specifics of what was happening, but two things were perfectly clear. Evan and Luke didn’t like each other, and both men were after the same car.
“How do you know Mr. Browning?” I asked.
The friendliness in Luke’s eyes had totally evaporated and his voice was flat. “He knows my dad.”
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Evan said, his voice low.
“Evan, it’s fine.”
“Talk to her like what? I just answered her question.”
“Go home, Luke,” Evan said. “You’re not getting that car.”
Luke scoffed. “Fuck you.”
“I’m serious. The car’s mine.”
“Like hell it is.”
The waitress hesitated nearby, her expression drawn with concern, and the tension was palpable. Luke’s nostrils flared and Evan’s eye twitched. They were like two wild animals circling each other, waiting for the right moment to attack.
“Guys, maybe we should—”
“Stay out of it,” Luke snapped.
Evan stepped forward. “Don’t fucking talk to her.”
Luke stood. “Kiss my ass, dick. Can’t hide behind your brothers out here.”
“Neither can you, asshole.”
They were attracting the attention of everyone in the diner. Two guys with barrel chests and thick necks came out of the kitchen and headed toward our booth. This was a truck stop diner. It was probably not the first time they’d broken up a fight in their restaurant.
“Um, guys—”
Luke’s eyes flicked to me. “Kitten, why don’t you take your ass outside and let the men talk.”
Evan grabbed Luke’s shirt at the collar. “I said don’t fucking talk to her.”
Luke pushed Evan and they stumbled into the aisle. Some lady near the back screamed—which was ridiculous, it was just a little scuffle—and the two guys from the kitchen surged in. I scooted closer to the window to stay out of the way.
Evan landed a punch to Luke’s jaw and Luke answered with a jab to Evan’s ribs. A couple of blows later, the men from the kitchen were on them, hauling them apart.
“Let’s go,” one of them grumbled, forcing Luke toward the door.
Evan growled as the other one stood between him and Luke. “Don’t even think about it, buddy.”
He let the guy lead him out. It was clear from the look on Evan’s face, and the way he stalked down the aisle between the booths, that he was walking out by choice.
I grabbed my purse, thinking I might need to make a quick exit. But Luke and Evan obviously weren’t going to keep fighting outside. Luke went straight to a truck and got in.
The waitress came back to my table, casting preoccupied glances outside. “Do you still want to order anything?”
I looked out the window again. Evan was pacing outside his truck while Luke pulled out of the parking lot.
“Yeah, how about some sausage, bacon, and toast. Enough for two, and I’ll take it to go.” I didn’t know what Evan liked, but I figured he’d be hungry. I sure was. I didn’t want to leave without breakfast because of some silly tussle.
“Okay. I’ll get that going for you.”
One of the guys from the kitchen paused by my table on his way back inside. “You all right?”
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. I’m just waiting for my order, then I’ll get out of your way. I’m really sorry about all that. I don’t know what happened.”
“It’s all right. Not your fault.” He eyed me for a second. “You need any help?”
“No, I’m really okay. But thank you for asking.”
He nodded and went back to the kitchen.
I watched Evan out the window while I waited for our breakfasts. He took Sasquatch out of the truck and walked him over to a grassy patch again, then put him back inside. I sipped my coffee. I could tell he was angry—I could almost feel it from here. But it wasn’t my fault he’d gotten kicked out.
The waitress came back with a bag and the check.
“I know it’s none of my business, but was that your ex-boyfriend or something?” she asked.
“No, that didn’t have anything to do with me.”
She raised her eyebrows like she didn’t believe me. “Huh. Well, your guy sure is protective of you. Must be nice.”
“Oh, he’s not my guy. We’re not together. We’re traveling together, but not because we’re together.”
She glanced out the window toward where Evan stood next to his truck, her eyes sparkling with interest. No, not interest. It was undisguised attraction. Lust, even. Her tongue darted across her lower lip and I had the sudden urge to start a scuffle of my own.
I cleared my throat. “I should get going.”
She blinked her eyes back to me and set the bag and the check on the