The thick snowflakes swirled and shimmered bright white in the early morning light.  Kenneth glanced out at the rising sun.  “We’ll take an order to go.”

“No, that’s okay,” Simone said to the waiter.

“Make it two,” Kenneth said.  “I’d hate to disappoint the lunchroom bandits.”  Khean nodded and scribbled the order for Cal and Mateo.

“That’s really not necessary,” she said to Kenneth.  “I was just making a point.”

“And now I’m making mine,” he shrugged.  He liked taking care of her, even with this small gesture.

“What are you doing today?”  He asked.  “Besides getting some sleep,” he smiled.

“Oh, just a few errands,” she said vaguely.

“I don’t mean to pry.”  He stopped himself from asking more.  He could imagine some of the problems she must have had with men.  “The highlight of my day will be screening a couple of hundred resumes for the construction project manager position.  I’m thinking of leaving the ad up for another week.  As long as we find someone by month-end we should be in good shape.”

“I have my class this afternoon,” she volunteered.

“At the gym?”

“My cosmetology program.”

“Really?”  He never would have guessed.

“Don’t look so surprised.”  She stirred her coffee intently, offended.

“Sorry, I….”  Kenneth’s voice trailed off and he glanced out the window.  “I’m an asshole.”  He turned his gaze back to Simone and she looked up from her coffee.  “I’ll try to be less so,” he said quietly.

“I figured you were,” she replied.  Kenneth smiled faintly.

“Thank you,” she said to the waiter as he dropped off the takeout orders.  “A slice of cheesecake to go as well.”

She turned to Kenneth and smiled.  He burst out laughing.

 

 

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Here is Part 1 of the story:  Frank’s RedHot
Here is Part 2 of the story:  Frank’s RedHot – Part II
Here is Part 3 of the story:  Frank’s RedHot – Part III
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