Cass had a few days off, and the thought of sleeping in as much as she wanted and not having to go anywhere sounded fantastic. She drove back to the Crimson Trucking company headquarters to park her cab and pick up her car with a weary smile.

The attendant at the gate met her with a wave, checking over the vehicle as Cass stretched beside him. "Did you hear the news about the merger?"

Cass cracked her neck and frowned at the man. "No. What's goin' on?"

The man checked her tire pressure and made a note on his clipboard. "Apparently Silver Rush bought us out. Supposedly we're all gonna keep our jobs and just be part of a big happy family, but…" He scoffed and signed off on the form. "I been through a few too many jobs to trust that."

Cass took the form from him and handed over her keys.

"Take that to the new boss; she needs to see it and she's been big on meeting everyone." He rolled his eyes and twirled her keys on his finger. "I'll get your four wheeler out here for you."

"Thanks." Cass offered him a smile and hoped that he was just being cynical. She headed inside, greeting familiar faces as she walked through the building. It didn't take her long to find the newly occupied office, and the trucker was mildly impressed at the fancy nameplate on the door.

She knocked, entering when a voice from inside told her to. "Ms. McLafferty? I'm Cass Cassidy, one'a the drivers here."

The white haired woman at the desk looked up and studied Cass for a few moments. "Pleasure to meet you. I suppose it's high time we introduced ourselves." She stood and extended her hand.

Cass stepped forward and shook it quickly, doing her best to suppress an eye roll at the woman's limp grip. "Yeah, reckon so. I've been here for a while now, so it'd be good to get to know all the new people."

McLafferty hummed in answer, still sizing up the redhead. "Alice McLafferty, new president of this branch of Silver Rush Freight. I've been in the business for most of my life, so I know exactly what I'm doing. You have no reason to worry about that." She offered the trucker a thin smile. "You keep up with your assignments, and everything should be dandy. Agreed?"

"Yes ma'am." Cass offered the woman her trip's report and logbook, ready to get out of the office. "The attendant told me to give these to you directly."

Alice motioned toward a pile of papers on her desk and sat down. "My office is open should you have any concerns."

Cass made a vague noise of agreement, dropped her paperwork, and left the office. She only stopped off for a quick bathroom break, then walked back to the parking lot.

True to his word, the attendant had her Pontiac pulled up near the gate. He was in the middle of checking in another truck, so Cass waited her turn to sign off on her car.

"I see you managed to escape in one piece," he joked when he finally made his way back to the redhead.

"Yeah. Shit, who shoved a telephone pole up her ass? Almost seemed like she's paranoid someone'll take over her job, and she just got here!"

The attendant laughed and passed her the clipboard. "I know someone's gotta do it, but… god I hate business people."

"I hear ya." Cass scribbled her signature and exchanged the clipboard for her car keys. "Take care."

The attendant nodded and headed back to his office.

Cass got in her car and drove to her apartment, putting the new woman's cold demeanor out of her mind so she could enjoy her time off.

=====:=====

Upon returning to work, Cass was given an assignment directly from the new boss: a trip up to Idaho. She had a load to drop off in Boise, then a pick up at a potato plant nearby. More than a few bad jokes ran through her mind as she plotted out her course on the map, and she smiled to herself as she put her truck in gear and headed off to pick up her first load.

Not long after starting out, a tire pressure light popped up on her dashboard. Cass pulled over and checked the pressure, then added more air at a nearby gas station. It helped for a few hours, but the light came on again. Cass scowled and called her supervisor so he could pass on the news to the people waiting on her, then found a nearby auto shop and got her tire replaced.

The process took a few hours, and Cass was cranky by the time she got back on the road. She pushed her truck to its speed limit to try and make up the lost time, but she still only arrived after the receiver closed. She camped out in her sleeper cab nearby and waited for morning, preparing apologies as she drifted off to sleep.

The rest of the trip seemed to go by smoothly, and once the potato assignment was done, her workload was simple. She had a few hours while she was in Little Rock and went for a jog while she waited for her phone to ring. The exercise was welcome for her restless legs, and she felt much more alive afterward.

She nearly forgot about her new habit of gathering postcards until halfway through her journey, when a brilliant photo of the Rocky Mountains caught her eye. Cass purchased it and added it to her small collection, and hoped she wouldn't have any terrible stories to tell about traversing the mountain pass when she made it back to the diner.

=====:=====

By the time she made it back to the diner, Cass had collected nearly ten different postcards. She'd almost gotten used to them being on her visor, and had to jog back to her truck to get them. She rubbed the fingerprints off with her shirttails and nudged the door open with her shoulder.

The redhead scanned the diner as she stepped in, and her shoulders sagged when she only spotted Archie at the counter.

He looked up at the sound of the door, pushing his glasses up his nose and grinning. "Hey Cass! Have a seat wherever you'd like!"

