The Lawson Boys: Alex (9 page)

“No. I’m
mortified.”

“Okay.” And he
went back to checking out the contents of the freezer.

Rolling her
eyes, she placed her cool hands to her hot cheeks, or maybe it was
that her hands were warm and her cheeks on freakin’ fire.

She was still
standing like that when Maryanne came into the kitchen.

“Is he gone?”
Harly hissed.

“Yep.” Maryanne
grinned. “I think you made an impression on him.”

“Are you out of
your mind?” Harly demanded. “How much did he hear?”

“Well, not a
lot-”

“
How
much?
”

“He asked if
Steve was a local.”

“Oh, God.”

“He also said
he thought you were pretty.”

“
He
said
that?”

“After I asked
him, yes.”

“Oh my God!
Maryanne, I’ll kill you!”

Maryanne
laughed. “Harly, he’s a delicious hunk who thinks you’re pretty.
There’s no harm in that.”

Her friend had
no idea.

“Look, don’t
try to help me, okay?” Shaking her head, Harly straightened. “I’m
happy the way I am.”

“I just want to
see you happier.”

“You helping me
isn’t making that happen.”

“All right.
Fine.” Sighing, Maryanne looked at Bill. “Some people are
hopeless.”

Bill eyed
her.

“Not me,”
Maryanne said.

He grunted and
switched on the big oven.

Harly poked
Maryanne in the shoulder as she walked passed. “If Alex comes in
here today, you are serving him while I hide out here.”

“Don’t be like
that.” Maryanne called after her, “Think of me as your Cupid!”

“A hellish one.
Horns instead of a halo.”

“Not nice.”

Shaking her
head, Harly walked out into the café and opened the front door.
Sure, she knew Maryanne would like to see all her friends happily
married, but sometimes the woman just overstepped her bounds. Geez,
she knew that Alex had been listening to her spouting all that crap
about phoning a male prostitute. Oh crap.

Sighing, she
placed the sign against the outside wall and went back into the
café. It wasn’t like Alex would even care, so it didn’t matter. And
why should she care what he thought anyway? He’d come to demand
answers, he wasn’t here to win her heart.

The door opened
behind her, heralding the first customer, and from there the
morning grew busier as people came in for breakfast, then the small
lull before morning tea time, and then lunch rolled around.

Caught up in
delivering plates to a table, Harly didn’t notice Paul and Alex
come in until she turned around and saw them sitting at the table
by the window. A quick glance around showed that Maryanne had
disappeared somewhere and the other part-time waitress, Leticia,
was busy at another table.

That left only
her to serve them.

Mentally
straightening her shoulders, she crossed to their table, pulling a
pad and pen from her apron pocket as she did so. Coming to a stop
at the table, she flicked the pad open and poised her pen above it.
“What will it be, Paul?”

“Hmmm.” He
studied the menu. “Gimme a sec.”

She could feel
Alex’s gaze on her and had to steel herself to paste a smile on her
face as she turned to him. “Alex?”

He didn’t even
look at the menu before him. “Steak, eggs and chips. Coffee, strong
and black. Thanks.”

Not by a
flicker of an eyelash did he give his thoughts away and for that
she could only be thankful. His expressionless face made it easier
to remain cool as she jotted down his order and turned back to
Paul.

“Steak burger,
please” Paul announced, slapping the menu on the table. “With
chips. Oh, and can I have a banana milkshake?”

“Getting
Becky’s cravings?” she asked dryly.

“Yes, and don’t
say a word to her. I’m afraid of what else she might tell me she’s
craving.” Paul looked at Alex. “Pregnancy does strange things to a
woman, believe me.”

“I wouldn’t
know,” Alex said quietly.

The words made
Harly shift uncomfortably and she stepped back. “I’ll get these
orders in.”

Retreating to
the counter, she handed the order through to Bill and his helper,
Frank. “Two more orders.”

“Twenty
minutes,” Bill said.

“Okay.”

When the order
was called out Harly was busy at another table, so Leticia took the
order to Paul and Alex. From her stance at the espresso machine
Harly could see the younger woman flirt with Alex while she placed
the orders down, her arm brushing his as she moved to the side,
getting a little closer than needed.

