The Christmas Wedding Swap. Allyson Charles
“Fine?” Placing his palms on the table, Luke leaned down. “The coffee they serve at Starbucks is fine. The coffee you serve is crap. This”—he picked up the cup and took a swallow—“this is an experience.”
“It has its place.” Allison stole back the mug. Her new fry cook didn’t get to offer her dark brown heaven and then take it back. “What is it?”
“A Kona blend I found at the Bean Counter.” Dragging a chair over by the toe of his boot, Luke swung it around and sat with his chest pressed into the back. “Did you know that store not only sells bulk coffee beans but cocoa beans, too?”
“Yes. I live here. I know what our stores sell.”
“Huh.” He scratched his jaw. “I thought maybe you didn’t, seeing as how the only coffee you serve comes from a red tub.”
Grinding her teeth, Allison tried to keep her cool, at least in front of the paying customers. This was the third time in as many days that Luke had questioned the quality of her inventory. And it wasn’t as though she served crap. She bought the best ingredients that she could afford, and no one had ever complained about her food.
“This is a diner,” she explained. “I can’t waste money buying beans that cost fifteen dollars a pound. My profit margin would disappear.” She took another sip.
“Those were more like fifty dollars a pound.”
Allison spat out the coffee. Covering her mouth with her sleeve, she coughed until her eyes watered. “What! That’s insane.”
“No, that’s quality coffee.” He rubbed her back. “You could always charge more for a cup.”
“My customers won’t pay that.” She mopped up the spilled coffee with regret. That one mouthful had probably cost two dollars. Luke’s hand on her back made her feel better, though. Maybe a little too good. She waved him off.
Jenny, one of The Pantry’s waitresses, stopped by with a damp towel. “Here, let me clean that up.”
Allison lifted the two mugs, and Jenny swiped the table clean.
“Thanks, Jenny.”
“No problem.” Jenny responded to Allison but kept her gaze on Luke. She shifted closer, and her boobs came dangerously close to Luke’s face.
Allison narrowed her eyes. Was her waitress arching her back?
“Yes, thank you, Jenny,” Luke said, a grin stretching from ear to ear.
“I think we’re good here.” Allison pointed across the restaurant. “And Herb is waving for you.”
“Of course. If you need anything else…” With a wink to Luke, the waitress strutted off, her snug black slacks leaving nothing to the imagination.
Allison frowned. She had a simple dress code for the wait staff: black slacks, white shirt, and an apron. Maybe she needed to add appropriate sizing to the employee handbook. She glared at her new hire. He was causing all sorts of problems.
He could cook, she’d give him that. A number of customers had already complimented the meals he’d prepared. But he questioned everything. The placement of her salad station, the efficiency of her spice closet, even the color-coding system of her chopping boards and knives.
If he messed around with her waitresses, too, he was done.
The bell above the door tinkled, and a blast of cold air swept in with two older women. Allison groaned. The one thing she didn’t need right now were the Tree Twins. Miss Eugenie Shaw and Mrs. Deborah Garcia had been denied the privilege of decorating the town’s Christmas tree for a second year in a row, and they hadn’t taken the news well.
Straightening her cloche hat, Miss Eugenie headed straight for Allison, with Debbie a step behind. “Allison, I wanted to talk to you about Shep. It’s getting cold—”
“No,” Allison said, her voice firm.
“But, he’s no trouble and—”
“Can’t do it.” Allison gripped her mug, the tips of her fingers going white. The women had that effect on her.
“Who’s Shep?” Luke asked, standing. “And who are these two lovely ladies?”
Sighing, Allison made the introductions. “And Shep is Eugenie’s dog, who cannot come inside. I don’t want a health code violation.”
Miss Eugenie sniffed. “I wash him every week. He’s a very clean dog, cleaner than a lot of people.”
Leaning over the table, Luke peered out the window. “That’s a good-looking dog.”
His t-shirt hung away from his jeans, and Allison caught a glimmer of golden skin bisected by a thin line of hair. She dragged her gaze away from the crotch of his pants and gulped her coffee. Luke Hamilton looked good enough to eat, and it was almost enough to distract her from the drivel coming out of his mouth.
“Shep is not a good-look—”
Eugenie glared, and Allison snapped her mouth shut. She took another sip of coffee, and tried again. “While Shep might be distinguished looking, he is also nine-tenths hair. And he sheds—a lot.” She pinned the older woman with a look. “Not in my restaurant.”
“Fine.” With a huff, Miss Eugenie slid into the opposite side of Allison’s booth. Deborah wedged herself in next to her friend. They stared at Allison expectantly. “Aren’t you going to ask us for our beverage order?” Eugenie asked.
Allison rolled her neck. Her break was over. “What would you two like to drink?”
“Hot tea,” Deborah said.
“Make that two.” Eugenie plucked two menus from behind the napkin dispenser and handed one to her friend.
Luke followed Allison behind the counter and slipped into the kitchen. There were two women the cook didn’t want to spend time with? Allison was shocked.
She made the tea and brought the steaming mugs to the corner booth. “What can I get you two?”
“Before you order, I have a question.” Luke stepped next to Allison, his arm brushing her shoulder. He held a bowl in one hand. “Is Shep allergic to anything? I have a little treat for him but wanted to ask first.”
“Isn’t that sweet,” Miss Eugenie cooed.
Allison’s jaw dropped. She’d never heard a grown woman coo before, and she wouldn’t have expected it from one of the Tree Twins. Both women had been known to make men cry with their sharp tongues. Allison had heard the rumors, of course. The theory that Miss Eugenie’s new and improved mood was all down to one certain someone. But Allison hadn’t given the gossip much credence. The man involved seemed entirely too sensible to link himself to someone like Miss Eugenie. But maybe Allison had been wrong. Could Miss Eugenie be dating Judge Nichols?
If that were the case, Allison would have to tell her sister. Judge Nichols wasn’t single, so she hadn’t violated any clause of their contract by not flirting with the man.
Deborah tugged at the collar to her blouse and simpered. “You can always tell a good man by how he treats animals.”
Nope. It wasn’t the Judge Nichols effect, not if Deborah was turning into a simpering Scarlett O’Hara, too. It was Luke. He had the tongue of the devil.
“I’ll be right back.” Luke sauntered from the restaurant, not bothering with a coat.
The women watched as he scratched Shep behind the ears and offered up the snack. The dog inhaled it in two bites and licked Luke’s chin in thanks.
“I like your new employee.” Deborah turned to face the table and slid off her knees and onto her butt. “Much better than those tattooed kids you have back in the kitchen.”
Allison cocked a hip. “Luke might