“Well, this is not a decision you get to make for me. I will stay here until I am ready to come back.”
Shivers cascaded across my skin from the tone in his voice. He was not happy with whomever he was speaking to. It was such a stark contrast from the way he spoke to Jasper when they were bonding over Hot Wheels. With Jasper, he was soft-spoken and supportive. He was cold and concise with whomever was on the other end of this call.
“Willow?”
I yelped and turned to see the wide eyes of Brody as he stood next to me with a folder in hand. His eyebrows went up as he stared at me. My hand flew to my heart. It was pounding in my chest.
“Brody,” I whispered as I grabbed his arm and led him away from my office. The last thing I wanted was for Cole to know that I’d been eavesdropping on him.
Once we were a safe distance away, I turned to face Brody. “You startled me,” I said. Thankfully, my blood pressure was stabilizing. I peeked up at him to see that he had an amused smile on his lips.
“Sorry, boss,” he said. Then he frowned as he looked back in the direction of my office. “What were you doing?”
My cheeks heated from embarrassment as I shook my head. “I was just lost in my thoughts.” I cleared my throat as I straightened. The last thing I needed was for my employees to let it slip that I’d been eavesdropping on Cole. I really needed to be more careful. “What did you need?” I asked as I nodded toward the bowl he was holding.
Brody needed help planning the omelet menu so that I could then put in a food order. After we were finished, I made my way out to the dining room to help with the morning rush. Cole didn’t say anything to me about his early morning call, which I took to mean he hadn’t noticed that I’d been privy to it. He just stayed in the kitchen to help get food out in a timely manner.
After lunch, I stayed in my office to place orders for next week’s food delivery. Zoey knocked on my door at four, and Jasper came running in behind her before I could look up.
I thanked Zoey and told her that I’d take things from here. She started to ask if I wanted her to bring him to the house, but I hurriedly told her that I had things covered. She looked startled, but then just nodded and told me to text her if I needed her tomorrow.
I set Jasper up in my office with his tablet and a hamburger with fries from the kitchen. The dinner rush kept me so busy that I didn’t have time to think about Cole and his strange conversation.
After the diner was closed, we were in the middle of cleaning the dining room when his phone rang. The memory of the strange phone call washed over me, and my gaze drifted over to Cole. Was it the same caller?
Breia suddenly appeared in front of me with an incredulous look. I blinked, realizing that I must have been staring at Cole as he brought his phone to his cheek and disappeared through the kitchen door.
I cleared my throat as I faced her head-on. “What?” I asked, drawing my eyebrows together and trying to sound innocent.
“You were staring at Scrooge.” She folded her arms and tapped her forearm with her pointer finger.
“I wasn’t staring,” I said as I returned to the table I’d been wiping down.
“I saw where your eyes were. You were staring.”
I glanced back at her from over my shoulder as I kneeled on the booth so I could reach to the farthest end of the table. “Have you found out anything about Cole?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
Breia shook her head. “Nothing. I haven’t found anything. But I will prevail.” She shook her fist in the air.
I laughed. “I’m sure you will.” I straightened and dropped the rag into the bucket of soapy water I’d set on the floor next to me. I sighed. “I’m going to go check on Jasper. Will you bring those dishes to the sink? And then I think we’re done,” I said as I surveyed the dining room.
Breia nodded and lifted the tub up and set it on her hip. “Just remember I have to come in a bit later tomorrow. I have a doctor’s appointment in the morning.”
“I have it on the schedule,” I said before I followed her through the kitchen door.
Breia called a goodnight to everyone in the kitchen after she dropped off the tub in the dish sink and removed her apron. Brody and Zaiden were finishing up, so we all said goodbye as she slipped out the back door.
I made my way to my office to check on Jasper. I found him sitting in my office chair with his feet propped against my desk, turning the chair from side to side. I sighed, trying to decide if I should scold him like I usually did or just let it slide.
Apparently, I was going to let it slide. I gathered up his now empty plate and cup and headed to the kitchen to start rinsing the dishes.
Brody and Zaiden finished and said goodbye as they headed past me.
I finished loading the trays into the dishwasher and then started it. I wiped my hands on the nearby dish towel and then began to untie my apron as I made my way to the hooks on the back wall.
I was making my way through the kitchen when I heard Jasper’s voice. I rounded the corner to find Jasper standing in the middle of the kitchen and talking to Cole, who was sweeping. Cole was just smiling as he listened.
“Mommy and I live in the diner,” Jasper said as he spun in a circle where Cole had just finished sweeping.
