Page 16 of Grumpy

Heading into the kitchen to put Grumpy’s order in, Kelly nearly walked into Tally. Thank God the blind woman saw better than most people with working eyeballs, or that would have been a complete disaster. Kelly skidded to a halt, nearly knocking over the giant bowl of coleslaw Tally had just put on the counter by the door.

“Careful,” Tally warned. “You forgot to knock.”

Shit. “I’m so sorry!” Kelly proclaimed, looking around to ensure there was no damage. “My head’s on another planet. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m so sorry.”

“No harm done.” Tally propped the fridge open with her hip before counting the shelves with her fingertips. The special machine Sophia had purchased for Tally allowed her to print up prep stickers in both English and Braille. Tally confirmed what she was looking for and then added the giant bowl to the shelf in the fridge. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Not if you’re busy. I can come back⁠—”

“Kelly,” Tally spun towards her. Though her eyes were fake, they seemed to burrow straight into Kelly’s soul. “What do you need?”

“I just wanted to give you a head’s up that I’m putting an order through for Grumpy. He won’t need it until after my shift since I’m bringing it to him.”

Tally nodded once. She’d purchased several purée cookbooks after the extent of Grumpy’s injuries were known, claiming that just because he had to eat slop didn’t mean it had to be gross slop. Several older residents in the community had then heard of Tally’s ability to turn puréed meals into something actually desirable and edible, and the next thing the diner knew, they were having senior-only designated meal times where teeth were optional.

“I heard he finally kicked his mom out. Good for him.”

Kelly frowned, though Tally couldn’t see it. “How did you hear about that? He only just told me.”

Tally patted her pocket where she kept her phone on her chef shirt. “The club’s got an app for certain types of messages. Went out as soon as he messaged Keys to get her a plane ticket.”

Kelly chuckled, shaking her head. “Of course the club has an app for that.” There was a knock at the kitchen door. Kelly stepped to the side while opening it as she added, “I’m not even the least bit surprised.”

“Surprised about what?” Sophia asked, entering the kitchen.

“Grumpy’s mom,” Tally input as she headed over to the sink where she had veggies soaking.

Sophia laughed. “Pirate won that one. But he put up babysitting time so we can have fun Mommy-Daddy time tonight while someone else gets to deal with stinky diapers.”

“Isn’t fun Mommy-Daddy time how you got stinky diapers?” Kelly inquired with a raise of an eyebrow.

Sophia waggled hers. “Hell yeah it was. There was also a lot of rum involved.”

Kelly’s eyes fell to Sophia’s ass, where her black pants had a white handprint and the words “Property of Pirate” over them. Tally had similar ones with “Property of Scar” but it was covered by her long chef shirt. Not that anyone sane would question who Tally belonged to. Prior to Tally and Sophia becoming club sisters and business partners, Kelly really didn’t know who Scar was. She knew of him, rumors and the like, but unlike the other club members who would frequent the diner, Kelly never saw Scar. Not until that first day that Tally had walked into the diner after Sophia’s mom had handed the business off to her.

It wasn’t like Kelly knew who Scar was now either, but at least she had a face to the name. Scar was just there. Always. He couldn’t be seen, couldn’t be heard, but Kelly never doubted his presence in the diner if Tally was there. On the rare occasion, Tally would force him to sit in the kitchen and eat something, but in the year and nine months since Sophia and Tally had taken over, Kelly had only seen that happen twice.

The club made Kelly feel like the odd-ball cousin, like family but not. She got the difference, understood that she wasn’t part of the club, but she still appreciated being included. They didn’t have to do that. Really, she was nothing more than an employee. She wasn’t an ol’ lady or related to anyone in the club. She could work her shifts, go home, and never be anything more than that. But Sophia being Sophia forced Kelly to many club events and even worked her schedule so she could also be included.

It was nice—but Kelly always made sure both she and Sophia remembered that Kelly wasn’t part of the club.

Then again, from Kelly’s understanding, neither was Sophia in the beginning. Yet she’d wormed her way in anyway. Still, Kelly wasn’t Sophia. If she and Grumpy remained friends, she’d always remain on the outskirts, looking in on the large family she’d always craved. Not that that was a reason to be with Grumpy. But it was a mark in the plus column.

Unfortunately, accusations of cheating were big and bold in the negative column.

Kelly eyed Tally and Sophia for a second before poking her head out the kitchen door to ensure that no one was waiting at the hostess stand. So much for a constant presence at the front, but if she was going over to Grumpy’s house this afternoon, she needed some information before she did.

“Okay, I know I am supposed to be at the front, but I have some questions for the two of you and it’s slow enough out there that I can do this now.”

Sophia leaned back against the counter as Tally continued washing the veggies. “Yes, I think you should sleep with him. No, I don’t know his dick size. And yes, I thought you were an idiot for letting his mom chase you off.”

Kelly blinked rapidly, her jaw dropping at Sophia’s bluntness—but also her insight.

“Ditto,” Tally threw over her shoulder. “Although, I do have an inkling of dick size. Those hospital gowns do not hide much.”

“Really?” Sophia rounded on her business partner with a wicked grin. “Do tell.”

“Do not tell,” Kelly chimed in, pleading. If she was going to sleep with Grumpy, and that was still a big if, she wanted it to be on their terms and she wanted it to be real, without unrealistic expectations. “Seriously, I don’t know how much time I have.”