Sneak Peek – The Farmer Legacy

Six Months Later

A big concert was scheduled at the Hoi Polloi that evening, a classic rock and roll band on a reunion tour. I overheard the conversation at the table; the group was attending the concert and staying in town for a few days. Tourism was good for Starlight Shores. It helped bring revenue into shops that catered to working class folks like me, and not the snooty, ritzy restaurants and nightclubs that littered the Los Sueños Strip.

I nodded at Jared, letting him know that I’d take the table of concert-goers. He continued to wipe down the counters and clean the coffee presses. I grabbed my pad from my apron pocket, but I wasn’t sure why. I didn’t need to write the orders. While I waited for the group to decide, I glanced at their faces. All six of them were men, maybe Aunt Jenny’s age or close to it.

Each of them ordered a coffee drink and a pastry from the case. As I was jotting their orders onto my notepad, I noticed one man staring at me. I was regretting my decision to take this table; his relentless stare was making me very uncomfortable.

“I’ll have your orders in a few moments,” I said and walked away. Jared must have noticed my troubled expression, because he was right there to question me.

“Are you having problems with that six-top?”

I shook my head and turned my attention away from them. “Not a problem, but one of them is just staring at me. It’s a little awkward.”

“I’ll keep an eye on them,” he said while I prepared their coffee. I only nodded in acknowledgment.