Two Minutes for Hooking

Chapter 8

Winger: Forward who lines up at left or right wing (The Complete Hockey Dictionary)

"Did you drive here?" James asked.
"Nah, I walked. You?"
"Yeah, I was feeling lazy." He laughed. "But that makes it easier to figure out who's vehicle we are taking."
"Either way the answer would have been yours. Trust me, you don't want to be seen unfolding from the passenger seat of a Nissan juke, do you?"
That just made him laugh more, "no, I guess I don't."
He lead me to his truck still grinning and we pulled out of the parking lot in style that my car wouldn't have afforded.
"So, where are you taking me?" I asked curiously. He gave me a mischievous smile.
"I guess you'll have to see now, won't you?"I laughed and we fell into an easy silence for the rest of the ride.
We pulled up outside a 50's style diner called 'Marge's Diner' and I looked at James.
He must have seen the confusion on my face because he laughed his amazing laugh again.
"You've never been to Marge's'?" he guessed.
"Nope, I've driven by it a million times, but I've never really thought to sop here."
"Well then, you're in for a treat. They have the largest breakfast menu in town, but unlike other diners, they serve real coffee and their food is amazing."
"I guess I'll have to your word for it won't I?"
Before I could get myself unbuckled James was out of the vehicle and on my side helping me. He reached out to take my hand and I swear I felt sparks. I blinked, perplexed, I thought sparks were something romance novelists made up.
He helped me down and locked the door, but he didn't let go of my hand until we got to the front of the diner. There he let go of my hand to pull open the door and lead me in with a hand on the small of my back. He kept his hand on my back as he lead me to a booth near the back. To my surprise we were far from the only people there. The diner was more than half full even at this time of morning. "James? Is that you?" a plump woman in her mid sixties called while she walked out from the kitchen with menus.
"Hi Marge," he said with a smile, getting up to give her a hug.
"I was starting to think you had forgotten about us. You don't call, you don't write."
"I just got back in town last month, you know how hard they train us right before the season starts."
"Fine, I guess it's OK. Oh! Well who is this? James, I didn't know you had a girlfriend. And such a pretty one too. What's your name hun?" she smiled at me.
"Marge, this is Jocelyn. Jocelyn, this is Marge, Marge and her husband Bill were my billet family the first year I was here."
"Hi Marge, nice to meet you," I said offering my hand. "Oh nonsense," Marge said. "Anyone good enough for my James gets a hug not a handshake. Come here and let me get a good look at you."
I tentatively stood and was engulfed in an enormous hug. Marge smelled like cinnamon and fry oil and she hugged me like I was one of her own. I liked her immediately.
"Now I won't keep you two, take your time with the menu. I'll go get you a couple waters and be right back." And with a pinch to James cheek she walked away.
"Sorry, Marge can be a lot to take in." He said blushing to his roots.
"She's lovely, don't worry. Are you blushing?"
"What? No" he said looking down at his menu unconvincingly.
"They have the best breakfast burritos here. If it wasn't a game day, that's what I would be getting. What are you hungry for? Oh and their lattes are awesome."
"Smooth topic change. For the record you are totally blushing, but it's kind of charming."James glared halfheartedly at me over the top of his menu. "I do not blush"
I decided I would let that one slide.