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Myka

The trip to Miles City had been a bust. I was hoping to find another distributor of diner supplies, but the ones I met with were misogynistic douchebags. Just because I was a woman didn’t mean they could double their fees. Just thinking about them pissed me off.

The diner was doing well, but we only had one supplier. Last winter, we had issues with missed deliveries. I wanted to work with more than one company to avoid those same issues.

Just thinking about how I was treated pissed me off. With a bit of a growl, I pulled into the motel parking lot where I was spending the night. I needed to sit down and figure out what options were left. Before that, I needed food and a nice, strong drink.

Walking to the restaurant, I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful motorcycle in the parking lot. The weather was perfect for riding a bike. Winter was a different story. I’d seen too many accidents that fell victim to the dangerous roads.

With a tired sigh, I sat alone at the small table. Rubbing my face, I thought about my sisters. They were settling down, their attentions being pulled away from the diner we owned. That was why I took on this task, even if I was having terrible luck.

At least I wasn’t being reminded of how single I was.

I’d once been engaged, with dreams of the perfect wedding.

That was until I found Craig enjoying all of the assets of his assistant, Lisa.

We were just weeks away from getting married.

The pain of the memories still hits hard. I’d been so excited to marry him.

Craig and I had been high school sweethearts, together for too many years. Things weren’t perfect, but we loved each other through thick and thin, or I thought we did. As I waited for the waitress, the unwanted memories flashed into my mind.

“Craig…” I’d whispered in desperation. The horror and shock before me left me in a dazed state of mind. Everything felt frozen.

“Shit! Myka, baby. It’s not what it looks like,” he tried to explain. Why did they always say that? Of course, it was what it looked like. I wasn’t blind, deaf, and dumb.

A pretty waitress finally came to stand at my table. “I’m so sorry for that wait. Would you like to start with anything to drink?”

“Yeah, give me a tumbler of whiskey on the rocks. Not the cheap stuff either.”

“Are you ready to order some food as well?”

“Sure… just give me whatever appetizer sampler you have.”

“Absolutely. I’ll be right back with your drink.’

With a pasted-on smile, I watched her walk away. I forced myself to stop thinking about Craig and his slutty assistant. “Enough negativity,” I muttered to myself. I opened my phone and started to search for any other possibilities for restaurant supplies.

“Here you go. Made sure it was top-shelf quality. You look like you could use it. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Do you know who delivers the restaurant supplies here?” My voice was hoarse from the whiskey.

Abby, the waitress, blinked at me for a minute. “I don’t, but my manager is here. How about I ask him to come see you? I’m sure he can help.”

“Thank you,” I mumbled before I finished off my drink. I glanced around the bar and noticed one guy sitting by himself. Based on his leather outfit, including his club cut, it was pretty obvious that he was the owner of the bike I’d admired outside.

He was a gorgeous specimen of a man and just my type. With a deep sigh, I hung my head. I didn’t need a man, no matter how much my heart disagreed with me.

A new tumbler of whiskey appeared in my line of sight. Looking up in surprise, a man stood smiling at me. “Abby said you had some questions for me. She suggested I bring you a new drink first, though.”

“Are you the manager?”

“I am. What can I do for you?” he asked.

“My sisters and I own a diner in Wintervale. I came to Miles City hoping to find a new supplier. Our current one isn’t always reliable.”

“May I sit?” he asked. I nodded, and after he was seated, he asked, “I gather you haven’t been very successful.”

“Definitely not. I met Johnson Brothers, and pardon my language, but they were utter douchbags.”

He chuckled as he replied, “That they are. We actually have two that we use. If it would help, I’ll write down their names and phone numbers for you. How long are you in town?”

“That would be great! I was originally only going to be here for tonight, but I can extend my trip if I need to.”

“How about I call them and give them your information. I have a feeling they’d be willing to sit down with you in the next day or two.”

“Oh, thank you. I’m so sorry I didn’t ask this sooner, but what is your name?” I blushed as I asked.

“Jake Main, at your service. Don’t worry, we’ll get you all squared away. So eat some food and sit back and relax. We have a live band starting at nine.”

“I’m Myka Johnson. Seriously, thank you, Jake.” This time, my smile was genuine as he got up from the table. The timing couldn’t have been better, as Abby brought the appetizer sampler I had ordered. Getting comfortable, I continued to smile, and I sipped my whiskey and took a bite of food.