“Oh, I want that,” Trisha says. “Definitely that one.”
“Do you have chicken and dumplings?” Jackie asks. “Or biscuits and gravy?” Her eyes light up when Gail nods. “I’ll have both.”
“I’ll have the meatloaf,” Cori says, “with a side of biscuits and gravy.”
She looks over at me.
“I think I want everything,” I tell her, smiling. “I will have everything, and we can box up whatever we don’t eat. Do you have fried pickles?”
“Sure do.” Gail smiles, writing it down.
“Add that also.” I look at her. “Actually, can you give us whatever your specialities are?” Her eyebrows go up. “I would hate to leave without making sure I tried everything.”
“A woman who loves food.” She winks at Brian. “I like her.” Cori throws her head back and laughs when Gail turns to walk away from us, and we hear her yelling at whoever is in the back.
“Where the hell are you going to put all that food?” Jackie asks, looking down the counter at me.
“I don’t know about you guys,” Trisha says, “but there is nothing left in the fridge, so …” She smiles. “It’s the perfect time.”
I keep looking around and see a picture on the wall of Gail standing in the middle of two men. “Don’t,” Brian whispers in my ear as he follows my eyes. “Just don’t.” I look at him, not having time to say anything because Gail returns with a tray.
“Okay, I hope you are ready,” she says, putting down a tray. “We have a couple of root beer floats.” She places three on the counter. “Then we have our special strawberry milkshake.” I clap my hands together.
“Strawberry is my favorite,” I say to her and wait for her to place one in front of me. The pink milkshake fills the large cold glass. There is a straw in the middle, and she puts a long spoon in front of me. I lean in to take a sip, and nothing comes through the straw, so I grab the spoon and take a scoop. It tastes like a fresh strawberry bursting into your mouth. “This is so good.” I grab some and look over at Brian who just looks at me. I put my hand under the spoon to catch any drips and turn to Brian. He looks at me and opens his mouth, taking the spoonful of milkshake. I watch his eyes light up and then pull the spoon out of his mouth. “Good, right?” I get another scoop, putting it in my mouth. “Anyone want some of the strawberry?” The girls just shake their heads and turn to look at the root beer floats on the counter. “Do you want more?” I ask Brian, who just shakes his head. “Your loss.” I shrug my shoulders and continue until the plates start coming out all at once. The counter is full of food, and the only sounds coming out of us are the moans when we taste it. I eat until I can’t move. Gail returns to clear some plates. “Well, I have to say this is hands down the best food I’ve ever had in my whole life.” I lean in. “Don’t tell my nana.”
“Your secret is safe with me, sweetheart.” She grabs the plates and carries them to the back and then returns with takeout boxes. Grabbing more plates, she takes them to the back and then finally brings back the last of the takeout containers.
“I put a strawberry pie in there and a couple of slices of the carrot cake.”
“All we need is the bill,” Cori says, and Gail shakes her head.
“No hero pays for their food,” she says, looking at Brian, and the girls all look at him.
“Please,” he says, but she just shakes her head, so he gives her a nod.
The girls get up and each grab a couple of the boxes, thanking her for the delicious food, and then turn to walk out. Cori waits for me, but I just nod at her, so she follows the other two out.
“You have a good one there,” Gail says, looking at me.
“We aren’t together,” I tell her, and Brian finally speaks up.
“I work for her,” he says, and she just looks back and forth between the two of us. The front door swings open and in walks a man I recognize from the picture. His eyes are different, though, and there is also scruff on his face.
“Holy shit,” he says, looking at Brian, and I finally see that he is walking with a cane and one of his pant legs is folded and pinned up. “Look who came into town.”
Brian gets up and walks over to the man, slapping him on the shoulder. “Brother.” He brings him closer to him, and I stand here, taking in the moment not sure what to say. “You look like shit.”
The man throws his head back and laughs. “Yeah, so I’ve been told.”
He looks over Brian’s shoulder and sees me. “Well, it figures the big, bad Brian would have the prettiest girl by his side.” Brian just shakes his head.
“This is my boss, Kellie,” he says to him, and the man’s eyebrows rise. “Kellie, this is Lieutenant Commerford.”
“I’m not a lieutenant, and you can call me Johnny,” the man says, reaching out his hand, and I lean in to shake it. “So does this mean she is up for grabs?” He turns to Brian, and he just glares at him. “Thought so.”
“I’m going to go to the bus,” I tell them, turning to look at Gail. “Thank you so much for your hospitality.”
“You bring him back here,” she tells me, and I just nod at her.
“Johnny, it was a pleasure.” He nods at me, and I look at Brian. “Please take your time.” I walk out of the restaurant with a heaviness on my heart, and I have no idea why. I knock on the bus door, and it opens. Climbing onto the bus, I see that Cori and the girls are sitting down in the living room.
“This must be what a food coma is,” Jackie says. “I wanted to stop eating, but I couldn’t. I just kept saying one more bite.” Trisha agrees with her, and they both get up. “I need a nap after all that.” I laugh as they walk to their bunks, and I sit on the couch.
“I’m going to go back and work in your room.” Cori gets up. “I think Brian needs some alone time.” I just watch her walk away, and the door to the bus opens.
“We are good to go,” he says to the driver, and the bus starts up. “Where is everyone?” he asks me, sitting on the couch next to me.
“Resting,” I answer him, and he lays his head back and rubs his face with both hands. I know I shouldn’t ask. If he wanted to share, he would, but it’s too much for me not to know. “How do you know them?”
He looks up at the ceiling, and his voice comes out soft. “Before I started working for Hunter, I was a Navy SEAL. Johnny and I, we were on the same team.” I tuck my feet under me, laying one arm across the back of the couch to prop my head up. “We got ambushed.” His eyes stay on the ceiling, his voice soft. “We stayed undercover until the cavalry came in, but while we were running to the chopper, he stepped on a land mine.” I blink the tears away. “It took three minutes for me to come to and realize what had happened, and by that point, we were being shot at. I can still hear my name being called. The guys in the chopper just yelled my name to get on, but I couldn’t go. So I covered his body with mine and dragged him with me. I finally got him to the chopper, and by that time, another team arrived, and they helped me put him into the chopper. He was barely breathing.” He looks at me with tears pooling in his eyes. “He wished for death when he woke up and saw his missing leg. He even tried to take his life a couple of times. His mother, Gail, keeps me in the loop on how he is doing. It’s been tough.”