Brand New Me by Meg Benjamin Read Free Book Online Page A

moment before she shrugged. “I’ll think about it. Why don’t you call me back in a couple of days, and I’ll let you know if anything has occurred to me.”
    Craig managed a thin smile. Clearly, this was the best he could get for now. “Thank you, Mrs. Kent. I’ll do that.”

    Deirdre wrapped an apron around her waist, studying the patrons of the Faro apprehensively.
    “Now, you’ll need one of these little pads, too, only I don’t have any extras. See if Tom can get you one. You need to write the orders down so Clem can see ’em. And you’ll need a tray.”
    Bobby Sue Barksdale looked like she’d been born with a pad in her hand and a pencil tucked behind her ear. She wore running shoes, along with her navy knit slacks and button-down white shirt. Her graying blonde hair was permed into a tight frizz beneath a hairnet. Deirdre was fairly certain that Bobby Sue could write more orders in a minute than she herself could jot down in ten.
    She felt like closing her eyes and doing some deep-breathing exercises, except that that would undoubtedly convince every customer in the place that she was a first-class nutcase. She could do this. She had a master’s from the U of Texas, for Pete’s sake. Like Ames said, it wasn’t rocket science.
    As if she’d summoned him, he appeared at her side, with a pencil and a small pad of paper. “Here. You take the tables on the side of the room toward the kitchen. Let Bobby Sue handle the ones toward the front window. More people sit over there. We’ll start you out slow today. Write down the orders and take them into the kitchen. There’s a rack there where you pin them so Clem can see what to plate up.”
    The room was divided down the middle by a lane that led to the outdoor beer garden entrance. Deirdre glanced at the four tables on the kitchen side. Two middle-aged women sat at one table, while a young man sat at another nursing a beer.
    Ames nodded in the man’s direction. “Don’t know if he’ll order food or not, but you can check on him.” He patted her on the shoulder. “Go get ’em.”
    “But I haven’t had time to look at the menu yet.” She managed to keep her voice from squeaking in panic, but only just.
    He shrugged as he headed back toward the bar. “Don’t worry about it. All they order is burgers and enchiladas anyway.”
    Right. She took a deep breath and headed for the table with the two women. Both of them had water glasses and silverware. She realized suddenly she had no idea where to get those things herself. “Good afternoon. Can I take your order?” She forced her voice into a friendly tone. Just us hospitality workers here, ma’am.
    The woman nearest gave her a shrewd look. She wore her bright red hair in an elaborately curled and teased style that might have been a wig, but apparently wasn’t. “You’re new. What’s your name?”
    Deirdre swallowed. “Deirdre. Deirdre Brandenburg.”
    The woman narrowed her eyes. “Brandenburg. Hmm. Any relation to Docia Toleffson’s mama?”
    “Yes, ma’am. She’s my aunt.”
    The woman shook her head, her mouth flattening. “More Toleffsons. I swear, they’re taking over the town.”
    Deirdre thought about pointing out she wasn’t really a Toleffson, just a relative by marriage, but she let it go. She hated chatty waitresses herself. “Would y’all like to order now?”
    The other woman gave her a sharp look from behind her cat’s-eye glasses, then glanced back at the menu again. “No chicken salad?”
    Deirdre suddenly wished, with a sinking heart, that she’d taken the time to check out the menu no matter what Ames had said. “I understand the burgers are very good, ma’am. And the enchiladas.”
    The woman shook her head. “I don’t want a burger. Enchiladas give me gas.”
    Deirdre peered over her shoulder at the menu. “There’s a club sandwich. And grilled cheese.”
    “Oh, all right,” the woman said peevishly. “The club sandwich and iced tea.”
    Deirdre wrote the