“Deal.”They shook on it.
“So, you’re married and have a kid?”Jamie asked.
“Yeah, man.Um...he took off his ball cap, the company logo stitched on the front.“I um...married Sarah Johnson.”
“Do what?”Jamie couldn’t hide his surprise.“But she...hated you.”
“Oh, I know.She let me know it, too.”He smiled.“She did show me the error of my ways, let me tell you.And hard too.”He laughed.“I always heard there was a fine line between love and hate, and I guess I found it.Stepped right into it, I’d say.”
“Married to Sarah.”Jamie shook his head.“I would have bet money that would never, ever, have happened.”
“Tell me about it.”Jeff replaced his cap and smiled.“Have two great kids and they look more like her, thankfully.”
“I just saw her,” Jamie commented.
“Ah.You’ve been over to the credit union then.”Jeff looked down again.“I was really sorry to hear about your grandparents.I don’t think there was a person in this town who’d say a bad word against them.Good decent people.”
“Thanks, Jeff.I appreciate that.”
“Now, you didn’t come in here to just have a chat.What can I do you for?”
“Shrimp.”
Jeff shook his head.“Yeah. You said that.I’ve got some nice-looking Brunswick shrimp that came in just this morning.Big beauties too.How much you want?”
Jamie was doing a quick calculation in his head.“How much do they weigh?”
“Headless?”Jeff asked as he went behind the display case.“I’d say about sixteen count per pound.
“Let me have about three pounds.Make that four.”
“Must be some shindig you got going.”Jeff paused.“They’re on the pricey side.You sure you need that much?It’s gonna take all I have, too.”
“Yeah.”Jamie pulled out his wallet and pulled out his brand-new debit card that he’d just gotten from the credit union.“It’s for a staff get together.I think they’re worth it.They’ve had a hard go of it this year.Time to show some appreciation.”
“That’s mighty nice of you.What’cha makin’?”
“Traditional low country shrimp and grits.”
“Oh, man.Can I come?I love shrimp and grits.”
Jamie laughed.“Sorry, not this time.We’re also having a staff meeting.Maybe I’ll put it on the menu.”
Jeff stopped midway through weighing up the shrimp.“Please tell me you’re not closin’ up the diner.I can’t live without some decent biscuits and gravy.Got to have them at least on Sunday after church meetings.There’s no one ’round here that hold a candle to the diner’s biscuits and gravy.”
“No.Don’t worry.I’m not closing the diner.”Jamie smiled.“After church, eh?”
“I told you I married Sarah.Need I say more?”
Jamie had to laugh.There’d been many a time when Sarah dragged him off to her church.She gave up when he said he’d rather be working in the diner.And only then, when she finally figured out that he wasn’t at all interested.“Nope.Say no more.”
“Here ya go.”Jeff handed over a big black bag.“I put some ice in there on the bottom to keep them cold for ya.Didn’t know if you were planning on making any other stops.”
“I was going to go by the grocery store and pick up a few odds and ends, so thanks for the ice.”Jamie handed over the debit card.Jeff looked at it closely.“It’s brand new.”He looked closely at the card but didn’t say anything about the name on it.
Jeff nodded.He rang up the purchase.“Glad to see you back, Jamie.I hope you stick around for a while.Maybe have a get together with Sarah and the kids.”
“I guess we’ll have to see how things go.I think I’ll be here at least a month or so.”Jamie looked at Jeff again.“I’d like that.”
