She parks her free hand on her hip and arches a brow toward the table in the back with the bragging guys. “Yeah, isn’t that scary sometimes?”
I laugh at that. She’s in a good mood with a full smile on her face, making her easy to talk to. “You seem to be handling the storm and the chaos well though,” I say, leaning back.
“It’s been one of the best days ever.” She blows out an even breath. “Some people just see the storm, but I got to see my sontry out for his dream team. It’s a crazy surreal feeling, and I guess I owe it all to you. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me,” I reply. “I’m not giving you anything. I’m doing a job. You’re the one who should be thanked, because you opened your restaurant to a whole team of frozen guys with no place to go.”
“No need to thank me.” Her eyes linger on mine a beat too long. “They looked like they needed it after standing outside.”
Before I can reply, someone calls her from the kitchen. She’s off again, moving with that same bright energy.
“Well,” I say to Carlson as I finish my cocoa. “I need to take off. I’ll be calling you after I have time to review these notes. Let’s get this roster set by tomorrow.” He nods while sipping from his mug. I slide my wallet out and remove a few hundred dollar bills. When she’s not looking, I slip the bills on the cash register where she won’t see them until later. There’s no way she should be expected to absorb the cost for all these players. Then I sling my coat over my shoulder, not bothering to put it on since I parked right out front, and left my SUV running to keep it warm. I leave without saying goodbye to anyone. There’s so much on my mind, I struggle to keep all the guys straight in my head. As the cold air slaps me back into focus, one thought hits me a little louder than the others.
I want Noah on my team.
He’s quiet and still a little raw, but his work ethic is there. He’s also full of something this sport doesn’t always value enough: heart. I mean, what teenager would care to bring a toddler a blanket?
As I pull out of the parking lot, I know I have my first pick.
eight
Ruth
The last mug clicks the dish rack, and I push it into the automatic washer with a deep breath. With chairs flipped onto tables while the freshly mopped floor dries, I’m finally ready toclose. Outside, the snow continues but is easing up. There’s a tad more visibility, and the snowplow cleaned the street about an hour ago, so I’m not nervous about getting home. I sent Noah home a couple of hours ago, right after the hockey rush cleared out. I love when he helps me, but I limit how much I use him because he has enough on his plate with school and hockey.
I turn off the lights, one by one, and just before the last light goes out, the door jingles. Without looking, I call out, “Sorry! We’re closed.”
“Not here to eat. I forgot my wallet,” a voice calls out, and I instantly freeze. I found a wallet.
Bill Baker’s wallet to be exact.
It was right next to my cash register where there was five hundred dollars in cash. “Oh, hey,” I say, softer now that I know it’s him. “I set it underneath the till, along with the cash you left me. It’s all back where it belongs, inside your wallet.”
He takes a step forward, brushing snow from his sleeves. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to trouble you.”
“No trouble,” I say, reaching for it. “I would have tried to call you, but it was nonstop all night, and besides, I didn’t have a number...”
He shrugs like it doesn’t matter, stepping closer. “It’s fine. I just didn’t want it sitting here all night.”
I hold it out and he takes it, our fingertips brush for a second, which gives me a pause as I ponder if he meant to do that. “I really want you to have the money. I know you offered the drinks on the house, but you had great service, and I’m happy to pay for it. It was a wonderful evening.” He slides the bills out of his wallet and tucks them behind the cash register with a stern look on his face, but a teasing gleam in his eye. “Don’t make me hide this in your freezer somewhere where it will only get lost.”
I chuckle and decide to drop it. It’s a sweet gesture for him to pay. He can surely afford it, and I appreciate it. “Well, thank you.”
“The roads are terrible,” he says, tucking the wallet into his coat. “Do you have a long drive ahead of you?”
I lean back against the counter. “No, I don’t live far. Besides, it’s not the first time I’ve ridden out a storm here.”
“I guess it’s not the worst place. You won’t go hungry.”
“No.” I politely chuckle again.
“Well, thank you again for hosting everyone,” he adds, his voice quieter now. “I appreciate it.”
“It was my pleasure,” I say, feeling like we’ve already had this conversation earlier, but I go on. “I figured someone had to house them or they’d have frozen in that park.”
We linger as the silence stretches. Not uncomfortable exactly, but it doesn’t seem like he’s in a rush to leave. Suddenly, I’m not in a hurry to leave either. “Are you ready for another stack of pancakes?” I offer, immediately surprised at myself. “Griddle’s off, but it doesn’t take long to heat up.”
He smiles a little. “Tempting, but I just need my wallet, and you need to get home where it’s warm and safe.”
