The Way Back. Stephanie Doyle

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СКАЧАТЬ bell chimed as she stepped inside the restaurant and her hopes were quickly dashed.

      “Oy, it’s you again.”

      “Hello, Zhanna. Nice to see you.”

      “Sit,” the girl said pointing to an empty booth. “I’ll be with you when I choose.”

      Gabby took encouragement she hadn’t been told to leave. If she was sitting, there was a good shot they would feed her. She didn’t allow herself to reach for the menu. She didn’t want to know the sumptuous specials they were offering tonight. All she needed was a salad. With the dressing on the side.

      On the side. On the side.

      “Don’t let her scare you.”

      Gabby looked to the man sitting at the counter who swiveled his seat in her direction.

      “Too late.”

      He laughed. “It’s just her way. Deep inside she’s got a heart of gold. I’m pretty sure anyway.” He hopped off his stool and offered her a hand. “I’m Tom. I’m the lone vet on the island.”

      She shook it and answered his smile. It was nice to feel a little welcomed. “I’m Gabby. Nice to meet you.”

      “What brings you to Hawk Island?”

      “She wants to expose Jamie to horrible ridicule and humiliation,” Zhanna stated, her order pad in her hand as she practically pushed herself between Tom and Gabby. “You don’t want anything to do with this one, Tom. I’m fairly certain she kills little animals for fun.”

      Gabby’s jaw dropped. “I do not.”

      Tom chuckled. “Don’t let Zhanna get to you. She’s all bark, Gabby. Good luck with whatever.”

      “Do you want to get pie from me or not, Mr. Tom?”

      His eyes twinkled. “Honey, I always want pie from you.”

      “Oh, hush now. Go sit on stool and I’ll fix you something hearty. You are always too skinny.”

      Tom wandered to the counter and Zhanna’s eyes stayed with him for a minute longer than was natural. Then, as if shaking herself out of a trance, she focused on Gabby.

      “Now you. What do you want?”

      “A salad. With the dressing on the—”

      “Got it.” Zhanna walked away before Gabby could finish speaking.

      Digging into her purse Gabby pulled out a pen and pad and started writing. One of the keys to weight loss she read was to document everything she ate in a day plus her amount of exercise.

      Dry toast again this morning. Extensive jogging for five minutes. Salad with dressing on the side…

      Zhanna plunked a plate in front of her. It sounded much too heavy for salad. It smelled way better, too.

      “You did say hamburger and fries, didn’t you?”

      “No.” Gabby looked at the plate of food and nearly wanted to cry. A large patty with cheese drooping down the side mocked her. Lettuce and tomato were merely camouflage. The big soft bun was made out of white flour instead of whole wheat. Not fair.

      She stared at it and tried to ignore the rest of the plate which was teaming with crisp golden French fries.

      She was starving. It smelled delicious. These women were evil.

      The door to the café opened and Gabby glanced up to see Jamison enter. Zhanna turned and gave him a silly half smile.

      He walked to her and clucked a finger beneath her chin in greeting. “Hello, brat.”

      “Hello, my favorite customer.” The tone was sarcastic but friendly. These two knew each other well. Not a surprise given Zhanna’s loyalty to him. Once again thoughts of how Jamison might have seduced the young woman filtered through Gabby’s mind. But watching them, she did have to admit there were no sexual sparks between them. More like easy friendship.

      “Gabriella.”

      “Jamison.” Great. The one person who knew she could barely run for ten minutes spotted her behind a plate of artery-clogging—and very delicious-smelling—food. She felt her cheeks flame up and she blurted, “I didn’t order this.”

      He laughed. “Then why did Zhanna bring it to you?”

      Gabby figured ratting out his friend probably wasn’t a smart idea.

      “Ah, I see,” he said, grasping the situation. “And what did you order?”

      “A salad with dressing on the side. I ordered it…on the side.”

      He nodded. Then gave Zhanna a slightly disapproving glare. “Having a little fun with the new person in town?”

      “She wants to write about you,” Zhanna said sulkily.

      “I know. How was the burger done?”

      “Medium.”

      Jamison lifted the plate and set it on the table in the empty booth behind her. “Bring her the salad, Zee.”

      “Oy. Always the forgiving one.” With a huff she went into the kitchen.

      Gabby could feel him settle down directly behind her. He wasted no time digging into her burger.

      “Thank you.”

      Around a mouthful of meat, he mumbled she was welcome.

      “You should know if you hadn’t come in I probably would have eaten it. I don’t have much willpower.”

      He didn’t comment.

      She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to confess to him, but it was important she not seem hypocritical. At least with herself. She wasn’t perfect. There was no point pretending she was. If he knew that about her, it might make it easier for him to trust her.

      Adel emerged from the kitchen a minute later. The salad was big and brimming with vegetables. The dressing was in a cup on the side.

      “Thank you.”

      “Yeah.”

      It seemed her relationship with Jamison’s dog was the best one Gabby had cultivated so far.

      The café remained empty except for the two of them in the booths and Tom at the counter who was definitely taking a very long time to chose his meal. Despite the impatient way she’d treated Gabby, Zhanna did not seem to mind his indecisiveness.

      As Gabby picked through lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes she could hear Jamison’s fork hitting the plate and imagined him diving into those decadent fries. It seemed awkward to have him behind her. But he hadn’t asked to join her and she didn’t want him to think if she invited him, she was doing so only to get information СКАЧАТЬ