Halo patted his stomach. “Best burgers in Barefoot William,” he said as they entered. Danny rubbed his tummy, too.
Halo placed his hand on Alyn's back, eased her forward. The heat from his palm splayed up to her shoulders and down to her bottom. She warmed. Tingled. Felt a moment of loss when he let her go.
“Halo, Landon, over here,” was shouted from the back.
“Will Ridgeway, your starting pitcher!” Danny craned his neck, recognizing the player immediately.
“Join me,” Will invited. He sat alone, stretched out at a six-seater rectangular table. He was a tall, lean man with short dark hair and a crooked nose.
Danny's eyes widened. “Can we sit with him?”
“Sure, why not?” said Halo.
Danny took Alyn's hand, suddenly shy. For all his eight-year-old bravado, he needed her reassurance. Danny was sitting down to supper with three Rogues. His athletic heroes. She squeezed his fingers. He squeezed back.
The ballplayers were recognized by many fans. Customers stopped eating to smile and wave at Halo and Landon as they wound around the tables. Danny walked a little taller in their presence.
The long table was located near the kitchen. A swinging door separated the cooks from the diners. They breathed the scent of burgers, French fries, and onion rings each time a waitress passed with a tray of food.
Halo introduced Alyn and Danny to Will. Will stood, welcoming them. His gaze was gun-metal gray, sharp, inquisitive. His clothes were mismatched: a bright, red, parrot-print button-down and black-and-white checked board shorts. Leather sandals. He looked more tourist than ballplayer.
“Will needs a personal shopper,” Halo kidded his friend.
“Hey, I wear what I like,” the man defended.
Danny piped up, “We saw parrots at the Jungle Garden. They rode bicycles, walked a tightrope, and hopped through hoops.”
“Cool,” said Will. He then motioned them to take a seat. “I arrived just minutes before you. I haven't ordered yet.”
Halo looked down at Danny. “Pick a spot, buddy.”
“Between you and Alyn.” Which separated her and Halo.
Landon seemed pleased. He held her chair. She sat, scooted in closer. He dropped down next to her.
Will took his place at the head of the table. Alyn felt his eyes on her, until Halo cleared his throat. Will side-eyed Danny next. Her brother sat low to the table, but didn't seem to mind. He was one big smile. As long as her brother was happy, she was happy. Halo was the only one who appeared unhappy. He glared down the table when Landon settled his arm along the back of her chair.
“How was your trip?” Will initiated. “Land shared texts from Halo. You made numerous stops.”
Danny answered, “There were lots of roadside signs.”
Halo nodded. “Lots.” Landon and Will grinned.
“Halo let me pick the places I wanted to see most. Some signs led to a dead-end. Other places were no longer in business.” He laughed. “One time we drove in a circle.”
“Around and around,” from Halo.
“What did you like best?” Will questioned.
A long silence from Danny, until Halo prodded, “The Western town?”
“Yeah, that was fun.”
“The submarine?” asked Landon. “Halo sent us a photo.”
Danny's brow creased. “I enjoyed that, too.”
“I bet I know your favorite moment,” said Alyn.
“You do?”
“Buzz, buzz,” she hinted.
Danny understood. “Bee City.”
“Town of the Beehives,” Alyn added.
“There was a lot of buzzing going on,” Halo said. “Over one million resident bees.”
“Bee Town also had a petting zoo,” Alyn told them.
“The ring-tailed lemurs were neat,” Danny shared. “They pushed each other out of the way for Cheerio treats.” He started to laugh, and could barely get the words out. “A llama spit on the man standing next to us at the fence.”
“Not a pretty sight,” Halo said. “In the llama's defense, the man was teasing him.”
“ âDalai Llama' isn't exactly a taunt,” Alyn said.
“Maybe it was the man's tone of voice,” Will suggested.
“That, or the llama was having a bad day,” said Landon.
Danny rocked forward on his chair, rested his elbows on the table. “The best part of my trip was in the parking lot,” he finally admitted. “A wasp tried to sting me, and Halo swatted it away.”
