Page 5 of Renascence

“That’s because your name ain’t Johnny, sugar.”

“Lucky motherfucker.”

Giggling again, she turns to me. “Have you had a chance to look over the menu?”

Pushing their weird exchange out of my mind, I quickly scan the menu. Everything on here probably has a million calories.

“Our special today is chicken pot pie,” Sheila offers.

“Ah… I’ll have the grilled chicken salad, no croutons, dressing on the side, please.”

“Okay. You want something, Venom?”

“I’ll have the special and a cold beer.”

“You got it!” she says as she walks away.

I raise a brow at the man sitting before me. “Seriously? It’s midday.”

“It’s five o’ clock somewhere.” He shrugs, the adage rolling off his tongue.

“Yeah, but not here.”

“You should have one, seeing as you’re not having real food. You don’t strike me as a salad girl.”

“You don’t know what kind of girl I am,” I snap.

“Whoa! Easy, darlin’. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

I rein in my anger because Venom doesn’t deserve it. The person who does is miles away. Still, his little comment hurt.

“Sorry.”

“Whatever you were looking at on your phone earlier must have really fucked with your head, huh?”

You have no idea.

“So,” I try to change the subject. “You look like the kind of man who knows his way around the gym. Is there one close by?” My eyes rove over his muscular arms.

“There’s one on Second Street. I can show you if you like.”

“Thanks, but if you just tell me where it is, I should be able to find it on my own.”

He observes me, stroking his beard between his thumb and index finger, his expression unreadable. I don’t even know why he’s talking to me, considering I’ve been a bitch to him all day.

Sheila returns with our food, and as we eat, he begins throwing out questions.

“How come I’ve never seen you before? I’ve been doing business with Jeff for years.”

I shrug. “He’s always come to visit us, I guess. This is my first time here.”

“Where are you from?”

“Atlanta.”

“You staying or just visiting?”

“Just visiting… for now.”