Page 32 of One More Chance
Muriel, do you have a first aid kit we could borrow? The ice is a little slippery tonight.
“As ice is,” she chuckled and reached behind the counter for the first aid kit. She was missing a few more teeth than in 2004, but other than that she looked exactly the same. Old. “You can clean up in the bathroom at the back of the store.”
“I’ve got this,” Charlotte smiled and took the first aid kit.
“You’d better help your friend. She looks a little shaky on her feet,” Muriel said, pointing down at Charlotte’s feet. “Honey, no wonder you slipped, those are city girl boots.”
“I know, I know, Muriel.”
The old lady looked up abruptly in response to her name. “Oh, my word. Billi Jo, sweetheart. Is that you?” She hurried from behind the counter to embrace Charlotte. “Honey, I didn’t recognize you. Now, what have you gone and done to yourself?”
Charlotte pulled up the sleeve of Logan’s jersey to reveal the scrape from her fall. “It’s nothing. Logan is making a big deal out of a few scratches.”
“Well, you don’t need stitches, but you certainly should clean that up.”
“Is the kitchen still open?” Logan asked as he helped Charlotte through the aisles of potato chips and beef jerky.
“For you two, anything. I’ll throw in two beavertails for you right now,” Muriel yelled as she made her way into the diner.
“Can you believe she’s still alive?” Charlotte whispered as Logan helped her to the restroom.
“I know, I thought she was a hundred years old, fifteen years ago,” Logan whispered back.
Logan turned on the faucet and gently pulled the jersey over Charlotte’s head. “Stick your elbow under the faucet,” he said and pulled out a couple of antiseptic towelettes. Logan set to work cleaning Charlotte’s elbow and when he was done, he took his jersey and pulled it back over her head. She didn’t resist this time.
“Aren’t you going to be cold?” she asked.
“Well, one of us is going to be cold and at least I have sleeves,” Logan smiled. Charlotte’s fancy pantsuit looked great on her but wasn’t doing her any favors in the warmth department. “And you might be going into shock.”
Charlotte looked up at Logan and shook her head. “It’s a little scrape and a bruised tail bone, I’ll live.”
“Well, I’m not a doctor, and neither are you, so until we get confirmation that you’re not in shock, you’re stuck wearing the extra shirt. That, and it looks better on you,” Logan said and gazed at the two of them in the restroom mirror. He wasn’t lying, plenty of his model girlfriends had pranced around his loft wearing his jersey, and they looked good, but with Charlotte, there was something about the tiny brunette swimming in his number eighty-eight shirt that was starting to make him hard. He shifted uncomfortably and distracted himself by packing up the first aid supplies.
The two of them made their way back to the diner side of the G-Spot. He hated to admit the disappointment he felt when Charlotte’s hand eased its grip on his shoulder, and she was able to walk on her own. She slid into the bench seat of the diner table.
“Coffee?” Muriel asked. Then she leaned in, “Or something stronger?”
Logan looked to Charlotte, she smiled and shrugged. “We’ll take two of your something stronger,” Logan said and winked at Muriel.
She winked back. “Coming right up.”
“Something stronger?” Charlotte leaned in. “Since when did the G-Spot become a speakeasy?”
“I think that we’re getting something from Muriel’s personal supply,” Logan whispered.
Muriel returned to the table with two coffee mugs filled with an amber liquid. “A little maple drink never hurt anyone.”
“And it goes well with beavertails,” Logan smiled and took a sniff of the very large mug of maple whiskey. “Thank you, Muriel.”
“I’ll leave you kids alone. Good to see you two back together.”
“Oh, we’re not...” Charlotte said, but Muriel had already walked away from the table.
“Cheers.” Logan held up his mug.
They tapped ceramic mugs, and each took a swig. “Whooo.” Charlotte scrunched her face. “That will put hair on your chest.”
Logan smiled. Seated across from him was one of the most sophisticated and gorgeous women he had ever met; but with a little small town left in her, she was a breath of fresh air. “That it will. And it’s the best painkiller around.”
