Chasing Shadows

Chapter 7

A few days later, the team stopped at a small diner on the edge of town. The bell above the door jingled as Jessica walked in, the aroma of fresh coffee and sizzling bacon welcoming them. Jessica found a booth in a quiet corner and slid into the seat, cradling a steaming cup of coffee in her hands. The local news played softly on a TV mounted in the corner, discussing the recent weather patterns that had been affecting the region.

Jessica's attention was on the screen when a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. "Mind if I join you?" Tyler asked, his smile warm and casual.

She looked up, slightly startled, and nodded. "Sure."

Tyler slid into the opposite side of the booth and flagged down a passing waitress. "Morning. I'll have a coffee and the Breakfast Platter, please."

Jessica took another sip of her coffee, glancing around the diner as she tried to shake off her surprise at his approach. The waitress then turned to her. "And you?"

Jessica hesitated, then shook her head, motioning to the cup in her hands. "I'm good with just the coffee for now, thanks."

Tyler raised an eyebrow, giving her a playful look. "Come on, you should get something to eat."

Jessica looked at him, a bit unsure. "I wasn't planning on eating."

"Nonsense," Tyler said with a grin. "Get some pancakes or something. Trust me, you'll need the energy."

After a moment's consideration, Jessica relented. "Alright, I'll take a couple of pancakes, please."

The waitress nodded and went off to place the order. Tyler turned his attention back to Jessica. "So, how's your morning been?"

Jessica shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Quiet. I was just watching the news."

Tyler chuckled. "The news? That's a brave choice this early in the morning."

Jessica smiled slightly. "Yeah, I guess it's just a bit of a habit."

The waitress brought over their food and Tyler started telling her stories about some of the chases he and the team had been through.

"There was this one chase where we ended up in the middle of nowhere, and I mean nowhere. We were caught in a storm, and Boone thought it would be a good idea to use an old, dusty barn as our safe spot. We set up our gear, and then out of nowhere, a herd of cows starts mooing at us."

Jessica laughed, shaking her head. "Seriously? Cows?"

"Yep," Tyler continued, grinning. "Anot not just any cows. These were the nosiest cows you've ever seen. They kept poking their heads into the barn and trying to eat our equipment. We ended up having to shoo them away every few minutes."

Jessica laughed harder, imagining the scene. "That must have been quite the sight."

"It was," Tyler agreed, still chuckling. "We managed to get some great footage, but I don't think we've ever had to deal with such persistent spectators for a video before."

The conversation continued to flow easily. Tyler kept the mood light with more stories from his chases, each one funnier than the last. Jessica found herself relaxing more with each passing minute, her earlier reservations melting away.

Finally, as they finished their meal, Tyler took a sip of his coffee and looked at Jessica with a more thoughtful expression. "You know, I'm really glad we had this chance to talk."

Jessica smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest that wasn't just from the coffee. "I'm glad too, Tyler. It's been nice."

They each paid for their bill and got up to make their way out of the diner. They walked out of the diner, and Tyler held the door open for her with a courteous nod. "After you."