Page 27 of Moonlight Hearts

“Laura’s sitter has been teaching her, and she wanted to show me.One thing led to another.”

“That’s pretty cool.”I wondered whether Soyer could knit, whether it was one of the skills he’d mastered in his long life.I was really missing him more than I should have been.

Dwayne grunt-nodded again.“You try too, then.Join the knitting circle.Look, I have to get back to getting payroll done.Can you handle the new manager when she comes in?And come in here again at four-thirty, let me know to call it a day and pick up Laura, ’kay?”

“I can do that.”

I left Dwayne’s office, finding myself at work, but somehow with nothing much of anything to do.

Chapter Nine

Thatmomentofbeingat a loss for what to do once the door to Dwayne’s office had fallen shut behind me passed quickly.I decided to check in on Ant and Levi, and if they were handling things, I could always help Kasey in the kitchen.

I straightened my bow tie and went back out to the front where Ant and Levi were back to studying the menu.I walked past Ben, who’d taken up his usual seat at the end of the counter.

“Maybe apples,” I heard Ant say.

I gave the diner a casual sweep, but everyone looked to be taken care of, so it wasn’t like the two of them were slacking.“What’s with apples?”I asked, leaning on the counter.

Levi flinched, then turned, and Ant hid the menu behind his back.“Apples?Who said anything about apples?”

It occurred to me that they were testing me.Was there such a thing as a manager test?Was it Soyer’s idea?

I crossed my arms.“You did.And why’re you hiding the menu behind your back?It’s not like I haven’t seen it before.”

I recognized two of the patrons sipping their coffee at the counter, a brunette and a blonde—the Marys, as everyone called them.I could feel their attention on us.We weren’t the Small Express, but apparently we entertained at least some people.

“Uh, well… Hmm.”Ant glanced at Levi, and Levi glanced right back at him.“So, you see…”

“Rae said not to tell you.”Levi bowed his head.“Sorry.”

I first facepalmed myself, then groaned.“You have to be kidding me.Is it the secret group chat again?”

Behind me, Ben was coughing—to hide a chuckle, I was pretty sure.

“Oh no.Did you guys cave already?”Kasey was looking at us through the passthrough, his snakes all elegantly out of view or pretending to be a scarf.“You’re weak.I didn’t tell himanything.”

I looked up at Kasey.“You know you’ll have to pick a side eventually, right?”

Kasey gave me a toothy smile.“I side with the Moonlight and its illustrious patrons, those who come for the pancakes, those who come for the cherry pie, and those who come for the secret shindigs.”

“Seriously, everyone?”

In that moment, the bells above the door twinkled, and Ant and Levi turned.

“Welcome to the Moonlight,” the three of us said.Or two of us, at least.Levi was mostly mumbling.

The person who’d just walked in looked at us with big eyes, and those eyes were striking.They reminded me of the ocean, shimmering a rich blend of blue and green, teal and peacock.Purple eyeshadow brought out their color even more.

It wasn’t just the eyes though.The guy had model looks; high cheekbones that reminded me of those classic movie actresses, the grayscale divas.A delicate yet expressive mouth that wouldn’t have been out of place on a Greek sculpture’s face was slightly glossed, the full lips shimmering pink.He was slender and tall, his blond hair loose and flowing around his head in soft layers.

“Is that what you do when someone comes through the door, or is it something for new staff exclusively?”

He had a nice voice too, a really nice voice, and I thought,He should be a singer.

“New staff?”I leaned on the counter so I wasn’t hidden behind Levi and his broad shoulders.

The man smiled, which did something wonderful to his face.“Yeah.You’re Amory.I had a hunch you’d be early.I’m Thaeros.Any pronoun is fine.”