“I would imagine that everyone who lives in this town knows you.You’ve been working here for most of your life.”She said that she was only twenty-six.“You seem like you’ve seen enough.I don’t blame you for quitting.But I have a job for you if you’re interested.”
“I don’t know.Working for you should come with hazard pay.”They both laughed, and she could feel her cheek hurting now that she was no longer stressed.“I need to go to the hospital for a record of what happened.I’ll be back if the police want to talk to me.”
“They’re here now, and I’ve had Lica, my husband, call for an ambulance.We might as well do this right the first time.”She only nodded, knowing that she’d not have to go in the ambulance if she didn’t want to.The police were nice and friendly, and they did know her.As she was telling them what had happened, Brandy told them that she’d witnessed the entire thing.Roman came staggering out of the kitchen with his gun pointed at her, and he was arrested for having a gun without a permit.She was sent to the hospital because she needed stitches.
“That was easy.”She asked her what she meant while waiting for someone to put the stitches in her cheek.Brandy had come in the ambulance with her.“I thought that I’d have to come here and beg you to work for me and Roman, but it’s been taken care of without me having to beg.I don’tparticularly care to beg, but I would have just to get you to train your replacement.”
“You’ll need two people to replace me.I usually came in and opened the place up and did the banking.Someone will also be needed to run the bar when it’s busy, and like I said to you before, we’re busy in the morning.”She said that she’d had someone checking out the place before she decided to buy it.“I know.I saw him.He’s a nice man.Must be related to your husband.They could pass for twins.”
“His name is Ayden.He told me that if I didn’t buy the place, he was going to.He was that impressed with the place.”She said that he stayed through the breakfast time, running his ass off busing tables.“Yes, that’s what he was assigned to do.He said it was the most fun he’d had in a while and that everyone here got along well.That’s why I was so surprised to get the call from Roman.He said that the place was going to go into ruin if I didn’t get rid of you.You thought that you ran the place.I told him that you did and that he’d be lucky to learn half as much as you knew about the place.”
When they came in to put in her stitches, she lay quietly while they did it.One of the cuts required only four stitches, but the other one on her right cheek needed to have fourteen.Not too bad, but she was beginning to hurt now and was glad that they gave her something for the pain.She couldn’t wait to get home and into her bed.It had been too long a day today.
~*~
Devlin was going to go to the Little Diner after hearing so much about it.When he pulled into the lot, he couldn’t believe that there was a line out the door to get into the place.Waiting for his turn, he could see that people were coming out of the place in a good mood and seemingly full of good praises about the place.He couldn’t wait until it was his turn.Edmond joined him just as he was getting in the door to the place.
“Brandy said that she has new management here.I hope the place can handle it.It seems to run itself right now.”He told him about the woman who had been training the management staff.“She said that she was beautiful.And strong-willed.What would you say if I said she was going to be your mate?”
“I’d say mind your own business and let me live the life as the favorite uncle.”They both laughed.“She might be something to the family, though.Brandy has hired her to go to diners and see about the way it’s being run.Not undercover, but someone who just goes in and spends the day with the staff.”
“Sometimes that’s all it takes, is for someone to come in and listen to what’s going on.”He said that he’d been looking forward to this for a week now.“I’m to understand that the woman who was running the place is quitting.Today might be her last day.”
“Lisa Gunther.I did a background check on her and found out that she’s been in the service for a while and that she’s been working here since she was old enough to have a job.Her background came back clean, and I’m hoping that she’s as nice as the others who work here.I’ve done a good background check on everyone, and other than a few minor tickets, they’re all on the up and up.”Edmond asked if he was going to talk to her if given the chance.“I’d have to sit at the bar, and I don’t know about where I’ll be seated.Are you paying for us both?”
“Sure.I’d love to, since you had to stand in line all this time.”He said that it wasn’t a hardship as the line kept moving.“I can see that.We’re next in line.I think we’re going to end up at the bar anyway.Do you mind?”
