Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Winter turned into spring, and now they were getting close to summer. The days were getting warmer. They had to change the menu, and Burto was loving the experiments he was serving the customers.
She and Rosalie had done a spring clean of the place, to show the customers that changes would be made, and so far everything was going well.
They had also started to offer the diner space to hold birthday parties. It was just a small corner, for a few kids, a couple of parents, food, and of course a birthday cake, which were Burto’s specialty. He liked to book the kids in advance, find out what they liked, and then he baked an elaborate cake. She and Rosalie had to make him reign in the cost, because it all had to come into the final price, and so far it had worked.
Now, she was at the counter, filling up the salt jars, while a birthday party was happening in the corner. There was other customers, and they had the choice to stay or leave. Most of them stayed, as seeing kids have fun was fun in itself. She glanced over to see the kids giggling as they were coloring, eating cake, and having fun.
Myth had arrived twenty minutes ago, and he was sitting at the counter. Something was different about him. He had his usual lunchtime order—a large mug of coffee and a cheeseburger. She saw that his cheeseburger was left, and he was busy looking across the room at the kids party.
Tanya Evans, the woman who organized the party, held her child on her hip and was dancing around with the little girl. Petal always thought there was something strange about Tanya’s pregnancy, mainly because she didn’t recall the other woman being pregnant. She was a couple of years older than her, twenty-five, she didn’t have any family, and worked at the local DIY store. She did believe the woman was also a qualified electrician or mechanic, or something. No one really knew. She was her own woman.
Petal looked at Myth, then over toward the group. His gaze hadn’t wandered from the woman, and his burger wasn’t eaten and she gasped. She couldn’t help it. It wasn’t a loud sound, but it was loud enough for Myth to hear it.
“Oh my God, it’s Tanya, isn’t it?”
Myth glared at her. “Stop.”
“Oh, wow, it is, isn’t it?”
He shook his head.
Petal couldn’t believe it. The woman Myth had a crush on was none other than Tanya Evans, single mother, and someone who Petal didn’t have a single clue about. She knew she was a good mother and doted on her little girl.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I didn’t know you knew her.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t really know her, but come on, I mean, you could have told me. Other than this party, I think I’ve said a couple of sentences to her my whole life.”
Myth shook his head.
“Why don’t you go and speak to her?”
“At her kid’s party? Not a chance.”
Petal frowned. “How do you know her?”
“The club needed some work done. She was the one who arrived, fixed the plumbing.” He shrugged. “She didn’t take any shit from the guys and told Warden he needed to teach his men some respect.”
This didn’t surprise Petal.
“Do you know if the dad is in the picture?” Myth asked.
“I don’t even know who the dad is. I don’t know if anyone knows who the dad is.”
She was being honest. She didn’t have a clue.
Myth nodded.
“It doesn’t stop you from going and asking her out.”
“Not at her kid’s party.”
She frowned. “Are you nervous?”
“I don’t get nervous.”
“You and I have been hanging out and you haven’t asked a woman who appears very single out on a date. I don’t know what that means to you, but to me, that tends to mean nerves.”
Myth shook his head.
“You’re not going to ask her.”
“It’s none of your business.”
“What if I ask her on your behalf? Would that work?” Petal asked.
“Don’t. We’re not in high school.”
Petal laughed. She held her hands up. “You should do it. At the end of the day, what is the worst that could happen?”
“I get rejected.”
“Or, she says ‘hell yes!’” Petal smiled at Myth.
She liked him. They were not as close as her and Rosalie. She wouldn’t dream of changing her clothes in front of him or having a sleepover, but she did consider him her friend. They had their own kind of friendship.
Myth checked the time. “I’ve got to go. Don’t interfere.” He handed her some money, which she took. She paid his bill and handed him the change.
“I don’t interfere. You should know that by now, even though I really, really, really want to.”
He shook his head but didn’t say another word.
Petal wouldn’t meddle. That was not who she was, at least not with Myth. If he didn’t want her talking with Tanya, she wouldn’t.