Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 12

Briar

I stepped off the bus just outside of Colorado Springs, and walked into the only diner to be found right off the interstate, utterly famished. Hunger was a new need of mine, though the act of eating was still a subject I could do without. An act that was necessary, yet stomaching it made my insides turn inside out. Every meal was a battle to stay alive. In the past I could go days without eating but I’d eaten nothing but convenience food and junk for the last few days and the smell of real food sent my stomach growling for something with more sustenance. It made me uneasy walking into a crowded place, but a girl had to eat. A waitress with her brunette curls wound up into a knot greeted me.

“Table for one, Honey?” I nodded, and she grabbed a paper menu and led me to a booth away from the other patrons. They seemed to be a rowdy lot of truckers and local men passing through. Not a woman in sight except for the staff.

“What can I get ya to drink, miss?” she asked, and I eyed her name tag. ‘Alex.’

“A sweet tea, if you please, ma’am,” I requested. She nodded and sauntered off. I glanced over the menu, my mouth salivating at the choices. A steak rare, and some eggs over easy; suppose fries would suffice, from the options available. My stomach grumbled in agreement. There were no greens or mac ‘n cheese on the menu. I folded it up, having made my decision. Alex returned with my drink. I ordered,“Steak, rare, eggs over easy, and fries are fine,” I said, before peering at her over the rim of my sunglasses. She jotted it down and turned to leave.

“Hey?” I asked. She paused, turning back to me. “What’s my best bet to get to Divide?”

“Divide? What on Earth would a lonely little thing like you want to go to that hole in the wall town for? I should warn you...” she said, dropping her tone to a whisper, “Traveling alone out here is askin’ for trouble,” she pointed out. “Divide is a small town full of a bunch of bikers. A sweet thing like you don’t belong in a place like that. I can’t say I know anyone personally from there, but people say they don’t like outsiders.” 

I dropped my glasses, allowing her to see my still fading bruised eye. She winced. “My father is from there, but my family doesn't know I’m coming. I lost my phone when I left so I don’t have their numbers to call for a ride,” I lied, marginally. I wasn’t made aware of how much family my father and my uncle had; one would assume, in such a small town off the beaten path of Divide, that everyone was related either by marriage or blood. I supposed I’d find out soon enough. “So while I appreciate your concern,”—I said, raising my glasses back up to cover my eyes once more— “I’ve been through hell and back, ma’am, and I just need to get to where I’m going. I’m aware of how tough and gritty the men from Divide are, that’s precisely the point of me going there. My uncle didn’t teach me to roll over and take this sort of thing,” I gestured to my face. “So I got the fuck outta there, and mind you, forget you ever saw me, too,” I warned. Alex nodded, stepping back. It was apparently enough information.

She glanced at the tables of men and the full bar. “Let me ask my regulars which way they are going. I ain’t gonna risk sending you with any of the passer-throughs cuz they could just be looking for a lot-lizard, and I don’t think you want that kind of attention, Honey,” she said.

I nodded. “I can pay for the lift, if that helps any,” I let her know. She righted herself and put in my order. I sipped at my drink watching her as she chatted amongst her customers. Bright, bubbly, and teasing some of the ones she obviously knew.

When she came back with my order, she turned her back to the rest of the restaurant and leaned in, before saying, “Travis, the one with the red shirt and the black cap on, he’s your best bet. He’s a good guy with a young family at home, and he don’t stray from his woman. He’ll be here a while before he sets off. You best approach him when he isn’t around the others or they will be pawing at you.”

“Thank you,” I said, looking over at the man in question; no doubt a straight up golden retriever type, with an easy smile and a young face. Alex was getting a big tip. I dug into my steak and eggs, nibbling on my fries, when she came back over to check on me. I had devoured that steak like a voracious carnivore. Beck was right, something about real food made you feel stronger; more capable.

I pulled out my laptop and sent a message to my friend. “Almost home,” was all it read. I then put the laptop away and sent Beck a text. “Made it to Colorado.” 

“That don’t mean you’ve made it yet, kid,” he messaged back.

“Stop being cynical. I’ll let you know when I get there, grandpa,” I sassed back.

“Good to see you got your spunk back, kid, keep me posted.”

“Seems for such a small thing, you sure can pack away a good deal of food,” she chuckled. “How about dessert? Travis is gonna be a while. He’s got his truck over at the station gettin’ maintenanced before he heads home to Butte,” she said, as she glanced outside. It’s gonna be dark soon. How about a coffee? Hope your relatives don’t mind late unannounced visitors,” I shrugged, keeping up the farce.

“What kinda pie you got?” she rambled off a hefty number of choices. Apparently, truckers liked pie.

“I’ll take a coconut cream, a key lime, and a pot of coffee.” She chuckled at that. I wouldn’t be finishing the coffee. I eyed Travis while he watched the game on the TV. He kept talking with the other men until they had dwindled down to the last two to remain. I was gonna make my move to share soon. It was finally down to one man, when Alex brought the pie and the coffee to me, and I asked for the check. 

The last man walked out to bed down for the night, and I took my chance and sidled up to the counter, casually leaving a seat between Travis and me. He looked over at me but said nothing. I downed half a cup of coffee. Glancing over at him, “Seems my eyes are bigger than my stomach, you mind taking one of these off my hands?” I asked, sliding the plates of pie into the space between us. I pushed the pot of coffee there as well.

He looked me over again, his eyes taking in my glasses and hoodie. “S’pose I shouldn’t let it go to waste then,” he said, taking the coconut cream. His eyes held onto the tail of the braid in my hair that escaped my hood. “You know, this isn’t the safest place for a woman to hang out ‘til dark,” he said, digging into the pie with his fork. 

I shrugged. “I’ve been told as much, but I’m sorta stuck at the moment.”

“Why’s that?”

“I lost my phone, and my relatives  in Divide don’t even know I’m coming, so I can’t call them to come get me,” I let him know, keeping to the same story, to ensure if Alex was listening in she wouldn’t end this before it started. I shoveled an obscenely large mouthful of pie into my mouth. My eyes rolled into the back of my head, as the sweet-tart yumminess filled my senses. Finally, food I could taste. It had started with the pizza. My body had stopped committing total food aversion; maybe it was the drugs he had given me that had mucked me up. Now it came and went. It seemed like distance helped. I reached over and topped off both of our coffees with the carafe of watered down black caffeine. Living in the city had spoiled me. Returning to basics would be an adjustment. I never really delved into luxury before Creedon.