The diner had gone through a recent renovation, which had repaired the cracked vinyl seats and shined up all the chrome and steel. The multi-colored checkerboard floor gave a punch of color to the monochromatic black and gray of the eatery.
Cara led the two men to a large booth next to the street-front window. As she scooted in, Banger slipped into the seat across from her and Hawk. A redheaded waitress in a white uniform with pink piping set three glasses of water on the table while asking, “You want anything else to drink?” After taking their drink and dinner orders, she ambled away.
Twenty minutes later, three plates of steaming chicken fried steak smothered in brown gravy, mashed potatoes, and green beans with cherry tomatoes tantalized the trio. Banger, his eyes lighting up when the waitress set the basket of homemade buttermilk biscuits in front of him, smacked his lips. “I hope this tastes as good as it looks.” He picked up his fork and knife and dove into his meal.
Hawk leaned over and kissed Cara on the cheek. “You done good, babe. This is fuckin’ delicious.”
“Damn good.” Banger mopped up the remaining gravy on his plate with a biscuit, then wiped his mouth with a napkin and leaned back against the seat. “The best chicken fried steak I’ve ever tasted.” He patted his stomach, a smile on his face.
Cara grinned as she placed half of her dinner on Hawk’s plate, and he proceeded to eat it up. Watching Cara and Hawk together made Banger laugh, but sometimes, it reminded him how alone he was since his wife, Grace, had died six years before. Every so often, it would hit him hard, and he’d miss Grace so much it ached.
Shaking his head, he slid out of the booth and headed for the restroom. In the narrow hallway, the woman’s bathroom door opened and a curvy, dark-haired woman came out, slamming right into him. Banger grabbed her arm and tugged her up as she began to fall.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said. Striking, electric-blue eyes met his as she lightly grazed his forearm with her fingers. Her touch was stirring, and he stared at her, wide-eyed, as a single shiver zinged through him. “I should’ve been looking where I was going.”
He was drawn in by the mellow tone of her voice; it was like sweet honey and buttery rum. Banger raked his eyes over her body, encased in a black uniform dress with pink piping and small milky white buttons. He admired her rounded hips, her small waist, and the way the white buttons pulled tight across her large chest. Berry-stained lips and curly tendrils framed her porcelain skin. She blew away one of the stray hairs that had fallen, her warm breath washing over Banger’s bearded face. Lifting her hand, she tucked the strand into her messy bun. He took a deep breath and her light, jasmine-orange scent wrapped around him, hitting him in the groin. He sucked in air while his gaze held hers.
The woman blinked rapidly, then averted her eyes, mumbling, “Sorry, again. I have to get back to work.”
“Just glad you’re okay,” he replied in a smooth baritone.
She walked away, her delicious hips swaying with each step. Banger watched her until she turned the corner and disappeared. Standing still for a couple of minutes, he tried to make sense of his strong response to the beautiful woman. He hadn’t experienced anything like that since he’d said good-bye to Grace. The club whores and the hoodrats didn’t stir anything in him except lust, and when he drained his dick in them, he felt nothing afterward except physical relief.
Returning to the table, Banger glanced around to see if he could spot the pretty lady whose uniform hugged her in all the right places. She was nowhere to be seen. A tinge of disappointment wove through him as he absentmindedly wadded up the drinking straw wrapper.
“Would you like anything else? We got fresh pecan pie,” the waitress said as she cleared the plates.
Upon hearing the words “pecan pie,” Banger focused his attention on the waitress. “I’ll have a piece with a scoop of ice cream and a cup of coffee with cream.”
“Is Belle cooking tonight?” Cara asked the waitress.
“Yep.”
“Can you ask her to come out for a second? I want to compliment her on the dinner.”
“Don’t know if she can get away, but I’ll tell her.”
“Tell her Cara is asking.”
“Will do. I’ll bring that piece of pie and coffee to you right away, sir.”
Banger looked after her as she shuffled behind the counter, took out a whole pie from behind it, and cut a large slice. He could smell the fresh pecans and the brewed coffee as she came back, placing both in front of him.
The vanilla ice cream melted down onto the warm slice, sealing the nooks between the pecans. The first bite was an explosion of sweet, salty, and creamy flavors. As Banger concentrated on the amazing dessert, he heard Cara greet someone.