I'm loving the response I'm already getting! Thanks guys. Enjoy the next chapter!

Not mine.

Exhausted doesn't begin to cover what I'm feeling right now. I collapse onto the bed and sigh as my weight is finally off my feet. It was my first official week at the diner and I couldn't believe how much work it really was. After being hit on by every man that walked into the joint, I was constantly walking back and forth with orders that I'd screwed up. I think they left sympathy tips.

"Come on." Karen said, knocking once before entering my room. "It wasn't that bad."

"I ruined half of my orders."

"You did well. Better than half the people before you." She sat on the bed.

"Thanks, I guess."

"So what do you want for dinner?" She asked. It was eleven at night.

"Dinner?"

"Yeah, cherry or blueberry?"

"Pie?"

"What else?"

"Cherry please." I said.

"Okay. Come and get it."

"But…but…"

"Honey, your feet are going to kill until you are used to it. Get up."

I groaned and hoisted myself back up. We sat at the small table and ate our pie. She told me stories of the waitresses before her and how much of a mess they were. I honestly felt better.

Or maybe that was the pie talking.

I slept soundly without Ranger haunting my dreams again. I woke up and shocked myself in the bathroom.

I was actually…smiling.

Huh. I guess I was feeling better. Damn mountain air. Makes everyone crazy.

"You look good today." Karen noted.

"Thanks. I think it's the air."

"It's good for you. I keep telling everyone that."

We laughed and headed off to work.

Today was better than yesterday. I actually got more orders right than wrong. I also learned how to take care of the sleazy men better. I got more laughs when I used my Jersey 'tude than politeness.

"Hi, what can I get you?" I said coming up to a table. I looked up and saw the most gorgeous man in the entire state. I sucked in a small breath.

"Hi, you must be the new waitress that Karen has been talking up all around town." He said, smiling at me. God, it was a yummy smile. I blushed and smiled back. He turned to the little person sitting across from him. "Say hi to Stephanie, Tyler."

"Hi, Stefie."

"Hi Tyler." Now I like kids, when they go home. But I felt a pull to this little boy. He was the spitting image of his father. They both had brown hair, fair skin and big expressive hazel eyes. The father had a wider smile than his son, so I guess he got that from his mother. But everything else was the same. He smiled at me and I smiled back.

"I'm Dylan by the way." The father said.

"I'm Stephanie, but it looks like you already know that." I said, blushing. Tyler giggled. "So what can I get you?"

"Ty?" Dylan asked, turning to his son.

"Chicken fingers!" I was impressed he could say that.

"He knows those because he's been saying them since birth. Everyone's shocked. He loves chicken fingers." I nodded and wrote it down. "I'll have the cheeseburger and extra fries."

Now this guy knew how to live.

I smiled. "You need anything else, just yell." I turned and put the order in. Karen was smirking at me.

"Looks like you met Dylan."

"How…?"

"You have a dazed look. He's the town sweetheart. Tragic about his wife though…"

"Oh?" I said, ears perked.

"Yeah, died of cancer two years ago. He's been raising Tyler all by himself."

"How sad," I said, glancing over at the father and son.

"Yeah," she said, eying me. "He's a real catch."

I looked at her. "Oh, no, I'm not…"

"Don't lie, honey, I'd know that look anywhere. You're interested. You'd have to be dead not to be."

The same thing was said about Ranger. What was with me and good looking men?

It was a mild night in July and Karen and I were enjoying the weather by sitting on the swing. She would talk about her family that live all over the country and call when they can, but I could tell that she was missing them. She had two daughters and one son, who lived the closest and visited every chance he got, but it had been a while.

"It's nice to have you hear, Stephanie, I'm not a big fan of quiet."

"Me either, but it's nice to not be the talk of the town."

"Like it or not, you are, honey. Not many new comers make their way out here."

"But at least it's in a good way and not because you blew up another car."

"You blew up cars? On purpose?"

"No, they were all on accident and not my fault." We spent the rest of the night talking about each and every car that I had destroyed. She liked the cello story the most.

The next day, Dylan and Tyler were back.

"Hey guys, what'll it be?"

"Same as yesterday?" He asked Tyler.

"Yah, chicken!"

We laughed and I put in their order.

I found myself looking forward to the two of them showing up each day. I was shocked when I pulled out my long forgotten tube of mascara and smoothed a few coats on. Karen always saw me and smiled. I think she was trying to play a little matchmaker.

One week after they had been coming in regularly, Dylan came in by himself.

"Hey, Dylan," I said. "Where's Ty?"

"With his grandma this afternoon. I wanted to ask you something."

"Oh?" I looked at him.

"I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me." I opened my mouth to protest, but he continued. "I know your situation and I was offering as a friendly, get to know you dinner. It doesn't have to go any farther than that. But I'd really like it if you joined me."

I thought about it. Why shouldn't I go on a non-date date? I mean, Ranger didn't have any claim on me now with his wife. Why can't I try to move on? Who knows, maybe Dylan is my one and I just thought that Ranger was.

Denial was working for me tonight.

"Sure, I'd love to."

He smiled and I smiled. I felt like I was in middle school again.

"I'll pick you up at seven on Saturday, okay?"

"Sure, okay," I said, with a nod.

He smiled at me once more and then left. I was suddenly feeling my mood perk even more. It was nice to finally have plans on Saturday again.