My brain couldn’t process what I saw. I knew it was Alex. I would recognize those green eyes anywhere. Even with her dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail, it too was undeniable. What didn’t make sense were her clothes. She was wearing a yellow dress with a white apron tied around her waist, the same outfit every other waitress was wearing.

Yet, I couldn’t make sense of it. What was Alex doing here? At The Diner? Working?

The Alex Tanner I knew lived and breathed the repair shop. I’d never seen her wear anything other than jeans and a T-shirt. Her hair was either falling freely down her back or pulled up in a high ponytail. She was always accompanied by a grease rag or a wrench. Seeing her this way just didn’t make sense.

Before I could process it, she was making her way over to me. Mila stood beside me, babbling about her first Little League practice of the season. I’d been listening intently when we first walked in, but after seeing Alex, everything else faded into background noise.

“Just two?” Alex asked. Up close, I could see that her cheeks were tinged with embarrassment. She kept her eyes downcast, unable to fully meet my gaze.

“Just us,” I said.

Alex nodded and grabbed two menus before leading us down the aisle toward a deserted booth. Mila slid in across from me, and I plopped down, still staring at Alex in disbelief.

“What can I get you to drink?” Alex asked.

“Iced tea,” I said automatically.

“Chocolate mi—Hey! You’re the lady who fixed my dad’s truck!”

Alex and I both froze. I was shocked Mila recognized Alex after only seeing her once. From the look on Alex’s face, she felt the same.

“That’s me.” She smiled. “It’s nice to see you again, Mila.”

“You too!” Mila smiled. “You work here?”

“I do,” Alex said. She glanced at me nervously and then looked back at Mila. “Did you just come from baseball practice?”

“Yup,” Mila said. “First practice.”

“That’s awesome,” Alex said. “How’d it go?”

“It was okay,” Mila said.

“Just okay?” Alex asked.

“I didn’t hit good,” Mila said.

“You did great,” I said.

“No,” Mila said, shaking her head. “I barely got to second base. I kept hitting ground balls.”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with a ground ball,” Alex said. “I got a home run off a ground ball when I was twelve. Best hit of my life.”

“Really?” Mila’s eyes lit up. “You played baseball?”

“I did.” Alex nodded. “They kept trying to get me to switch to softball, but I refused. Bigger ball. Too easy.”

“That’s what I said!” Mila was practically jumping out of the booth with excitement.

“Keep it up,” Alex said. “You’ll get there. Just practice your swing every day. Eventually, you’ll get enough power to really make it fly.”

“You think so?” Mila asked.

“Oh, I know so.” Alex grinned at her.

I barely spoke a word. Alex took our order, and I just watched in amazement as she interacted with my daughter. Mila warmed to Alex instantly. They were like best friends chatting about baseball every time Alex returned to our table. I was mesmerized.

“Any dessert for you guys?” Alex asked after clearing our plates.

“Not tonight,” I said quickly.

“Please, Dad!” Mila begged. “They have cake and brownies and pie and ice cream and milkshakes and -”

“And it’s a school night,” I said. “No dessert. We need to get you home and in bed.”

“Next time,” Alex said just as Mila opened her mouth to argue. “I’ll save you a slice of apple pie. With ice cream.”

“You will?” Mila asked.

“Absolutely,” Alex said.

Mila smiled and climbed out of the booth. I pulled out my wallet and quickly slapped down enough cash for the bill plus a sizeable tip.

“Keep the change,” I said. “It’s for you.”

Alex glanced at the extra money and frowned. She looked like she wanted to argue, but instead, she just nodded and took the money. I could tell her embarrassment had returned. The blush of her cheeks sparked my own curiosity. I wondered again why she was there.

Only one reason came to mind. The shop. I knew her financial troubles were extensive. She didn’t have enough money to pay her bills. The only explanation for her sudden desire to waitress was that she needed the money.

I didn’t want to pry, but I also couldn’t leave without trying to help. There was something about seeing her in that waitress uniform that tore at my emotions. Alex was clearly a hard worker. Her repair shop meant everything to her. So much so that she was willing to take on an extra job just to save it.

I couldn’t leave without trying to help. No matter how insistent she was that she wouldn’t sell Tanner Bikes, there had to be something I could do, something that would help ease her burden.

My first thought was to just give her the money. I almost reached into my pocket and pulled out my checkbook right there in The Diner, but I knew Alex well enough to know how she would react to that kind of charity. She would not only be offended, but she would verbally tear me a new asshole for even thinking she needed my help.

I also couldn’t go around writing checks for every waitress who needed a little help. If I was honest, I knew Alex wasn’t just some woman. But I wasn’t ready to admit that yet. Instead, I cleared my throat and offered the only thing I knew I could offer.

“Listen,” I said, lowering my voice so Mila wouldn’t hear. “I’d like to set up a meeting with you. Maybe you can come by the office sometime this week. Are you free?”

“A meeting?” Alex frowned. “For what?”

