BRADLEY

Two weeks have passed, and I’m back at the diner once again.

Actually, it’s the fourteenth time I’ve been here in thirteen days. Apparently, I’m on a mission to eat my way through the entire menu.

“Blueberry,” Sasha says.

“Chocolate,” Kitty argues.

“Blueberry,” Sasha begins again before I interrupt.

“How about an order of each?” I tell Lexi across the counter. “Please?”

She leans across, kisses me on the cheek. “You’ll have to put in extra time at the gym if you’re going to watch your figure.”

I roll my eyes and lean back. I’ve been putting in so much time at the diner lately I’ll be in no shape to run my current gym, let alone start a new one. However, until Lexi hires another server, she’ll be stuck here for some long nights. Which means if I want to see her, I’m here, too.

Not that I mind—I have good food, good company, and a good view. Watching Lexi work is better than any TV show, and the colorful commentary between Kitty and Sasha only adds to the ambiance.

Not to mention, I’m not exactly thrilled to be spending time at my own gym these last few weeks. As for the split, it’s slow moving. I haven’t heard from Bill or his team, and I’m only centimeters closer to solid proof of Leo sneaking funds from the company.

Thankfully, Lexi hasn’t mentioned any more concerns about her diner selling. Except for struggling to find a new server, all is well at Minnie’s.

“Are you sure I can’t help out more?” I ask as Lexi punches in the order. “I can run food to tables. Just point me in the right direction.”

“Nice try. We always offer,” Sasha says. “You’ll have better luck convincing her to go to the gym.”

“I hate the gym,” Lexi adds with a smile. “No offense. I get my exercise lifting the fork to my mouth.”

“Then you have some fine genes,” I savor the view of her backside as she bends over to grab more mugs for coffee.

“Perv,” Kitty says, her eyes on me. “Eyes on the face, Bradley.”

Lexi stands up too quickly, casts me a flirtatious glance. “What’d I tell you about checking me out at work?”

“I can’t help it.” I raise my hands in surrender. “Sorry.”

The four of us—Lexi, Sasha, Kitty, and myself—have developed a sort of after-work routine that’s become entirely too natural over the last couple weeks. I open at the gym, stay there until four in the afternoon. That’s when Sasha closes up her bakery next door and Kitty wanders over from wherever she’s been spending her time.

We’ll often stay at the diner until nearly midnight. There’s way more laughter than I expected, and the chatter is easy and fun. Plus, there’s Lexi. The best part of my day.

She’s been busy, but it’s not a hardship to spend time with her at the diner instead of at home. If anything, it’s got me an in with her friends, and it’s given me some insights as to what makes her tick.

For example, the bridge club that meets here drives her up the wall because they go through a bottle of syrup per day, but she’ll never charge them extra for it.

The women’s water aerobics squad is like a garden of grandmothers with whom she’s cultivated close relationships over the last three years, and the second the doorbell rings at nine thirty in the morning, a smile appears on her face before she even looks up. Though she won’t admit it to anyone, Barb is her favorite.

Then, there’s the late-night dinner crowd, specifically the family of Italians from next door that brings their own bottle of wine and several chessboards into the restaurant. I’m not even sure that’s entirely legal, but Lexi shoves them in the back and pretends not to notice. I’ve even caught her offering chess advice during lulls in the restaurant business.

All of this is new to me. It’s enthralling, watching her work. When we were growing up, she never had a clear direction planned for her life, unlike me. I’d grown up knowing I’d be a hockey player since my feet touched ice, which felt like moments after I learned to walk.

I’m just glad she’s found what makes her happy. Now it’s my goal to make sure I become a part of that plan, too. Slowly but surely—emphasis on the slowly—I’m making progress.

“Here you are,” Lexi says, dropping the food in front of me. “Don’t you dare eat all of it, or you’ll die of a heart attack by thirty.”

“No promises,” I say, glancing at the plate of waffles soaked in syrup.

As she laughs, carefree, I wonder if tonight will be the night I get another kiss. A real kiss. I’ve taken to escorting her home every night, which typically ends with a chaste smooch outside of her apartment door as we both struggle not to take things further.

Well, I struggle, mostly. She seems to have no problem saying goodnight and shutting the door to her own apartment. Still, a guy needs to keep the hope alive.

“I think you guys should do a swap,” Sasha says, eyeing the food. “It’s not fair Lexi is making Brad fat.”

“I’m getting fat?” I look down in concern.

“No,” Sasha sighs. “I wish. Your metabolism is something most women would kill for. Maybe that’s why the two of you are made for each other.”

“Also, he spends half his day at the gym,” Kitty says. “I’m sure that doesn’t hurt.”

“I own the place. I have to work out there. Otherwise, what sort of example am I setting?”

“Back to this idea of the swap,” Sasha says. “Since Bradley is eating his way through your menu, Lex, you should do him the courtesy of visiting his gym.”

Lexi scrunches her nose. “I don’t like gyms.”

“I don’t like...” I pause, grab a menu off the counter. “Oatmeal, but I’m going to try it.”

“Why would you try oatmeal if you don’t like it?”

“Because it’s important to you,” I say, punctuating this with a finger poke to the menu. “And I care about you.”

“That doesn’t equate to me working out.”

“Come see the gym,” I say. “Maybe you’ll like it?”

“You really do need some time away from this place,” Kitty says. “The smell of syrup is going to drive you nuts.”

“I like the smell of sugar,” Lexi says.

“I like eating donuts,” Sasha adds. “But if I eat too much of them my butt will turn into Jupiter.”

Kitty rolls her eyes. “Your butt is Pluto at best.”

Sasha smacks her. “We’re not all as endowed as you.”

Kitty looks down and shrugs her shoulders. Her curves are just the right size, and she knows it. “Luck of the draw.”

“What do you say?” I face Lexi. “I challenge you.”

“Challenge me to what?” Her eyes narrow.

Obviously, her competitiveness has not lessened over the last few years. “I’ll try everything on your menu, if you work out at the gym with me.”

“How often?”

“Three days a week.”

Her fists crumple around the menu as she shoots daggers at both of her friends. “Who’s going to cover the restaurant when I’m gone?”

“First thing in the morning,” I tell her. “Rick opens Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and it’s never busy.”

She can’t argue with my logic. “Fine.”

“Fine?” I raise my eyebrows. “Really?”

“Do I have a choice? I am not backing down from a challenge.”

“Well, then, I will see you on Friday.”

“I will not be happy about it,” Lexi says. “And I will not be looking good at six a.m. on a Friday morning. I will probably look like a thug, actually, and I will have the temper of a dragon. There’s your warning.”

“If you think that’s going to scare me off,” I tell her, leaning across the counter. “Think again.”

“Eat your damn waffles.”

I tuck into my waffles, a smile on my face as Sasha and Kitty pretend they’re not listening to the conversation and whisper amongst themselves.

It’s not that I think Lexi needs to work out. She runs around all day at the diner and probably burns more calories than me. She’s tiny. My arm is the size of her leg.

But I won’t pass up the opportunity to spend more time with her, especially some one-on-one time. It’s nice sitting with Sasha and Kitty and all, but it’s not the romantic vibe I’ve been striving to achieve.

And if she wears spandex and a sports bra to the gym?

I won’t complain.