"Veronica workin' tonight?" The trucker walked over and sat at the counter, setting the postcards down and covering them with her hat.

"Nah, just me today. Tuesdays are pretty slow." Archie got her a glass of sarsaparilla. "How're the roads treating you?"

"Roads are fine," Cass allowed, fingering the brim of her hat and trying not to frown. "The days are long. Soon as I get paid, it'll be worth in."

The waiter laughed. "I bet. I'm just waiting for my shift to be over, then I'm going to get my check and head right to the bank."

Cass raised an eyebrow. "You get paid on Tuesday?"

Archie shrugged. "I don't make the rules, I just bus tables. Know what you want, or do you want a menu?"

"Uh… Just the meatloaf, I guess."

"Coming right up." Archie slipped away to place the order, leaving Cass alone in the empty diner.

Cass cursed inwardly once she was alone. She knew she shouldn't bother being disappointed; there was no way she could have predicted Veronica's schedule. Still, she'd hoped…

Archie reappeared with a bucket of silverware. He set it on the counter and hesitated, studying Cass with concern. "Everything okay there?"

The trucker nodded. "Just been… hopin' for somethin'." She rubbed at her forehead and forced a smile.

Archie didn't look totally convinced, but he let it slide and started wrapping the silverware.

Cass pulled a napkin out of the holder by her elbow and began folding it into different patterns. The simple motions and the background noise of Archie's task were a welcome distraction, and Cass told herself that she'd be able to deliver the postcards sooner or later.

The blond snorted after a few minutes, his gaze trained on something out the window when Cass glanced up at him. "Would I be right in guessing that that's what you were hoping for?"

Cass followed his gaze and watched a little blue car park outside the diner. She couldn't help the warmth that rose in her chest when Veronica got out of the car and ignored Archie's knowing smile.

"And here I thought I was your favorite," the blond teased.

The bell on the door jingled as Veronica entered, and Cass was torn about whether or not to turn and greet the brunette. Her decision was made for her a moment later when Veronica spoke.

"I thought that might be your truck." Veronica walked over and perched on a stool beside Cass, grinning at the redhead. "Nice to see you."

"You too." Cass returned the smile, taking a moment to appreciate the sight of Veronica in jeans and a hoodie.

Archie turned and unlocked a drawer, fishing out an envelope. "So, what brings you in on your day off?" he joked as he handed Veronica the envelope.

Veronica rolled her eyes and threw a sugar packet at him. "Payday, duh." She glanced at the trucker and grinned. "Though I might hang around a bit and help our favorite redhead tolerate your boring self."

Cass laughed while Archie pretended to be offended.

"Criticism of my stellar people skills aside," Archie said, "you dropping by sure has brightened up the place. Ol' Rosie here was a real sourpuss until you walked in."

Cass felt heat rise up her neck and glared at the blond for the nickname. "Was not."

Veronica looked intrigued. She met the trucker's gaze and raised her eyebrows. "Oh really? Hey, you know, I just realized I never got your name until just now."

Cass considered that briefly, then leveled another dirty look at the waiter. "Well, it sure as hell ain't Rosie. Cass or Cassidy, maybe even Rose. Anything but Rosie."

Amusement passed across the brunette's face. "I'll keep that in mind. But hey, at least you weren't named 'Arcade'."

Archie groaned with embarrassment. "Why? Why do you have to bring that up?"

Veronica laughed at her coworker's reaction while Cass raised an eyebrow at the blond.

"Arcade? Really?"

"I plead the fifth. Did someone hear the chef? I'll go check." Archie narrowed his eyes at Veronica and fled into the kitchen.

The brunette was still giggling when she met Cass's gaze. "He told me it was because he was conceived in an arcade parking lot."

Cass snorted and leaned against the counter. Her elbow brushed against her hat, and she was reminded of the postcards beneath it. "Hey, got you something." She smiled at the curiosity on Veronica's face and lifted her hat to grab the postcards. She passed them to the waitress, suddenly nervous about the reaction she'd receive.

"Postcards? I was kidding! Wow, Cass." Veronica studied each one in turn, her eyes wistful. "Thank you. You didn't have to bring these."

The redhead shrugged and tried to be nonchalant. "You asked. 'Sides, it's kinda fun to hunt for 'em." She could feel Veronica's gaze on her and ignored the heat that rose up her neck.

Before either of them could say anything else, Archie returned with Cass's meal. He set it down in front of her with a flourish, then noticed the postcards in Veronica's hands. "What've you got there?"

Veronica carefully tucked the postcards into the pocket of her hoodie and smiled innocently. "Pictures of naked ladies. You wouldn't be interested."

Cass nearly choked on her sarsaparilla.

