“I’d like to get back to work if there is nothing else.”
He nods and sits back in his chair. I want to run from the office, but I force myself to move at a normal pace.
I make it to the door, and right as I’m reaching for the handle, he speaks.
“One more question.”
I close my eyes, take a deep cleansing breath, then turn to face him.
“Yes?”
“Did you know who I was when you walked into the bar that night?”
Chapter Fourteen
Harrison
“Ithink I screwed the pooch,” I say. I slide into the booth at Smiley’s, my favorite mom-and-pop restaurant here in Aron Falls.
Lester doesn’t look up from his menu.
“Let me guess, you were pissy with a client.” His tone is casual, almost dismissive. “Or maybe you were short with Susie at the building department, and now they’re moving slow on your permits… again.”
I lean against the back of the booth, tilt my head back, and stare at the ceiling.
“Worse, I think.”
“Hmm,” Lester replies. “Maybe I should get the potato skillet today.”
I sit upright again and pull the menu away from him.
“Why do you even bother looking at the menu?” I growl. “You have the thing memorized by now, and you never order anything other than special number six: two eggs over easy, turkey bacon, hash browns, an order of white toast with butter and grape jelly.”
“I might want something different one of these days.” Lester frowns at me.
Delilah, one of the waitresses here, approaches our table.
“Fancy seeing you guys here,” she teases. Lester and I started meeting here last summer when we ran into each other here and ended up having breakfast together. It turns out we both come here every Thursday morning, when we can. Now it’s just understood that we sit together.
I smile at Delilah.
“Good morning. I’ll have the usual and a cup of black coffee. Keep it coming today, if you would.”
See, I’m pleasant.
“How’s the potato skillet here, Delilah?” Lester asks.
“Great. It’s one of my favorite things we make, especially if you like hot sauce and put a little on there.”
“Maybe I should try it today.” He picks up the menu and glances at it again. “Ah, never mind, I think I’ll stick with my usual.”
“Tomato juice to drink today?” Delilah asks. Lester nods. “All right, boys, coming right up.”
When Delilah walks away, I turn my attention to Lester. He’s sitting relaxed in the booth with his folded hands resting on the table and watching me with a smirk.
“So, what did you do this time, Oscar?”
He sometimes calls me Oscar to get under my skin. He says I remind him of the grouchy character that lives in the garbage can on that kids’ show. I ignore his use of the nickname this time.
