous cupcakes. I’ll find a seat.”

Then he’s gone.

Murmurs break out in the diner as more guests realize who’s shown up.

Nancy swivels around and gestures wildly with her hands to get me moving, but I’m staring at the empty spot he just occupied.

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