Down to Business (Business Series) by J.C. Alexander

apartment and the rent was good. Unfortunately, when I called I found out the room was already taken.
    Feeling depleted, I gathered up my belongings and left the library. Before I could decide what to do next, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and blinked seeing an unknown local number.
    “Hello?” I answered cautiously.
    “Hey, it’s Vinny.”
    My heart skipped a beat. “Hey. How are you?”
    “I’m good. I didn’t wake you up did I?”
    “No, I’ve been up for a while,” I said suddenly turning into a klutz and dropping everything in my hand. “I just got done at the library..” I explained as I picked up my belongings.
    “I just got done at the gym and I was going to have breakfast. Did want to join me?”
    “For breakfast? Sure, just tell me where.”
    “Well if you’re at the campus library, there’s a little diner across the street called Penny Lane.”
    I narrowed my eyes and looked across the street, spotting it. “I see it. I’ll meet you there in five?”
    “Yeah, I’ll see you there,” he said with a smile in his voice.
    I hung up and wished I wouldn’t have given up my shower. Oh well, it was too late to regret… he had seen me a lot worse anyway.
    I walked across the street and entered the diner. It felt like I had taken a step back in time. It had the whole 50’s theme happening from the red and chrome décor to the black and white checkered floors. A soda counter was off to the left and fifties music hummed overhead.
    I spotted Vinny at one of the booths in the back. He was dressed in what I would assume were his gym clothes, a black shirt that was snug in all the right areas with black basketball shorts.
    He waved me over.
    “Hey,” I said as I slid into the bench across from him.
    A waitress dressed in a red polo shirt and black jeans approached our table with a pad and pen.
    “Want something to drink?” she asked, chewing gum like a horse. I stared up at her and paused, knowing my mother would have slapped the gum right out of my mouth if I took someone’s order like that.
    “Just an orange juice, please.”
    “Kay,” she walked back behind the soda counter to get my drink. I looked around the restaurant, noting a few groups of students eating and others studying.
    “How are you?” he asked, squeezing a lemon wedge into his water.
    “I’m good.” I answered, noticing some girls at a table nearby staring at me. I wondered if those were some of Vinny’s whore hounds. Fortunately, their view was blocked a moment later by the waitress bringing back my juice.
    She set it before me and tossed a straw down. “You know what you want?”
    I paused and picked up the two-sided laminated menu on the table in front of me. “I just need another minute.”
    “Kay, take your time.” She snapped her gum and moseyed back behind the counter.
    I studied the menu. “What’s good here?”
    “I haven’t been here before actually.”
    “Oh…” I flipped the menu over, trying to decide between an omelet and pancakes.
    “Did you and Lindy make up?”
    “Not yet.”
    “You ready now?” the waitress called from my left.
    “Uh sure, I’ll just have the Denver omelet.”
    “What about you?” she asked, pointing the end of her pen at Vinny.
    “I’ll have three eggs over easy with a side of bacon.”
    “Kay,” she said, blowing a bubble with her gum and popping it between her teeth. “Coming right up.”
    We watched her walk off and I wondered if he was as annoyed by her terrible etiquette as I was.
    “Do you always only eat meat for breakfast?” I asked, sipping my orange juice.
    “Yeah, I’m on a strict protein workout regimen,” he said and picked up his water, taking a drink.
    I smirked. “What about the spaghetti you ate last night?”
    “Never said I didn’t cheat once in a while.” He winked at me, causing my stomach to cinch.
    The waitress came back and looked down at me and mumbled an inaudible question.
    “I’m sorry?” I asked, furrowing my