To go away.But that wouldn’t be right. He should have told Heather he didn’t want to see her again, and he should have said it when she first started contacting him a month ago. “I’ll be right out.”
After Anita left he stared at the raw rolls in front of him. He didn’t like that Heather had told Anita she was his girlfriend. They’d only texted a few times, although lately she had been sending messages more frequently. He’d have to set her straight, that’s all. At least they didn’t have any customers, other than Jasper. All Tanner had to do was tell her the truth, and Heather would have to accept it. Easy enough.
***
Anita forced a smile at the woman standing on the opposite side of the counter. “Tanner will be out in a minute.”
Heather sat down on one of the red barstools. “I take my coffee black, by the way.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Anita was always polite to customers, even the very few rude ones she’d encountered over the years—butmost people in Maple Falls were friendly. She grabbed a mug from under the counter, filled it with coffee, and set it in front of Heather, who was scrolling through her phone, her long red fingernails clacking against the screen. She didn’t acknowledge Anita when she picked up the coffee and took a sip.
“Yuck.” She set the coffee down and pushed it away, then resumed scrolling through her phone.
Anita tried not to take her attitude personally. The diner coffee wasn’t as delicious as a high-end coffee shop would offer.
She covertly studied Heather a moment. Although the woman looked to be around her and Tanner’s age, her juvenile behavior implied something else, and so did her wardrobe. She wore a too-short black miniskirt with fishnet tights, a low-cut red blouse, and a formfitting and cropped black leather jacket. This woman was Tanner’s type?
Her thoughts screeched to a halt. She wasn’t in the habit of judging people, and she didn’t need to start now. “Do you need anything else?” she asked before heading over to Jasper. She liked to visit with him when she had time, and right now he would give her an excuse to escape.
Heather set down her phone. “I thought you said Tanner was on his way.”
“That’s what he told me.”
“Go get him again.” She rolled her eyes. “Gah, the service here sucks.”
Anita’s teeth clenched until her jaw hurt.Be polite... be polite...
“Anita!” Jasper called out.
She relaxed her mouth and looked at him. “Yes, Mr. Mathis?”
“Can you bring me some extra sugar?”
She hadn’t even brought him his tea yet. “There’s sugar at your table—”
“Please.”
She nodded and turned from Heather, who was now holding up her phone and making the peace sign in front of her face while she took a selfie.
Anita grabbed a few packets and took them over to Jasper. “You shouldn’t be having these, Mr.Mathis,” she said, lowering her voice as she handed them to him. “You need to watch your sugar.”
He motioned for her to sit down, then brushed the packets to the side. “Who’s that hussy at the counter?”
Her mouth twitched, and she almost smiled before glancing to see if Heather had heard him. But she was still taking selfies, this time holding up her coffee cup and pretending to drink it as if it were a latte from heaven. Anita, feeling more than a niggle of guilt, whispered to Jasper, “That’s not very nice.”
“Who cares if it’s nice. It’s the truth,” he said as she sat down across from him. At least he was speaking in a semi-whisper this time. “She needs to put some clothes on.”
Anita agreed, but she kept her mouth shut.
Tanner finally walked out of the kitchen and over to Heather. She noticed he stayed behind the counter, and he started to put his hand on his head, then dropped it to his side as if he remembered he was still wearing the hairnet. He had to be only guy who made a hairnet look good.
Ugh, she was doing it again—pining. An old-fashioned word, but one that perfectly explained what she couldn’t stop doing.
“Can’t imagine why Tanner would have anything to do with that—”
“Mr.Mathis,” Anita warned.
“Misguidedyoung woman.” He scowled and waved a large-knuckled hand in Tanner and Heather’s direction.
