“Hey, Roy?”
Roy glanced up from the grill. Sweat beaded against his forehead, his cheeks red. It was after two p.m. on a Monday, their quietest time, and free of a staff meeting. Kerri had bused most of the tables and served hunter Jim his coffee with eggs. She had at least another twenty minutes to herself before he’d want a refill—so she stood in front of the kitchen, awkwardly touching the jagged scar against her elbow, one that wasn’t visible against all the creases in her skin.
“You okay, Kerri?”
“Oh, yeah. I just... Would you like to come outside with me for a minute? It’s probably cooler out there than in here.”
After grabbing his pack of cigarettes, Kerri held the door for the two of them. Tara, a new waitress still in training, perked up at her station, ready to take over if n