“Swatted it, and unfortunately got stung himself.” The moment had stuck with Alyn, too. Danny was allergic to bee stings. He'd jumped around, afraid. Halo had stepped in front of him and waved his hand. The wasp turned its attention on Halo, got his palm instead.
Danny finished with, “Halo didn't blank his eye.”
“Blink,” Alyn gently corrected.
“That's our Halo,” Will said. “He's tough.”
“My sister removed the stinger with a fingernail clipper.”
“Sounds like major surgery,” said Landon.
“Alyn's hand shook.”
It certainly had, she recalled. His palm had turned red and puffed up. The stinger needed to come out. She was concerned she'd hurt him. His calluses had prevented the barb from going too deep. It was a thirty-second operation.
Halo grinned at Danny. “I came out alive.”
“I'm going to write about the bee in my travel journal.”
Alyn elaborated. “Danny's missing two weeks of school. The daily diary is part of his homework assignment.”
Landon made a choking sound. “Yuck, homework.”
“Danny's a smart kid,” came from Halo. “He's a good reader, and can count to one thousand. He showed me twice.”
Alyn couldn't contain her smile. She swore Halo had gone cross-eyed after five hundred. Surprisingly, he hadn't tuned the boy out. When Danny got mixed up, Halo came to his rescue. “He's good with numbers,” she praised.
“I could count for you now,” Danny offered.
The three men visibly stiffened, but were too kind to dissuade him. It fell to Alyn to do so. “Some other time, sweetie. We're about to order.”
Which was the truth. A second later, their waitress brought glasses of water and one-page laminated menus. “I'm Mindy,” she said. She wore mechanic overalls over a white T-shirt. “Full Service is on special tonight, for anyone with a big appetite. A half-pound cheeseburger with the works. It comes with both French fries, onion rings, and macaroni salad.”
“Order whatever you like,” Alyn spoke up. “Supper's on Danny and me.”
“I have a dollar and eighty-five cents,” her brother proudly told the waitress.
Mindy didn't miss a beat. “You've got it covered then.” She took their drink order.
Will started with, “Beerâ”
Halo cut in with, “Root beer.”
Will muttered, “Why not?”
Landon and Alyn went with the same.
The menu offered lots of possibilities. The men looked at Alyn. “Ladies first,” nudged Landon.
She debated, finally went with, “Flat tire.” A quarter-pound hamburger.
Danny eyed Halo. “I want what you're having.”
“Full Service? A gut buster.”
“Alyn says I eat my weight in food.”
Halo smiled. “I did, too, when I was your age.”
“Look how big you grew.”
“And he's still growing.” Landon chuckled. “He's going with a larger uniform this season.”
“It's not my weight, it's the fit,” Halo explained. “I like give at the shoulders and hips. No need to rip the seams.”
Splitting seams
. He looked at Alyn then, and their thoughts linked. The memory of
Go Big or Go Home
was still vivid in her mind. Apparently, in Halo's, too. The rooster costume had constricted. His downward swing of the Strongman's mallet tore the zipper and seams. From his shoulders to butt crack. For all America to see.
The image of his broad shoulders, muscled back, and tight ass would never be forgotten. Her cheeks heated even now. Halo had the nerve to wink at her. Her blush deepened.
Landon noticed her color. “Am I missing something?” he asked.
“Same thing I'm missing,” said Will.
“Private joke,” said Halo.
Will grinned. “Private are the best kind.”
“Intimate,” from Land.
“What's âintimate' mean?” asked Danny.
“Friendly,” Halo defined.
The waitress cleared her throat, regaining their attention. The men ordered Full Service all around. It was decided whatever Danny didn't finish would be doggy-bagged for his mom.
The conversation turned to spring training. To the events ahead. “There's a big bonfire on the beach tomorrow night for the contest winners,” noted Will.
“Monday is Media Day,” said Landon. “We introduce our contest winners.”
Danny bounced on his chair, unable to sit still. “Halo's going to give me a tour of the stadium. I get to see his locker, the field, dugouts, the batting cages, andâ”
“Slow down, you're moving too fast.” Alyn patted his shoulder. “There's lots to do. It may take more than one day.”
