Page 20 of Dust and Desire
“Well, look at this handsome devil,” Dolly called from behind the counter, her red-painted lips curving into a warm smile. “Thought you boys only came in here for breakfast.”
“Only when we’re workin’,” I replied, sliding onto a stool at the counter. “Got the afternoon off.”
“Lucky you,” she said, pouring me a cup of coffee without asking. “Menu’s the same, but we’ve got Beau’s brisket as the special today.”
“Sounds perfect,” I said, not bothering to look at the menu.Dolly’s diner was legendary in these parts thanks to the combination of Beau’s barbeque and her home cookin’.
As she jotted down my order, I glanced around the diner. It was a comfortable place, all chrome and red vinyl, with photos of Sagebrush’s history lining the walls. It reminded me of a dozen other diners in a dozen other small towns I’d passed through. But something about this one felt different. Maybe it was because Sagebrush itself felt different.
Or maybe it was because of him.
“You look like you’re a million miles away,” Dolly said, sliding my coffee closer. “Penny for your thoughts?”
I shrugged, dumping a spoonful of sugar into my coffee. “Just enjoyin’ the day off.”
Dolly leaned against the counter, her eyes narrowing slightly. She had that look women get when they know you’re not telling the whole truth. “Uh-huh. And I’m the Queen of England.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Your Majesty.”
She swatted my arm with her order pad. “Don’t get smart with me, Alex Reyes. I’ve been servin’ coffee in this town long enough to know when a man’s got something on his mind. Andyou’vegot somethin’ on your mind.”
I took a sip of my coffee, considering my options. I didn’t know Dolly hardly at all, but she seemed like the kind of woman who kept her ear to the ground. And her mouth shut when it mattered. Everyone spoke highly of her, like a beloved aunt, so she must be trustworthy.
“Alright,” I conceded. “Maybe I am thinkin’ about something. Or someone.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh? Anyone I know?”
I hesitated, swirling my coffee. Not many small towns were accepting of men like me. But then again, Dolly didn’t seem to have a problem with any of the other boys. “Dustin Corvus,” I said at last, my voice barely above a whisper.
Something flickered in Dolly’s eyes… recognition, or maybe even concern? “The city boy out at Baker Ranch? The quiet one?”
“That’s him,” I nodded. “You know him well?”
Dolly straightened up, glancing around as if to make sure no one was listening too closely. The lunch crowd had begun to thin out considerably, and we were the only two at the counter now.
“I know him by sight and by his good manners,” she said simply. “But despite his being here almost two years, he doesn’t say much. He’s sweet though.”
“Yeah, sweet is a good word for him,” I agreed, taking another sip of coffee. “And quiet. Too quiet, sometimes. Like he’s got a whole world locked up inside him.”
Dolly’s expression softened as she refilled my cup without me asking. “Some folks carry their burdens that way. Keep everything bottled up tight until they’re fit to burst.”
“You think that’s what he’s doing? Bottling things up?”
She shrugged, wiping down the counter with a rag. “Hard to say. He comes in here once, maybe twice a week. Always orders the same thing. A turkey club, no mayo, side salad instead of fries. Tips well. Says please and thank you. But never much else.”
I found myself leaning forward, hungry for any scrap of information about Dustin. “Has he ever mentioned anything about his past? About why he came here?”
“Not to me,” Dolly said, then lowered her voice. “But I’ve been around long enough to recognize the look.”
“What look?”
“The look of a man who’s running from something.” She paused, her eyes distant. “Could be runnin’ from his past. Could be runnin’ from himself. Either way, he’s got that haunted edge to him.”
My heart sank a little. I’d suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed made it real. “I just wish he’d talk to me.”
“Oh?” Dolly’s eyebrows arched with interest. “You two having troubles already?”
I let out a dry laugh. “Can’t have troubles if there’s nothing there to begin with.”
