Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Maren’s life was simple until one shift at the diner made her unforgettable to the wrong people. Drawn to his quiet authority, she found comfort in Kevlar’s protection. Once he decided Maren was his, nothing could touch her
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
MAREN
“Have a good night,” Jerry, one of my regular customers, called as he walked toward the door.
I beamed a smile at him. “You too.”
I enjoyed my last job as a hostess, but I was so glad I took this new one as a server at The Fuel & Flame Diner. Tips were a big boost to my income, and I really liked the late-night shifts. They were slower but paid well because my customers appreciated that we were still open.
One of the other servers had told me during my first week that the only better shift was weekend breakfast. Pure chaos, but worth it. You earned more, but you also busted your butt for it from what she’d said. After a month of experience, I still didn’t feel ready to juggle so many tables at once while under pressure to turn them over quickly.
“Order up!”
I changed direction to grab a plate from the pass-through window. “Thanks, Mark.”
The dinner rush had thinned out hours ago, leaving only a handful of occupied booths. I headed toward the one in my section. “Here’s your short stack with a side of bacon. Extra butter and syrup.”
“Thanks.”
I snagged the coffee from behind the counter and moved between tables on autopilot, refilling an empty cup. Then I started a fresh pot and wiped my hands on my apron, glancing at the clock above the pass-through. Still a couple of hours until my shift ended.
I leaned against the counter for a moment while the coffee brewed, and my mind drifted the way it always did when things slowed down. I tried to guess how much I’d make tonight, thought about the chores I needed to do at home, and wondered whether I’d finally pick a direction soon. Maybe community college, or I could start putting some of my tips in a jar to save for a vacation since I’d always wanted to travel.
I didn’t mind that my life was simple. Work, home, sleep. Repeat. There was something grounding about the rhythm my life had settled into. But I still found myself hoping for a little excitement from time to time.
The bell above the door chimed, pulling me out of my thoughts. I glanced up automatically, reaching for the menus as they stepped inside.
“Welcome to The Fuel & Flame Diner.”
The four men didn’t return my greeting, not even with the casual chin lift most guys managed. They just stepped inside and let the door swing shut behind them.
Nothing about them stood out. They wore clothes that didn’t draw the eye, paired with black boots.
I added, “Sit wherever you like.”
They finally nodded and started toward the booths along the windows, taking the one nearest the door, which was in my section.
A four-top was good for tips, so I headed straight over with the menus. Dropping them on the table, I smoothed my apron and smiled. “Hi, I’m Maren. I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you something to drink?”
The man closest to me looked up and muttered, “Just water.”
After getting three grunts in agreement, I murmured, “Will do,” and stepped away.
They weren’t the friendliest group of guys, but I’d had plenty of grumpy customers who appreciated my sunny nature by the time they finished their meal. So I put some extra pep in my step as I brought their waters back to the table.
“There you go.” I fixed my smile in place as I pulled the notebook and pen out of my apron. “What can I get y’all to eat?”
The same guy ordered for them all again. “Four double cheeseburgers. The works, with fries.”
“Great choice. Our burgers are the best thing on the menu.” I tucked away my order pad since that was easy to remember. “The only way to make it better is to add cheese sauce for the fries.”
“Sure, four of those too,” he agreed.
I amped up the wattage on my smile. “I’ll bring your order out as soon as it’s ready.”
Whirling around, I headed toward the pass-through window. “Four double cheeseburgers with the works, fries, and cheese sauce on the side, please.”
“Got it. I’ll get that right up for you.”
“Thanks, Mark.”
I dropped the check off at my only other table and swiped their card at the register after they handed it to me. By the time they left, Mark let me know the burgers were ready.
Balancing the plates, two in each hand, I headed toward the booth. I was careful as I set them down, sliding them in front of each of the men. “Here you go. Let me know if you need any condiments other than the ketchup, mustard, and hot sauce already on the table.”
“Mayonnaise,” one of the men requested.
“Be right back with that.”
I went back to the pass-through window. “Can I get a side of mayonnaise, please?”
“Sure thing.”
He scooped some into a ramekin and slid it across to me.