Landon and Will looked puzzled. “I didn't get the memo on the full tour,” Land said.
Halo scrubbed his knuckles along his whiskered jaw. “No official visitation. Just a few extras I'm doing for Danny.”
“Lucky you,” Landon told her brother. “I'll check with my contest winner, see if she's interested in the extras.”
“Good idea,” Will agreed.
Landon cut Halo a look. “You cleared this with Jillian, right? She likes updates.”
Halo shrugged. “More or less.”
“Less, I'm betting,” Land muttered.
Halo waved Land off. “Dude, we're good. Jillie wants the best for our winners.”
Alyn wondered if Halo was breaking rules for her brother. If Danny was getting special treatment. She hoped Halo hadn't crossed any lines. But expected he had.
Their waitress brought their drinks, served in tall glasses wrapped in thin, tire rubber beverage coolers. “The frosted glasses won't slip out of your hand,” she told Danny.
Halo took his first sip and Danny matched him, drinking deeply, too. “A-ah,” her brother said on a sigh.
The guys made small talk until dinner arrived. Danny sat wide-eyed, taking it all in. “Oh, wow!” He became even more excited when Mindy delivered their meal atop a Tank Force Tool Chest on castors.
Their burgers were served on hubcap-styled plates. The silverware was designed with wrench or screwdriver handles. Danny switched his screwdriver for Alyn's wrench. He liked it better. Oil cans pumped ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. Danny didn't like mustard, but he had to try each one. Halo spooned Danny's extra mustard onto his own burger.
All talking ceased as the men ate. Even Danny concentrated fully on his enormous cheeseburger. He ate a quarter of his food, then slowed down. Breathed.
“Surely, you're not full,” Alyn teased him.
“My stomach's bigger than my eyes.”
“Eyes bigger than your stomach.” She turned his words around.
Danny took a few more bites of his burger, ate all his French fries, most of his onion rings, then shifted on his chair and leaned against Alyn. He yawned.
“Tired, slugger?” Halo asked him.
Danny straightened, only to tip back against Alyn. “If I was Quigley, I'd be dog-tired.”
The men chuckled, and Alyn hugged him close. “It's been a long day.” She glanced around the table. “I hate to hurry anyoneâ”
“We're done here.” Halo finished off his root beer.
Mindy brought the bill, set it in the middle of the table. All three men reached for it, but Alyn was closest. Made the grab. Successfully.
“Mine,” Landon insisted.
Will had his wallet out. “On me.”
“All ours.” She included Danny.
“Alyn, you sure?” Halo raised an eyebrow, questioned her.
Buying the meal was important to her. She wasn't working, and didn't have a lot of money. Still, tonight was worth every penny. Danny had had the time of his life. A priceless hour.
“We'll leave the tip,” said Halo.
Before she could object, the men tossed money on the table. She swore they'd tipped as much as the bill.
Mindy cashed them out. She put the remainder of Danny's burger and side of macaroni salad in a brown paper bag. Passed it to Alyn. At the overhead garage door, she handed Danny a coupon for a free Full Service. “Next time, you'll eat the whole thing.” He thanked her.
Will's SUV was parked in the lot. “Guys' night out. Where shall we meet?” he asked his buddies.
“Blue Coconut,” Land decided. “In an hour.”
“Gotcha. Later, Alyn, Danny. Thanks for dinner.” He departed.
Her brother took her hand, dragged his feet on the walk back to Barefoot Inn. He was one sleepy boy.
“Piggyback ride?” Halo asked him at the corner.
He didn't have to ask twice. Danny circled behind him, hopped on his back. Wrapped his arms about Halo's shoulders. Halo made sure he was secure.
“Thank you,” Alyn silently mouthed.
Halo nodded. Stepped out. Danny was asleep by mid-block.
“I'll take him upstairs,” Halo told Landon when they reached the inn.
“I'll come with you.”
“There's no need.” Halo's tone brooked no argument.
Landon actually smiled. “I'm gone then. See you in thirty?”