Page 18 of Forever Endeavor

CHAPTER 7

Billie

So, it may not have been a date, but it sure felt like one.

As they studied their menus, Billie couldn’t help but steal a glance or three across the booth. The grease monkey cleaned up real nice. She nearly fell over when she laid eyes on his butt-hugging jeans and a plaid button-up, sleeves rolled to the elbow and a few buttons left casually undone to reveal a shadowy thatch. His hands and nails were immaculate. He wore a hint of cologne and was freshly shaven, even the Fu Manchu looked neatly trimmed.Damn.Maybe this is a date after all.

Billie felt cute too. She’d styled her hair up off her neck and chose a pretty halter dress from her Punta Cana Suitcase Collection because hey, if you can’t get dolled up for sunset dining on the beach, you might as well wear it to open mike night at The Pelican.

“What looks good?” Sonny asked, startling her.

“Mmm?”

“The menu. Whatcha thinking?”

“Oh, uh…I’m not sure, but anything other than fish and chips. You?”

“Probably the ribs. Feels like a rib night tonight.” He shut his menu and put it down.

“Sounds good.” she said, resting her menu on the table. “Did you know they say that ribs are the worst thing you can order on a date? Right after spaghetti and corn on the cob.”

“Good thing this ain’t a date so we don’t need to worry about it.”

There was a long pause in conversation. They both took gulps of beer to quell the uncomfortable silence.Oh God, this is going to be a very long night.

“Billie! Sonny!” Yvette came up to their table. Dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans and not in her pink coffee shop uniform, it took Billie a moment to place her face. “You two look spiffy tonight. On a date?”

“NO!” They howled in unison.

Billie squirmed on the bench seat. “No, ha ha, no, definitely not a date. Just treating Sonny to dinner for coming to my rescue yesterday.”

Yvette nodded. “Right, the Good Samaritan who towed your car to town. That’s awfully nice, isn’t it honey?”

“Sure,” Sonny answered gruffly.

“Is Cal joining you? It’s been ages since he came around the coffee shop. How is he?”

“Same ol’ Cal,” Sonny told her. “Haven’t heard if he’s coming. Probably not.”

Billie piped up. “He’s taking me out on his boat first thing tomorrow morning.”

Sonny’s eyebrows caved. “Really? How’d he manage to talk you into that?”

“All depends on the bait you use, I guess.”

“Do tell him I said hello.” Yvette pulled an order pad out of her back pocket and produced a pencil from behind her ear, pointing it at their closed menus. “You two decide?”

Gee, was Yvette the only waitress working in Janus Lake? “You work at The Pell too?”

“I moonlight a couple nights a week when Gary needs a hand. Can’t beat the tips,” she said before jotting down their order. She tucked the menus under her arm and then left the table. Billie and Sonny smiled at one another, waiting for the other to speak first.

He finally cleared his throat. “Your hair looks nice up like that. I like it.”

“Oh, thanks,” she replied, coyly toying with a loose tendril. “I like your shirt.”

He looked down and chuckled. “Thanks.”

Then…nothing. Crickets.

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