SYNCHRONICITY (The Lone Wolf)

5

Lynn instructed Mary to park her car in the back of the lot where the employees parked their cars, that part of the lot couldn't be seen from Shore Drive or the side street. They got out of the car and Sebastian inhaled deeply, the smell of salty air and cooked beef...just two of the scents that he would associate with the girl who'd captured his heart with a look and sharp wit.

They walked in and a young woman ran toward the door seeing her and embraced Lynn. "Please tell me she's okay!"

Lynn nodded and smiled as she pulled away. "She's okay Paula. She'll probably get to come home tomorrow."

"Oh thank god!"

"Don't thank God honey. Thank this young man right here..."

"I'm sorry?"

"This is Sebastian. He traveled with the new hires. Trying to talk him into taking a job here for the summer."

She nodded. "Okay? I still don't get it."

"He saved her from drowning, hon." Lynn rolled her eyes and walked up to the counter, handing her store keys to the cashier so that the food and drinks could be comped. "I need a coffee honey, a big one..."

Paula's hands went to her mouth as she stifled a squeal and she threw her arms around his neck, nearly bending him in half. For the second time that evening, Sebastian tentatively embraced a woman he didn't know. "Thank you...a thousand times, thank you! Oh god..."

"Of course," he replied.

Paula pulled away. "Damn, I'm sorry! Look at me, blubbering all over you...are you hungry? What ever you want...my treat..." She looked to Lynn. "What Smitty doesn't know, won't hurt him, right?"

"We're comping it, Paula," Lynn said.

The young woman nodded. "Yeah. Right. Of course."

Lynn sighed. "Oh god," she mumbled, then sighed.

"Uh huh," Mary agreed. "Here we go again."

"God, I hope not. Alison really needs to stand up to that girl..."

Mary shook her head. "She won't. She'll feel all guilty just like always."

Lynn nodded. "Mmhmm. You want some coffee?"

Mary nodded. "Yeah please?"

"Coming right up."

Sebastian sat at a booth and Paula brought him two Big Macs and a Quarter Pounder with cheese, a stuffed order of fries and the largest coke they had. She placed it before him like it was filet mignon and he tore into it immediately.

"Wow, he's got quite the appetite, doesn't he!"

"He hasn't eaten anything substantial for at least two days," Mary reminded them. She looked toward Paula. "Do you mind, hon? We need to have a private conversation, the three of us?" Mary motioned silently toward Sebastian and Lynn.

Paula looked quite put out. "Oh. Yes, of course. Holler if you need anything?"

Lynn nodded and smiled. "Thanks Darlin." She watched Paula retreat. "I swear that girl has no tact," she grumbled.

"Who is she anyway," Sebastian asked as he finished one burger and moved on to the next one.

"Ali's best friend," Lynn replied.

Sebastian rolled his eyes, closed them and shook his head.

"Oh, you've been in the middle of a love triangle before?"

He sneered and rolled his eyes again and sipped on his coke. "Oh yeah. More than once."

"Well, I got a feelin' this isn't gonna be a good one," Lynn said.