“I just…” I wasn’t sure exactly how to continue. If Alex knew I was trying to buy the shop again, she’d never meet with me. “I can tell you’re struggling. I mean, why else would you be working here?”

“Maybe I’m interested in the waitress profession,” Alex said with a shrug. “You never know. It could be a viable career option.”

“You’re a mechanic,” I said simply. “That’s who you are.”

“Because you know me so well,” Alex said.

“I didn’t mean—” I said quickly, but Alex cut me off with a smile.

“Relax,” she said. “I’m just busting your balls.”

I tried to laugh, but my nerves were going crazy. Part of me wanted to forget the whole thing and leave. Samson was already taking care of the offer. I didn’t need to do anything except step back and let him run the show.

For some reason, I couldn’t do that. Seeing Alex with that apron tied around her waist sparked something inside of me.

“So, the meeting?” Alex asked.

“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “I know you’re struggling to keep the shop. We could pretend like I don’t know that, but we’d be lying.”

“Okay,” Alex said, narrowing her eyes.

“I want to help you,” I said. “And, I think I can.”

“We’ve already talked about that.”

“Just hear me out,” I said. “What’s the worst that could happen? You sit down with me, you don’t like what I have to say, and you leave.”

Alex didn’t say anything. She eyed me suspiciously, but there was something else hidden beneath the surface. She was considering my offer.

“Why can’t you just tell me now?” Alex asked. “Why do we need a formal meeting?”

“Because my daughter is waiting for me,” I said simply. “And our conversation is going to take more than three minutes.”

“Fair enough,” Alex said.

“Look, just humor me, all right?” I said. “I think I can help you, and if I can’t, we’ll part ways with no hard feelings. But you obviously need help, Alex. And since you’ve already helped me once before, let me try to help you now.”

She didn’t answer right away. I could tell her inner pride was struggling with the logical part of her brain. We both knew she should hear my offer. But, I also knew how hard it was for Alex to admit that.

“Tomorrow morning,” she finally said. “Meet me at the shop.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised.

“Don’t question it,” Alex said. “Otherwise, I might change my mind.”

I smiled and nodded once. She smiled back, though it was slightly guarded until she turned her eyes to Mila.

“I’m glad I got to see you again, Mila,” she said. “Keep practicing that swing. You’ll get more power on it soon enough.”

“I will,” Mila promised.

“Good night.” Alex smiled at us both as I led Mila to the front of The Diner.

We reached the front door, and I glanced behind me to see Alex still watching us. She lifted her hand to wave. I waved back and slipped out the front door with Mila chattering away beside me. I tried to listen to my daughter, but Alex’s face kept swimming through my mind. I didn’t stop thinking about her until we made it back home.

“Head upstairs,” I said. “Get washed up and brush your teeth. I’ll come up and tuck you in.”

“Can’t I watch TV for a few minutes?” Mila asked.

“Not a chance,” I said. “Get going.”

She groaned and dragged her feet across the living room. She stopped on the first step and spun back around to face me. I was just about to snap at her to do what I said when she opened her mouth to speak.

“I like Alex,” she said, catching me completely off guard. “She’s nice and really pretty.”

“Since when do you care who’s pretty?” I asked.

“I don’t.” Mila shrugged. “I just noticed that she is. I wish my hair was dark like hers.”

“Your hair is unique,” I said. “You should love it.”

Mila shrugged again. She walked up another two steps and then stopped to look at me again.

“She’s nice, though,” Mila said. “At least, she seems nice.”

“She is,” I said.

“Are we gonna see her again?” Mila asked.

“Um.”

It wasn’t often that my five-year-old daughter had the ability to trip me up, but that night, I couldn’t even put one full sentence together.

“I don’t,” I began.

“I was just asking because I think we could be friends,” Mila said. “She knows a lot about baseball. Girls don’t normally know a lot about baseball.”

“That’s true.”

“But Alex does.”

“Yeah,” I said. “She does.”

“So, will we?” Mila asked.

“Will we what?”

“See her again?”

“Um, I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe. If we go back to The Diner and she’s working again, then we’ll see her.”

“Okay.” Mila smiled and bounded up the stairs.

I sat back on the couch, feeling like I’d just run a marathon. My mind was already spinning over my meeting with Alex. When I suggested it, I fully expected her to tell me to shove it. I flashed back to how angry she’d been after we had lunch. I didn’t even bring up the shop, and still, she just had to make sure I knew she wouldn’t sell. But now…

She’d actually agreed to meet with me. I didn’t know why. I tried not to question it, but Mila’s excitement made everything seem more complicated. I didn’t know what Alex meant to me. We were mere acquaintances, not even friends, but it felt like so much more.

Even Mila felt it. She knew, after only a few minutes, that Alex was the kind of person she wanted around. How then, could I deny my true motivations for setting up the meeting? I didn’t want to save the shop. I didn’t want to own Tanner Bikes. All I wanted to do was help Alex any way I could.