Protector - Laurel Dewey [123]
A waitress dressed in what Jane thought looked more like a candy striper outfit approached the two newcomers. She was loaded down with six steaming breakfast plates that aroused an almost Pavlovian reaction in Emily.
“Just the two of ya?” the waitress asked Jane. Jane nodded.
Emily raised the coupon for the waitress to see. “And we have a coupon!”
“We’ve got a guy just about to leave at the counter. You could sit there with your daughter on your lap—”
“Excuse me?” said a man seated at a nearby table. The waitress moved to reveal Dan the maintenance man seated at a table for two all by himself. Dan picked up his plate of food. “How’s about if I just move on over to that empty counter spot and let these two folks have my table?” When he stood up, Jane figured he was a good six foot three inches. Dan was muscular but not in a way that looked like he worked out at a gym; it came more from sweat and blue-collar work. He wore a denim shirt and clean jeans with roughout cowboy boots. His face was wide and his jaw well defined. The only unkempt part was his light brown hair that looked as if he’d just rolled out of bed.
Jane was uncomfortable with Dan’s offer. “Please don’t move!” she said.
“Oh, come on!” Dan said in a warm southern drawl. “You got yourselves a coupon. That means you’re newcomers. We gotta make a good first impression!”
The waitress walked away as Jane and Emily situated themselves at the table. “Thank you,” Jane said, recognizing Dan’s face. With Dan’s back turned, Emily mouthed, “Is that the guy in the truck?” Jane nodded.
The waitress swung by and slid two greasy menus on the table. She took the coupon and slid it under her order pad. “Okay, folks! With the ‘Howdy’ newcomer coupon you get two eggs any way you want ’em, two slices of bacon or sausage, toast and a big ol’ servin’ of Uncle Al’s famous hash browns!” Jane started to light up a cigarette. “Honey, you can’t smoke in here!” the waitress said curtly.
“Right,” Jane said, putting away her cigarette. “I’ll have my eggs scrambled and the bacon,” Jane said, pushing the menu away. “And coffee. Lots of coffee.”
“What about you, sweetie?” the waitress asked Emily.
“I’d like my eggs scrambled, but not too soft that they’re runny and that yellow stuff oozes out. Please cook them really well but not so well that they become caged in.”
“Caged in?” the waitress said confused.
“Black,” Emily said seriously. “And the sausage and a hot chocolate, please.”
The waitress swept up the menus and walked to the kitchen. Jane leaned across the table. “People don’t appreciate smart-ass nine-year-olds. Take it down a notch.”
“What did I say?” Emily said truly innocently.
“It’s Cajun. C-A-J-U-N. Not a cage. Cajuns are people and a description of a kind of food that is blackened.”
“They burn their food?”
“No, it’s blackened,” Jane said, feeling more uptight.
“Blackened is burned.”
“Cajun is different.”
“At the house, you said ‘Pretend they’re Cajun’ and the house eggs were burned.”
“God, we’re like Abbott and Costello!”
“Who’s on first,” Dan said with his back turned at the counter. Jane looked at Dan, unaware that he was listening to the conversation. Dan spun around in his seat. “You ever heard of Abbott and Costello?”
“No,” Emily said, drawn in by Dan’s warm smile and dancing blue eyes.
“Aw, I figured a smart girl like you would know them two.” Emily shook her head, blushing. “Hey, where are my manners?” Dan held his hand out to Jane. “My name’s Dan. Dan Lindsey.”
Jane shook his hand. “Anne,” she said, checking him out very carefully.
“And I’m Patty!” Emily said, standing up and holding out her hand. She was obviously enthralled with Dan.
“How do you do, Patty?”
“I’m doing just fine, Dan,” Emily replied with a dreamy