It was only moderately busy inside the establishment, with just one waitress and the chef on duty. Mel had inquired about Lucy when she arrived—she’d liked the waitress when she talked to her yesterday—but discovered that Monday was her day off. Disappointed, but not daunted, Mel started up a random conversation with Ruth and Al, the waitress and the chef, who turned out to be co-owners of the business as well. Both were sitting at the nearby counter, idly chatting with customers before the noon hour rush.
By time she was done with her Danish, she'd learned that the citizens of Stump River liked Ryne, Bryan, and Daniel. Ruth reported that the local women drooled over them.
"All three are definite hunks and very talented lovers, if even half the rumours can be believed.” Ruth told her in a stage whisper, the thin knob of hair on top of her head bobbing up and down as she nodded emphatically. The woman's cheeks were stained pink as if uttering the words alone were enough to turn her on and she was dramatically pressing her hand to her meagre bosom.
Al had scoffed at Ruth's description. "Quit all that foolish talk, Ruth. They're all 'real men,' not like those sissies you watch on your soap operas.” Al rubbed his bristly chin and leaned back, his elbows propped on the counter. "Those three fellows are honest, hard-workers. I've seen them hauling supplies at the lumber yard and they barely break a sweat. More important, they know the value of silence and don't go around talking your ear off, like some folks do.” He stared pointedly at Ruth as he made that last comment. She responded by hitting him on the shoulder and shooing him into the kitchen to start heating up the soup for lunch. He complied but not before pinching Ruth's bottom.
Mel laughed softly to herself as she listened to the banter between the husband and wife team. It seemed to be a relationship of opposites. Al was short, well-rounded and a man of few words while Ruth was tall, on the thin side and appeared to love a good gossip. They seemed to bicker quite a bit, but she could tell by the looks they exchanged, that they cared deeply for each other. Stump River seemed to be the place to find solid marriages. Josh and Beth, Al and Ruth... She wondered how many other such couples were in town. Ryne and Lucy? Were they close to tying the knot? Mel frowned wondering why that idea had popped into her head.
Probably because the man in question was right across the street from her, she decided. He was putting gas in a car for a little old lady. From her vantage point in the diner, she watched him chatting away to the customer while providing basic service to her vehicle.
It was hard to miss how his black t-shirt clung to his torso, giving an excellent view of his muscles as he moved his arm back and forth while cleaning the windshield. When he bent over to check the oil, Mel saw how his tight rear-end filled out his low-slung jeans—no plumber’s crack there, she chuckled to herself.
He stood up and laughed at something the woman said. The whiteness of his teeth was apparent even from across the street and Mel was sure she could see a twinkle in his amazingly blue eyes. An unexpected wave of desire hit her and she blinked, realizing that she was actually leaning forward, as if trying to get closer to the man. Possibly sensing someone was watching him, he looked up, staring straight across the street at her.
Mel drew back and snatched up the menu from the table, pretending rapt interest in its contents. Surely, he hadn’t seen her ogling him? She peeked over the edge of the menu, and then hid again. He was still looking her way! Mortified at being caught acting like a school girl with a secret crush, she wondered why she was so intent on checking out his physical attributes. Yes, he was good looking, but she was here to do a job, and it didn’t include lusting over the man. Perhaps, it was all hormonal. It had been quite a while since she’d been with someone, so of course, a hot looking guy would seem even more appealing than usual, regardless of his personality.
Briefly glancing across the road, she experienced a mixture of relief and disappointment, when she noted that the customer had left, and Taylor was no longer outside. She exhaled, blowing a stream of air upwards, causing her bangs to ruffle in the breeze. Fanning herself with the menu, she regained control of her wayward thoughts and focused on her real purpose—surveillance.
Sitting up straighter in her seat, she took a calming breath, straightened her clothes, and then casually glanced across the street. Darn! He was still inside and she’d wanted one more peek... No! Stop that. He was the next best thing to an interviewee, and getting involved was never a good idea. It skewed your perception of what the person told you during the interview. Besides, Taylor was involved with Lucy and Mel didn’t poach on another woman’s territory.