Veronica and Archie laughed, and once Cass had recovered, she joined in. The two employees continued ribbing each other while the trucker ate, and Cass simply enjoyed the camaraderie.

"Dessert?" the blond asked once he'd cleared away the trucker's plate. "We've got pie."

Veronica stood and stretched, lifting a hand in a wave. "I better go."

The thought of the brunette leaving made Cass's heart sink. "My treat?" she offered quickly.

Veronica blinked. "What?"

"Pie. I'll pay." Cass cringed at how inarticulate she sounded.

The brunette looked embarrassed. "Oh. I don't — I couldn't…"

A silence settled over the diner and after a few seconds, Archie cleared his throat. He didn't bother to hide the amusement in his eyes. "Am I getting anyone pie or not?"

Cass and Veronica stared at each other, and finally Veronica sank back onto the stool.

Relief flooded the redhead's mind and she nearly sagged against the counter. "Okay. Good. Yeah." She turned to Archie and held up two fingers. "We'll have some pie."

Veronica's ears were still pink when Archie set down two pieces of pie in front of the women. "I can pay," she began.

Cass scoffed and picked up her fork. "I offered. C'mon," she interrupted when the brunette began to protest, "how often do you get free dessert?"

Veronica considered it, then pulled her plate toward herself. "Fine. I guess I shouldn't look a gift pie in the mouth, huh?"

Archie groaned from across the diner where he had started cleaning a table. Cass rolled her eyes, and Veronica looked pleased with her joke before she started eating.

Cass ate slowly, savoring the sweetness of her tongue and time spent with Veronica nearby. Something about the waitress put her at ease, and the trucker couldn't remember the last time it had been so easy to smile around someone.

She glanced over at the brunette, taking in the sight of her. Veronica's hair was short and feminine, her eyes happy and warm, and there was a beautiful half-smile on her face as she ate. Cass felt drawn to her, but she didn't know why.

"I can't believe you didn't go with chocolate," the trucker said after a moment. "How can you go wrong with that?"

Veronica swallowed and rolled her eyes. "Maybe I just like strawberry better." She smiled and scraped the last of the strawberry goo off her plate.

Cass grinned and pretended not to watch as the brunette licked off her fork. Archie looked amused when he slid her the ticket and took her plate.

Veronica sighed contentedly, setting her fork down and smiling over at Cass. "That was good. Thank you."

Cass checked the receipt, nodding to herself when she saw both desserts charged to her. She returned the brunette's smile and shrugged. "No problem. Nice to have company."

Veronica cocked her head and studied the trucker for a moment. "I bet. I never stopped to think about what it was like driving a truck all the time. Do you use those radios to talk to other truckers?"

The redhead snorted. "Naw, no one really uses those anymore unless they feel like bein' a dick and spoutin' shit. Most folks call family or their spouse or something and talk to them while they drive."

Veronica picked up on the wording and raised her eyebrows. "What about you?"

"Don't have anyone to call. Never could figure out who would want to get with someone who's gone all the damn time. Don't think I know anyone who'd wanna treat a phone call as a date, anyway." Cass shrugged. "Besides, I like the quiet. Sometimes I'll turn on the radio, but mostly I keep it quiet."

"That sounds… lonely."

"Sometimes," Cass agreed after a moment. She didn't know exactly what to say and grappled for words. "S'part of why I like coming here so much. You're good company."

A curious look appeared on Veronica's face as a blush began to form on her cheeks, and Cass coughed and backpedaled.

"Both of you. It's nice to come here and see both'a you. Friendly faces and all." The trucker couldn't look at the waitress, and she turned to Archie. "Ready for me to pay?"

The blond took mercy on her and waved her over to the cash register. His eyes were still twinkling with amusement, but he didn't say anything. Cass gave him a weak glare as she paid.

Veronica had just gotten off of her stool when Cass turned back around, and the brunette gave her an uncertain look. "Want me to take care of the tip or something?"

Cass shook her head. "It's all paid for already. But thanks."

Veronica glanced over the trucker's shoulder and flushed, but Archie was innocently cleaning the counter when Cass turned. Veronica cleared her throat and smiled weakly.

A few moments of silence passed and Cass finally shook herself and stepped toward the door. "I'd better get goin'. Got some paperwork to fill out and probably gonna get another assignment here in a bit."

"Oh, yeah. That makes sense. Uh, drive safe."

Cass escaped the diner as casually as she could and climbed into her truck. She exhaled slowly and glanced back into the diner's windows, somewhat surprised to see Archie and Veronica talking seriously about something. She couldn't see much other than their body language, but the brunette seemed tense.

Cass gave her truck's horn a honk, grinning to herself when Veronica visibly jumped. She waved when the waitress wheeled around to look at her, then started up her truck and drove away, still thinking of pie and Veronica's embarrassed smile.