Page 19 of Monster Diner

“Like before, or now. Either one.”

“I think about my mom’s French toast sometimes,” he said, addressing the tabletop. “She used to make this homemade berry syrup and put tons of whipped cream on the toast and powdered sugar.”

“Sounds delicious.”

“I can make that for you,” Victor said.

Lizzy startled and turned around to see Victor standing behind the counter. She hadn’t even heard him approach.

Brayden shrugged. “The guys are coming. You don’t need to bother.”

Victor pulled back the swinging countertop, marched over, and brushed against her as he leaned in closer to Brayden. “I hadn’t even considered sweets. I can’t really taste them, but you can.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Sit down, the both of you,” Victor instructed.

“I’m supposed to be working,” Lizzy said.

“You just told Brayden you were gonna take a break.”

She crossed her arms and scowled at him.

“Sit,” he said in a tone that made her knees shake a little and her thighs clench. Vivianne’s suggestion of just having fun with Victor was starting to seem more appealing by the moment.

“Is he always this demanding?” Lizzy joked with Brayden as she slid into the booth.

“Unfortunately.” He rolled his eyes and she laughed.

Victor caught her eye and smiled. He headed into the kitchen and got to work on Brayden’s food. Vivianne looked at her from the server’s station and mouthed, “Get it.”

Lizzy shook her head and talked with Brayden while they waited for Victor. Brayden told her a bit about his friends and her old high school.

“I had Mr. Brooks for high school English.” Lizzy shuddered. “Man loved metaphors and similes.”

“I have him too. He drones on for hours.” Brayden scoffed.

“He has to be a hundred. He was old when I was a kid.”

“I’m certain a necromancer brought him back from the dead to torture teenagers for eternity.”

“I bet.” She laughed.

Victor emerged from the kitchen with two steaming plates of French toast drenched in dark berry syrup with chunks of macerated raspberries and blackberries, a tower of whipped cream, and a dusting of powdered sugar. Brayden’s eyes widened at the sight.

“It looks exactly like what my mom used to make,” Brayden said.

“Well, dig in.” Victor gestured for them both to eat.

Brayden cut off a piece and popped it into his mouth. She felt the rush of his excitement, longing, and happiness rolling off him.

Victor beamed. “Good?”

“Incredible!” Brayden tore into the food like a man starved.

Lizzy dug in next and savored her first bite of the French toast paired with the tart sweetness of the syrup. It was absolute perfection.

“Victor, this is so good,” Lizzy said.