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“Fat chance,” she argued “I want you to coreed, “but not before ten o’clock This early shit is for the birds”

She walked back over to her desk and pulled her calendar out “Dae “I’ up at me—“I have a lunch break from one to two Be here at one—not a minute later There’s a little deli one block north of here Tell them you want a number four for Shawn They know me there They’ll make it just the way I like it”

THE NEXT MORNING, I was up and showered early, ready to go I wouldn’t say I was excited to get back to Shawn’s office, but I wasn’t dreading it as much as I’d been the last two times I stopped and took a quick look at the phone nuht before

Madison

612-555-2369

I opened the drawer in my kitchen, tossed it in, and was onthe bike at ho Deli and hustled inside

A bell rang as I stepped through the door, catching the attention of the ed woman behind the counter

“Hey, sweet cheeks!” she said cheerfully “What can I get ya?”

“Uh…” I laughed “I’m supposed to order a number four for Shawn I have no idea what that is or what that means, but she said you’d make it just the way she likes it”

“Ah! I know exactly who you’re talking about Coave the order to the cook through theas I took a seat at the counter near the front

I couldn’t believe the place was only ten minutes from my house, yet I’d never known it existed The inside was decorated to look old-fashioned—black and white checkered tiles, tables and chairs with that silver rie chalkboard with the lass case that held all sorts of cookies and desserts at the other end of the restaurant caught my attention, so I walked over to check it out

“See anything you like?” the salass

I glanced up at her na Ruth

“Hi, Ruth Yeah, actually I’ll also take a cinnamon scone and a blueberry scone, please”

“Really?” The corner of her uy… but scones it is”

My rabbed a piece of tissue out of a box She scooped the scones out of the glass case and put the else? A shake or float maybe?”

Wait Floats?

“Oh, Ruth You had et a root beer float?”

“Dae drealed as she scooped vanilla ice crea that sandwich down to Sha, right?”

Still laughing at the dirty bird cashier from the sandwich shop, I nodded as she handedon” She turned back to the counter and started duh the cases

“All right, cutie patootie, you already have your root beer float and here’s your order Blueberry scone, cinnamon scone, nuinseng” I frowned at her when she mentioned the smoothie, but she just winked at rinned—“you’re aht have to take you home with me”