She sees me and the smile drops.
I slide onto a stool at the counter."Coffee."
"What are you doing here?"she asks quietly.
"Getting coffee."
"Timothy."
"Black.No sugar."
She pours me a cup, her jaw tight."You need to leave."
"Can't.Coffee's terrible at my place."I take a sip."This is worse, but at least I get to look at you while I drink it."
Her lips almost twitch.Almost."That's not funny."
"Wasn't trying to be funny.Trying to get you to stop running from me."
“I have to go back to work.”
“I’ll be here.”
“You can’t stay here all day.”
“I can if I keep ordering.”
She sighed.“Suit yourself.”
A cheeseburger deluxe platter and an apple pie a la mode later, she came back to clear the plates.“You can’t possibly be still hungry.”
“I’m not, but I need to talk to you.”
"We talked this morning."
"That wasn't a conversation.That was you running away."
"I wasn't running.I was going to work."
"Same thing."
She leans against the counter, lowering her voice."I meant what I said.Last night was a mistake.I'm not looking for whatever you think this is."
"What do you think this is?"
"I don't know.And I don't want to find out."
"Too late."
"Timothy."
"Someone's watching you," I say."White F-250.Guy named Adam Hagelin.Dodge Ram was Gordon Pickett.Both from North Carolina.Ring any bells?"
Her face goes pale."How do you know those names?"
"I ran the plates.Who are they?"
She looks away."They’re Randall's friends.They served together."
