"Now how about that coffee?" "okay" she said, he thinks, God she is beautiful in a soft and shy kind of way, and he orders coffee for them and a piece of the diner's special homemade apple pie ala 'mode, which as it turns out is her favorite also, but he knew that before ordering, somehow?
She smiled at him and his heart melted for this woman that he knew he would do just about anything for. They sit in silence for awhile enjoying their pie and coffee, And he's thinking where do we go from here? She's thinking he's so darn good Looking he makes me nervous with just a glance my way, and she promptly drops her fork and chuckles to herself.
They concentrate on finishing their pie and refill of coffee, taking each other in deeply with only their eyes, making a connection unimaginable only days before for both of them. He broke the concentration saying only, ready? "Yes", she said. Starke paid their check, left a tip and said, "I'll walk you to your jeep", she said, "How did you know that was mine?" He said, "lucky guess", as they walked across the lot, Starke glanced up at the night sky and then he heard her gasp, he shot her a look, seeing the horrified look on her face, he looked at the two vehicles side by side and saw that all four of her tires had been slashed, his were not touched, he couldn't help being grateful for that. He said, "I guess you were right, she is watching your every move." "Told you" she said, over her shoulder as she made her way to the pay phone to call her towing service, Starke assumed.
When she had made her call and returned to his side he said we can wait across the street, I don't know about you but I sure could use a beer, she said, "sounds good to me", as she tugged on his sleeve to get him moving as they headed across the street to the little honky tonk bar and as they approached they could hear loud country music coming from inside, they pushed through the door and could barely see into the smoke filled bar, but as their eyes adjusted, sure enough there was a small live band and an equally small wooden dance floor with sawdust scattered across it, and a few line dancers kicking up their heels to the lively music.
They slid into a tiny booth as a waitress appeared immediately he ordered a bottle of beer for each of them. Starke said, "Do you like country music Candee?" She said; "I love it," Ok then how about a dance as the band started up with a familiar two step, Candee said "oh, but I don't know how to do any of the dances, I just listen to the music." He stood up and gently took her hand pulled her up from the seat and said, come on I'm a great leader just follow and do what I tell you, it's easy, he got her into position and said as I go forward, you go back two short quick steps and then two slow, let's try it and he started off, she fell right into step with him, and she was so amazed that she was actually two stepping that it took a few minutes to realize that someone was shouting, who owns the jeep over by the diner? She yelled back to be heard over the loud band, I do and grabbed for her beer, Starke did the same and they headed for the door.