I pretend not to listen as I pick up the Henderson’s used plates and mugs and walk them to the kitchen.
“And how long will that take?” he asks. “Tomorrow?!”
I grab the coffeepot and brush Lottie and Tish on the shoulders to get them to stop staring. They glare at me, but move on to tend to their tables. I slowly make my way over.
“No, it’s not,” he says, his focus on his call. “Well, is there a car rental around here? A ride share service?” He furrows a brow. “Why is that funny?”
I bite my cheek, waiting patiently.
“Fine. Just...” He exhales hard. “Just call me when it’s done.”
He hangs up and drops the phone on the table.
I step forward to refill his mug. “Bad news?” I ask.
He leans back in the booth and looks at me. “Yeah,” he answers. “Sorry about that. That was… probably rude.”
“It’s okay,” I say with a shrug.
“The most important meeting of my career is — was — today in Big City, and I’m stuck here.”
“Car trouble?”
He blinks.
I smile. “Word gets around fast here.”
“Yeah,” he answers as he rubs his face, his long ring-less fingers running through his brown hair. “It needs a new part, which the mechanic apparently can’t get until tomorrow morning.”
“Well, that sucks.”
“It really does, Mika,” he says with a glance at my name tag. “It really does.”
“There’s a bus station east of town!”
His brows rise. “There is?”
“But…” I wince, “the last bus to Big City left at three. Sorry.”
He hangs his head. “Story of my life.”
I note his half-eaten cheeseburger. “Anything else I can get for you?”
“No, thank you. Uh...” He scratches his chiseled chin as he looks around the diner. “Actually, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
He shifts forward slightly. “Why is everyone staring at me?” he whispers.
I smile. ”First time in Kiss County?” I ask.
“Yes. Why?”
“People fall in love here.”
“I read that on the sign,” he says with a nod. “Still don’t understand what it means.”
“It’s just our thing,” I say. “Love at first sight and all that. We host a lot of weddings. Honeymooners. Big parade for Valentine’s.”
