Page 7 of Single-Minded
I’d woken up at quarter till five, even though I had no reason to be awake until West and his crew arrived. Old habits died hard.
New habits were going to take a bit.
Like sleeping. Relaxing. Plus filling my waking hours with…something.
I’d texted Chloe, my best friend since business school, and asked her if she could get away for breakfast at the Dragonfly Diner.
Breakfast was something. It would fill an hour.
Baby steps.
Just after I was seated at a booth along the front windows with a view of the heart of town, Chloe came in, glanced around, greeted Patrick—one of the servers—by name, and headed toward me.
I stood and hugged her.
“God, it’s good to see you,” I said.
Chloe laughed. “I just saw you Saturday. Because you live in town now,” she said with pronounced enthusiasm.
“I’m still getting used to that,” I said as we slid into opposite sides of the booth.
“Good morning, ladies.” Patrick came up to our table with a coffeepot. “Do we want coffee?”
Chloe flipped her mug over. I eyed the pot, knew it would be mediocre, and turned my mug upright anyway.
“Yes, please,” I said in case my face had revealed my thoughts about standard diner coffee. Normally I liked my coffee black, but that was when it was the good stuff and I wanted to savor the true flavor. “Could we get real cream too?”
“You bet, sugar. Do you need some time with the menu?” Patrick asked as he poured.
Chloe looked at me in question.
“Those waffles…” I said.
“Dragonfly Dust,” Chloe said.
“Those. Please.”
“That’s really why you moved to town, isn’t it?” Chloe said.
“Definitely a perk,” I said.
“Oh, new resident?” Patrick asked. “Welcome to Dragonfly Lake. The waffles are a marvelous reason to move here. What can I get you, Chloe?”
She hesitated.
“You want the waffles,” I said, knowing my friend’s sugar tooth.
“We’re celebrating your move. I want the waffles.”
“You got it.” Patrick hurried off to another table.
The place was filling up fast, despite it being barely six thirty.
I eyed my mug, knowing the java was subpar. I’d had it before. With a sigh, I glanced around for Patrick to see if the cream was on its way. The bowl of artificial creamers on the table… No.
“You’re such a snob,” Chloe said, laughing.
“I like good coffee.”
