Free Second Chance (Cold Springs Series Book 1) by Nancy Henderson Page A

piece of pizza and he didn’t even finish his soda and he was gone.  Nothing.  Happened.”
     
    Sam expected more jokes. She didn’t expect Burt’s expression to turn serious.  “Ian’s had a hard life.  He’s seen things that would break most people.”
     
    Sam waited for Burt to go on, but he stopped and drank his coffee.  Sam busied herself with the diner, turning on the radio and the little television in the upper corner over the counter.
    She came back to the counter and leaned her elbows across from Burt. “How come you took him under your wing like you did anyway?”
    Burt didn’t make eye contact with her, just looked straight ahead, drinking his coffee.  “I don’t know what you mean.”
    “Yes, you do. This whole town treats Ian Woods like scum except you. Why? You didn’t even know him before I left for New York.”
    Burt drank thoughtfully. He set his cup down with a tired sigh. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
    “Like what?”
                  “Your aunt was good to me.”
                  “Tell me something I don’t know.” Sam didn’t know what he was getting at, but she had a feeling Burt would stop talking and she didn’t want that.
    “Jean accepted me for who I was, always had. She knew I had a shady past, had run ins with the law when I was younger and she stood by me anyways.” Burt met her stare. “Your mother always said your aunt could do better.  I was a bum and I was no good for her, but Jean didn’t care. She told your mother to mind her own business.”
    Burt smiled, as if recalling the memory with fondness and love. “Least I could do was return the favor to someone else. The boy needed a new start. He needed a break, and someone had to give him one.  It might as well be me.  And he turned out to be a damn fine young man too.”
    Sam didn’t know what to say.  She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. No one had ever said a word about Burt ever breaking the law. “What’d you do?”
    “Does it matter?”
    No, it didn’t. She loved Burt, always had. “No, of course not. I just—”
    “Then get me another cup of coffee and don’t worry about it.”
     
    ~ * ~
     
    A couple hours passed when the front door opened and a young woman popped her head inside.  “Um…hi.”
     
    “Hi.”  Sam and Burt spoke at once.
     
    “I’m here for the waitress interview?”  She ended her statement with a question.
     
    The girl was cute to say the least.  Her hair was blond, cut off bluntly above the shoulders to reveal large gold earrings swinging from each side of her head like miniature chandeliers.  Gorgeous curves, short black skirt, tight in all the right places, an even tighter linen, flowered blouse which exposed a generous portion of cleavage.  A pushup bra had to be the only explanation how she got her D-size girls up that high.
     
    Rushing to meet her, Sam extended her hand.  “I’m Sam.  I own Jean’s Diner.”
     
    “I’m Chrissy Kramer.”  Chrissy’s handshake was weak and nervous.
     
    “Nice to meet you.”  Sam pulled out a chair at the nearest table. “Why don’t we sit down and talk?”
     
    “I’m Burt” came the voice at the counter.
     
    Chrissy crossed the room to shake his hand.  “Hi, Burt.  I’m Chrissy.”
     
    “Pleased to know ya.”  Burt beamed from ear to ear. 
     
    “Do you own Jean’s Diner, too?”
     
    “No, but I knew Jean very well.  Where ya from?”
     
    “I just moved here from the city.”  Chrissy nodded.  “I go to college part-time.”
     
    “What are you studying?”
     
    “I’m not sure yet.”
     
    Burt took a drink of his coffee. “How can you be studying what you’re not sure of?”
     
    Chrissy laughed nervously.  “I…I guess I don’t know.”
     
    “I think I’d rethink what you’re doin’.  Spending an awful lot of money on something you’re not sure of doesn’t make much sense to me.”
     
    Chrissy