Page 19 of Secrets Bared
Shorty looked up from the griddle. “That’s why I’m here. Luke was at the hospital all night with her.”
“Do we know what happened?”
He shook his head and flipped a pancake. “When I talked to him, they hadn’t gotten the x-rays back yet. That poor boy was so exhausted, I’m sure he’s still asleep. They both need it.”
Her heart ached. Deb was such a nice lady, and Maggie loved working for her. They got along so well.
“Well, I hope it’s nothing major.” She slipped her coat off and punched in for her shift. After tying on her apron and making sure she had her pen and notepad, Maggie headed out through the swinging door.
Katya thumbed to the counter as she carried a tray back to the kitchen. “Guy just sat down, haven’t gotten to him yet.”
“You got it.” Maggie slipped behind the chrome bar and came up short when she recognized the man sitting there. Her throat tried to close around her next words. “Hello, what can I get you to drink?”
Kirk looked up from his phone. She hadn’t noticed his striking hazel eyes in the darkness of Tracey’s bar weeks ago, and he was decidedly less disheveled on his lunch hour. He grinned, obviously not remembering her brush off earlier. “Maggie! How’s Hawthorn Hills treating you?”
Maggie kept her distance, putting her polite customer service smile on. “Kirk. It’s been lovely. You were right about this town.” She pulled out her notepad. “Have you had a chance to look at the menu?”
“Sure, sweetheart, I’ll have a Coke and the turkey club.”
She ground her molars at the endearment, but kept her face placid. She’d had plenty of practice with her husband, after all. “Fries okay?”
“Perfect.” He slid the menu back into its holder. “Are you staying at the B & B then?”
“I’ll put this right in for you.” She dropped the smile and gave him an icy glare. His eyes went wide.
“Ooh, tough crowd. Okay, then.” He went back to his phone.
Maggie’s hand trembled as she placed the order slip on the carousel and then poured Kirk his drink. Deb wouldn’t put up with any nonsense if she were here, and Maggie figured Shorty was the same. Some guy had tried to harass Katya last week and Shorty had kicked him out.
Kirk was respectful for the rest of his visit, but Maggie was still on edge until he left. He left his phone number when he signed his receipt, but she placed it in the cash box with the rest of them and ignored it.
Ugh. Why were men…men?
Shortywasanangelas far as Luke was concerned, and worked the entire shift Wednesday, open to close, so he and Mom could rest. That’s why Luke was up before the sun on Thursday, unlocking The Busy Bee and turning the lights on.
As he fired up the griddle and the ovens, he recalled what he’d found when he woke up the previous afternoon.
When he took Mom her lunch, a wad of cash lay outside her bedroom door. It took some balancing, but Luke managed to pick it up once he opened the door. Mom was sitting up in bed where he’d left her, her ankle elevated on a pillow.
“What’s that?”
Luke laid the tray down on her lap and unrolled the bills. “It looks to be… It’s several hundred dollars.” And big bills, too. His mind boggled. Who even carried cash anymore?
“Luke, I told you—”
“It’s not mine, Mom. I think it’s from Aaron.”
“Aaron?” Her incredulous look matched his own feelings.
“He told me last night he wants to chip in so you don’t have to worry about the hospital bill.”
“How does he have that kind of money?”
Luke shrugged. “Beats me.”
The mystery had stumped them both, but it definitely gave credence to Mom’s theory that Aaron was up to something. If itwassomething illegal, Aaron could end up in big trouble. Luke filed those thoughts away in a box in his mind, to be taken out later and dealt with. Right now, he needed to put on his apron and get started on the waffle and pancake batter.
To that end, Luke pulled the dusty binder marked “Recipes” off the shelf in the kitchen and laid it out on the prep counter. He was going to need it. It had been years since he helped his mom in this kitchen, first as a bus boy after school when she was waiting the tables, then on the line after he was tall enough to flip burgers. That was back before Mom bought the diner from the old owner. She and Shorty had taught him everything they knew. Now he had to prove he remembered it.