Alex smiled and
nodded at Leticia while Paul picked up the burger and took a big
bite, a blissful expression crossing his face as he chewed. Leticia
asked something and Alex shook his head, answering politely. She
shrugged, smiled and came back to the counter.

Harly looked up
from placing two cups on a tray .

“Wow, that new
bloke is hot.” Leticia took the tray and order form as Harly pushed
it across the counter.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I asked
him if he wanted to go to the club tonight for a drink and dancing.
He turned me down.” Leticia wrinkled her nose in disappointment.
“Said he had another engagement.”

“Huh.”
Perversely glad, Harly started getting the next order ready.

“Never mind.”
Leticia picked up the tray and smiled widely. “There’s more game
out there for this huntress!”

Pausing, Harly
watched her walk away with her hips swinging and the hem of the
uniform dress barely covering her trim bottom. There were a few
appreciative glances Leticia’s way. No doubt about it, that girl
would have dates lined up to last the next week. It was a sure
bet.

Returning her
attention to the espresso machine, Harly continued to fill the
coffee orders. Maybe if she put herself out there more she’d score
a date, but she really couldn’t be bothered. Most of the men in the
town knew her, and those who weren’t already married just weren’t
interested in her as more than just a friend. She’d thought about
it a lot in her early twenties, wondering why she couldn’t score a
boyfriend. The truth was, the hormone-ridden teenage boys all
wanted the pretty, slim girls. Basically, the larger girls didn’t
really get a look in and those who did were usually married by
their early twenties.

There had never
been that special man for Harly and she wasn’t prepared to settle
for just any bloke. If that one man who couldn’t see how special
she was didn’t come along, she chose to live alone with her pets
and house and hobbies, and she was happy.

Or so she’d
thought, because then along had come Alex Lawson and now her
contented world was off-kilter. Once tonight was over, though, she
could get back to settling into her life and forgetting about
him.

A customer
coming up to the counter and placing a drinks order pulled her
attention away from the man in question, and she welcomed the
diversion. However, no matter how busy she got, she was always
aware of Alex sitting in the booth talking to Paul, so it was a
relief when they finally left after paying Maryanne.

Wiping down the
area around the espresso machine, she looked up when Maryanne
leaned in close and said with a wink, “Ahem.”

Her eyebrows
rose.

“Alex said he’d
be here at five thirty to pick you up.”

“Oh.” Her gaze
dropped down to the cloth in her hand.

“Talk about a
dark side to you, Harly!” Maryanne slapped her lightly on the arm.
“When were you going to tell me you were dating the Lawson
boy?”

“I’m not dating
him.” Harly wiped around the edges of the machine. “We’re just
going out for a quick drink.”

“That’s a
date.”

“To talk about
some things.”

“Really?”
Maryanne smirked. “Hot things? Naughty things?
Lustful
things?”

“No. Get your
mind out of the gutter. It’s to talk about old times. Catch up. You
know.”

“Yeah. After
that the lustful things start to happen. I know.” Maryanne winked
and leered.

“Trust me, Alex
doesn’t have anything lustful in his mind when he’s with me.” Harly
moved further down the bench, hoping her friend would take the
hint.

She should have
known better, which was proven when Maryanne moved right along with
her. “I saw him looking at you frequently while he was here.”

“Thinking about
old times.” Inwardly, Harly winced.
Not good old, times,
either
. If her friend only knew.

“He can keep a
good poker face, but trust me, it’s probably hiding his plans to
strip you naked, throw you on the floor and have his dirty way with
you.”

Harly rolled
her eyes.

“Maybe you
should knock off early tonight.”

“What for?”
Harly stared at her.

“To pretty
yourself up, of course.”

“Of course?
Maryanne, this isn’t a date.”

“If you say
so.”

“I do say so.
He’s just an old acquaintance who wants to do a bit of reminiscing,
nothing else.”

“Sure.”
Maryanne’s eyes were guileless.

“Good.” With
relief, Harly continued to wipe down the bench.

“But you can
still knock off early tonight.”

Harly whirled
to glare at her.

Maryanne’s
hands went up palm outwards. “Or not. Five thirty it is, then.”

