sometimes gave into him. Those moments when she lets go of Jack, have been the best moments of Duke’s life.
Duke watched Paxton walk out of the room. He stood and followed her out. All he had was one more day before she was over a thousand miles away from him, closer to Jack, and closer to the secret he was keeping from her. He knew there was a chance it would be in the papers up there.
Duke pulled into the small parking lot. They decided they didn’t want to go on the other side of town for breakfast. They hadn’t been to Early Edition in months.
“This sounds so good right now. I’m starving!”
Duke laughed at Paxton. She could be so over dramatic sometimes. You would think he kept her locked up.
“I already know what I want. Hopefully they aren’t too busy.”
“From the looks of it, it doesn’t seem like it,” Paxton replied.
Duke looked around the parking lot. It wasn’t empty but usually there were a lot more cars around. It was confirmed when they walked into the place, that it was dead. There were a few open tables and he was happy for that. He could tear up some food right about then. He always ordered the same thing every time.
“Hello! Welcome to Early Edition!” the young hostess greeted as they walked in. “Just the two of you?”
“Yeah,” Duke slid his arm around Paxton which she gracefully accepted. He even felt her lean into him some.
The hostess smiled, “Right this way.”
She led them to a booth on the other side of the room. It was near other patrons but a little more secluded.
“Your waitress should be with you shortly,” the hostess smiled and left.
“I have no idea what to get, I’m so hungry I could eat it all!”
Duke glanced at her as she looked over the menu. He was scared of losing her. Duke wondered if she would be upset about him not saying anything to her. Maybe Jack wouldn’t tell her that he knew about it. If she found out, maybe he would believe it was from a newspaper article, a news channel, anything but him. Duke realized this was the first secret he kept from Paxton. His heart dropped as he loved how open and honest she was. She would never keep something like this from him.
“Well, I know what I’m getting,” Duke said trying to distract himself from his own thoughts.
Paxton smiled up at him, “You would. Do you ever deviate from anything at restaurants?”
“Sometimes,” he flashed a smile at her.
“Hello! My name is Abby and I will be takin’ care of y’all today. What can I start you off with to drink?”
“Water for me please,” Paxton answered.
“I’ll take coffee and water.”
“Sugar or cream?”
“Just black.” Duke smiled up at her. He noticed how she smiled a little longer at him before she turned to get their drinks.
“Way to hide your crush honey,” Paxton said when she was out of ear shot.
Duke looked at her. He smiled, “Jealous?”
“You woke up in my bed, remember? She won’t ever get that lucky, plus isn’t she a little young for you?” Paxton raised her eyebrows.
“Yeah,” Duke chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”
He watched Paxton a few minutes longer before he turned his attention to the menu. He already knew what he wanted but he needed to get away from her gaze. He wouldn’t be able to hold on to his secret if he looked at her for too long.
***
Paxton sat back and rubbed her stomach, “Ugh, I am so full!”
She looked at her now empty plate. Two plate-sized pancakes, 2 strips of bacon, and an egg no longer sat in front of her. She couldn’t decide on any one thing so she ordered a few things. Now she regretted it. She didn’t understand how she just fit a meal for two in her.
“You hardly had anything!”
She looked over at Duke knowing he had to feel the same way. He got the usual Cat Backer Skillet. It consisted of potatoes, onions,
Duke watched Paxton walk out of the room. He stood and followed her out. All he had was one more day before she was over a thousand miles away from him, closer to Jack, and closer to the secret he was keeping from her. He knew there was a chance it would be in the papers up there.
Duke pulled into the small parking lot. They decided they didn’t want to go on the other side of town for breakfast. They hadn’t been to Early Edition in months.
“This sounds so good right now. I’m starving!”
Duke laughed at Paxton. She could be so over dramatic sometimes. You would think he kept her locked up.
“I already know what I want. Hopefully they aren’t too busy.”
“From the looks of it, it doesn’t seem like it,” Paxton replied.
Duke looked around the parking lot. It wasn’t empty but usually there were a lot more cars around. It was confirmed when they walked into the place, that it was dead. There were a few open tables and he was happy for that. He could tear up some food right about then. He always ordered the same thing every time.
“Hello! Welcome to Early Edition!” the young hostess greeted as they walked in. “Just the two of you?”
“Yeah,” Duke slid his arm around Paxton which she gracefully accepted. He even felt her lean into him some.
The hostess smiled, “Right this way.”
She led them to a booth on the other side of the room. It was near other patrons but a little more secluded.
“Your waitress should be with you shortly,” the hostess smiled and left.
“I have no idea what to get, I’m so hungry I could eat it all!”
Duke glanced at her as she looked over the menu. He was scared of losing her. Duke wondered if she would be upset about him not saying anything to her. Maybe Jack wouldn’t tell her that he knew about it. If she found out, maybe he would believe it was from a newspaper article, a news channel, anything but him. Duke realized this was the first secret he kept from Paxton. His heart dropped as he loved how open and honest she was. She would never keep something like this from him.
“Well, I know what I’m getting,” Duke said trying to distract himself from his own thoughts.
Paxton smiled up at him, “You would. Do you ever deviate from anything at restaurants?”
“Sometimes,” he flashed a smile at her.
“Hello! My name is Abby and I will be takin’ care of y’all today. What can I start you off with to drink?”
“Water for me please,” Paxton answered.
“I’ll take coffee and water.”
“Sugar or cream?”
“Just black.” Duke smiled up at her. He noticed how she smiled a little longer at him before she turned to get their drinks.
“Way to hide your crush honey,” Paxton said when she was out of ear shot.
Duke looked at her. He smiled, “Jealous?”
“You woke up in my bed, remember? She won’t ever get that lucky, plus isn’t she a little young for you?” Paxton raised her eyebrows.
“Yeah,” Duke chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”
He watched Paxton a few minutes longer before he turned his attention to the menu. He already knew what he wanted but he needed to get away from her gaze. He wouldn’t be able to hold on to his secret if he looked at her for too long.
***
Paxton sat back and rubbed her stomach, “Ugh, I am so full!”
She looked at her now empty plate. Two plate-sized pancakes, 2 strips of bacon, and an egg no longer sat in front of her. She couldn’t decide on any one thing so she ordered a few things. Now she regretted it. She didn’t understand how she just fit a meal for two in her.
“You hardly had anything!”
She looked over at Duke knowing he had to feel the same way. He got the usual Cat Backer Skillet. It consisted of potatoes, onions,
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