“No, so long as I can have a nice breakfast.That’s what I’ve been hoping for.”They both were big eaters, being shifter wolves.They wouldn’t get their fill, people would wonder about them, so they’d get the breakfast, and if it wasn’t enough, they’d stop on the way home to get something somewhere else.As soon as they were seated, he knew that he was going to get enough to eat.“I’m having the special.”
“So am I.”The special was four eggs anyway you wanted them, bacon, sausage links, and fried ham.A stack of pancakes with the topping of your choice.Along with biscuits and gravy and fried apples.“It might even be more than I can eat.”
They were impressed that their water glasses were never empty for more than a couple ofseconds, and when he ordered juice, it came in a large glass that was chilled just the way he liked it.After Devlin was finished eating, all he wanted to do was take a nap and sleep until dinner time.Then do it all over again.
“That was impressive.”Edmond agreed and said that it didn’t cost all that much either.As they were getting up to pay, he left a tip on the bar for the staff and made his way to the cash register with his brother.“I’d come here with you anytime you want if they cook like that.I’m stuffed, and you know that’s saying a lot.”
“I know.I want a nap.”They both laughed after paying, and he was headed out the door when he bumped into one of the waitstaff.She looked like she was a model, but for the tiny stitches on her face.“You must be Lisa Gunther.”
“Yes.You must be related to the Frazier men.You guys look like you’ve been popped out of a mold.”He laughed with her.“I have to finish up here.It’s been nice talking to you, but I’m busy.”
“Sure.”She was walking away when it occurred to him that she was his mate.Turning back around to find her, she was headed into the kitchen area with a bus tub.He wanted to go and find her right now, but knew that his timing would be off.She was his mate, and he knew everything there was to know about her, other than anything personal.He looked at his brother when he said his name.“You were right.”
“I’m always right.What is it this time?”He was joking, of course, but he couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that his mate was here and that he couldn’t do too much about it.“Devlin?What’s wrong?”
“Lisa is my mate.She is my other half.”He laughed.Edmond threw back his head and laughed so hard that people were staring at the two of them.Just as he was going to pop him in the head, he hugged him.“What am I supposed to do now?I don’t have shit ready for a mate.Not even a decent house.”
“You pick one out together.”He said he wasn’t helping.“I’m just happy that you’re going to be happy now, too.Having a mate is the best thing that could happen to us.And I’m glad I was with you when she found you.”
“She’s not going to be happy.I have no idea why I think that, but that’s what I’m thinking.”He said it would work out.“How do you know?You don’t know anything about her other than her name.”
“She’s my sister-in-law now, and that’s what I’m going to be happy for.You’ll see, it’ll all work out.”He knew that it would, but he wasn’t ready.He supposed that none of them were as ready as they wanted to be when they found their mates, so he wasn’t going to stress over it.He found himself in his car waiting until he could talk to her.And he was.“What are your plans?I’m headed home.”
“I don’t know.I have to talk to her, of course.I’m not going to beat around the bush about it either.I’m just going to tell her flat out that I’m her mate and that I will love her for all time.”He suggested that he not go that far just yet, but to tell her about mates.“I find myself wanting to find the guy who hit her and take him to task.Like ripping his throat out.”
“Again, I’d not go that far just yet.You might want to ease into that part.”He nodded and tried to remember the man’s name that had hurt his mate.“Devlin, you’re not listening to me.I said that you can’t do that.Ease into the protective mode for now, and that’ll make things easier with her.If you go spouting off that you’re going to kill someone right off the bat, she’s not going to be happy with you.”
“I know that.You don’t think that I know that?Christ, this isn’t what I wanted when I came here for food.”He said that mates come at you when you least expect them.“No shit.I was planning on being the favorite bachelor uncle for at least a little while.Now, not a month after Ivan and Sen met, I find my other half.What am I supposed to do?”
“Chill for one thing.”He said he could do that after he spoke to her.“Be calm.That’s the only advice I can give you.For all you know, she might have been looking for you all her life, too.I mean, she does work in the food service area.”