“Thank
you.”

Maryanne turned
away, but not before Harly saw her grin and heard her add, “Hot
little waitress fantasy coming up.”

Shaking her
head, Harly rinsed out the cloth. Maryanne, as always, was
incorrigible.

The day
proceeded with its usual busy times and lulls, and by the time five
fifteen arrived Harly, Maryanne and Bill were doing the last
clean-up, aware that on a Wednesday night it would remain quiet now
except for a few stragglers who might come in for a takeaway
coffee.

The door bell
tingled in its old-fashioned charming way and Harly glanced up to
see Alex entering. He’d obviously showered, going by his clean
t-shirt over which was the open, chequered flannel, long-sleeved
shirt he’d worn the previous night, the sleeves rolled up to just
below his elbows. The jeans hugged his lower body nicely. As he
came closer, she caught a whiff of shampoo and soap.

Great. He was
all cleaned up and smelling good, while she smelled like coffee,
food, and was dressed in her work clothes.

Not that it
mattered, she reminded herself almost straight away. This wasn’t a
date, just a simple talk. As simple as a talk about a lost baby
between them could be simple. Going by the previous night, it could
very well spiral into unpleasantness. Not a good thought.

Alex, hands in
his pockets, stopped in front of her and nodded. “I’ll wait in the
car.”

“No need,”
Maryanne butted in before Harly could say anything. “Harly’s ready
to go right now.”

Maryanne the
matchmaker. Mentally, Harly did another eye roll.

“Go get your
bag, sweetie.” Maryanne grinned widely at Alex while giving Harly a
none-too-subtle shove in the direction of the staff doorway. “So,
Alex.”

“So, Maryanne.”
Amusement was definitely in his deep tones, but Harly didn’t dare
risk a glance over her shoulder as she went through the staff
door.

Going into the
staff bathroom, she checked her face in the mirror above the tiny
sink. Her hair had managed to stay neatly in its clip, except for a
lock that swung down against her cheek. Wishing she carried a
hairbrush in her locker, she tucked it back behind her ear. Her
lipstick that she’d put on that morning had worn off, and basically
she looked like a working girl at the end of her shift.

Not that it
mattered.

Pulling off the
apron, she dropped it into the laundry basket. At least her uniform
was clean, the apron having caught any drips, just as it was meant
to.

Grabbing her
small bag from the locker, she hitched it over her shoulder and
walked back out to the front of the café to find Maryanne in the
midst of prying into Alex’s information, most of which he fielded
with amusement and admirable gallantry.

She’d forgotten
just how gallant Alex could be, remembering in a rush how he’d
always hold a door open for her, just as he did with all the local
girls and women. He always opened the door and let the ‘fairer
sex’, as a much younger Paul had said with a fake gag, through
first. It didn’t matter that Paul did the same thing, but Alex had
somehow managed to do it with a smile that made a girl feel
special, even when she wasn’t and knew it, but there was no denying
the thrill she’d gotten from it.

Memories. Some
were good. She glanced at Alex as she came around from behind the
counter. And some were bad. The bad ones were the ones they were
going to talk about tonight.

Getting off the
stool, Alex straightened. “Ready, Harly?”

“Ready.” She
nodded at Maryanne. “Thanks for letting me off early.”

“No worries.”
Behind Alex’s back, Maryanne mouthed, “I want the details!”

Fat chance of
that happening.

Harly crossed
to the door that Alex held open and passed him, unable to resist
taking a deep breath and inhaling that delicious scent of shampoo
and soap. Nothing like a man who had showered. She’d heard a couple
of local ladies chatting at a table one day while having coffee and
cake, and there had been more than one mention of muscular, sweaty,
working men making their hearts flutter - and other unmentionable
parts - but she definitely preferred the combined scent of man and
soap, that clean masculine fragrance. Go figure, since she’d never
had a boyfriend anyway.

The large, warm
hand at her back diverted her thoughts, and she saw that they were
approaching the Jeep parked out front of the café. As usual, Alex
was deftly steering her over to it in his calm, quiet, but definite
way. She watched as he unlocked and opened the door, waiting for
her to get in before shutting it.