The Wallflower Mate

8

Abraham stuffed his keys into his jean pocket as he stepped out from his car. On instinct, he did one quick scan of the busy crowd around him. People were rushing around. A few were shopping and doing their daily business leisurely.

The sun shining brightly above them and there was a hint of cold air from last night that still lingered in the early morning.

Easing his fingers through his hair casually to smooth back the strands that escaped because of the light wind, he turned to look at the restaurant behind him. Mary worked in the small-town restaurant and she was a damn superb cook. In fact, he has been dreaming about the steak he had the other night that she made.

Breakfast this morning was amazing, but that steak, it was something else. It literally melted in his mouth and seasoned to perfection. Just thinking about it made him salivate for more. He shook off the picture of the steak in his mind and walked up the curb and sidewalk to the entrance.

The front door was an old cherry oak door with three vertical rectangular glass windows in the middle. He grabbed the metal handle and opened the door. Immediately, spices invaded his senses. His mouth began salivating.

"Sir," a female voice said from his left.

He turned his head to look at the adolescent female hostess. She blushed immediately once Abraham locked eyes on her. It was a natural reaction from women. He was used to it and barely paid attention to it.

"Would you like a seat for lunch, sir?" she inquired meekly.

Abraham walked over to her and watched the blush climb up her cheeks and to the roots of her hair. He knew he was intimidating and wasn't too bad of a looker, but damn this woman's reaction put a smile on his face.

Unfortunately, his lopsided smile only made her even more flustered. She began muttering all kinds of phrases until she realized she was making a fool of herself. Understanding why she was feeling this way, he put her out of her misery.

"Actually, I'm here to meet a friend. Mary? Do you know her? She works here," Abraham interrupted her mumbling.

"Yes, does she know you are here?" the hostess asked.

"I'm afraid not, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind seeing me," Abraham added with a smile.

"Oh? Y-you are her boyfriend?" she stuttered, and he could hear the disappointment clear in her voice.

"Yes," he lied smoothly and knew if Ryker was here, he'll probably punch Abraham all the way to the other side of the room, but he wasn't here.

"You must be the boyfriend she has been telling us about. The one that lives in Normandy. She talks about you all the time," the hostess stated with a smile.

For a minute, what she said took him by surprise. Did Mary have a boyfriend? Then what the hell was doing at the Mating Ball in the first place?

Shit, Abraham could already see Ryker's reaction already. The hostess led Abraham towards the kitchen. He glanced around the dining area and found a ton of people sitting around chitchatting while eating. It wasn't even close to lunchtime yet, and the customers almost filled the restaurant.

The door to the kitchen flapped open. A waiter came out with a tray of food. He skillfully maneuvered around them without spilling the content of the food. The hostess opened the door and Abraham took in the silver colors of the decently sized kitchen.

Several people's head shot up from their workstation. Narrowed at the hostess and then slid over to Abraham. The hostess tapped Abraham's arm to get his attention. He looked down at the tiny woman before following the direction of her pointed finger.