Under the Midnight Stars Read Online Free

her seemed to put his woes at rest. Within five minutes he pushed open the front door of the diner.

    Brielle beamed when Colt walked in. She’d taken extra care in getting ready this morning, setting her alarm an hour early to apply a light layer of makeup — a ritual she usually saved for dates, which were few and far between.
    All morning, with every jingle of the bell hanging over the door, she anxiously awaited Colt’s charming presence, only to be disappointed with a local face. But now he was finally here.
    Mimi’s eyes lit up at the hunky morsel. She quickly grabbed a menu.
    Brielle snatched the menu from Mimi’s hands. “Uh uh. This one’s mine.”
    Mimi narrowed her eyes and tried to snatch the menu from Brielle’s firm grasp. “It’s my turn.”
    Brielle clenched her jaw and smiled. “I said I’ve got this one.”
    “Good morning, Brielle.” Colt gave a quick nod in her direction. “Lucky me to have you as a waitress two days in a row.”
    “Hmph.” Mimi snorted her disapproval through pursed lips. She let go of the menu. “I guess I’ll just get the next one … Brielle, ” she mocked tartly before she sauntered into the kitchen.
    “Sorry about that.” Brielle shrugged. “She doesn’t like to lose.”
    “I didn’t realize there was a competition going on.” Colt smirked.
    “Me either.” She lowered her eyes to hide her embarrassment and set the menu down in the same spot where he’d sat yesterday. She quickly changed the subject. “What would you like this morning? The special’s ham, eggs, and biscuits with gravy for four ninety-nine.”
    He sat down and picked up the menu, handing it back to her. “Then I guess I won’t be needing this now, will I?”
    She smiled and slid the menu back into the slot. “I guess not.”
    She reached for the coffee pot and grabbed a mug from under the counter, filling it to the brim. Though she had filled a cup of coffee hundreds of times before, she’d never felt this nervous. Every move she made was a conscious effort to complete the task at hand.
    “Here you go, freshly brewed.” She sighed with relief when the cup made contact with the counter without one drop of the hot liquid spilled. Turning toward the kitchen, she yelled over the back counter, “Another special, Emmit.”
    “Thank you, Brielle.” Colt sipped his coffee. “So, do you know where I can buy a truck around here?”
    Her eyes lit up. “Yes — my brother’s selling his truck. He’s trying to pay off the new car he just bought.” A frown replaced her smile. “It needs a little work, though. The engine keeps sputtering then dying.”
    Colt grinned. “How much?”
    “Eight hundred. It is pretty old though. An ’81 Dodge I think. And it’s black,” she said with assurance.
    He raised his brow. “And he’s only selling it for eight hundred? Is it wrecked?”
    “No. Maybe a couple of scratches and dings, but that’s about all. He’s just glad to be out from under a hunk of junk he has to work on all the time and into something new.”
    “Gabby!” Emmit shouted from the kitchen.
    She grabbed the morning special from the pass-through counter and set it in front of Colt.
    “Where’s this truck at?” Colt asked, digging into his eggs.
    “At Zeke’s Garage.”
    “Zeke’s still in business, huh?”
    “Yeah, I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you. Billy Collins works there too.”
    She squeezed her eyes shut, suddenly remembering her date with him that night. He’d been relentless about asking her out. Until two days ago she’d always turned him down because his record for cheating was all but branded on his forehead. But since he wouldn’t take no for an answer, she figured a date would finally end his pursuit.
    The doorbell dinged and a customer walked in.
    “I’ll be right back.” Brielle grabbed a menu and went to the front door.

    Colt cut a slice of ham and shoved it into his mouth. The last time he’d seen Billy Collins, he’d left him lying in