I had to stop at the condo to change back into my work suit, seeing as though I wanted to dress down for the diner, so as not to tip Allison off.

I pulled my jeans off, replacing them with my black Armani pants. Just as I was taking off my shirt, the phone rang. I usually let my answering machine pick up calls to my landline phone, since all of my important contacts have my cell phone number, so its usually just telemarketers calling me at home.

As I slipped my purple pinstriped dress shirt on and fastened the ‘trendy’ sus-penders Karyn bought me, I heard a female voice on the machine.

Hi, Mr. Callahan. I got your numberfrom the Boston white pages. I am hoping 69/727

it’s the right Cedric Callahan, but there was only one. I am calling from the Stardust diner. You were in here about an hour ago. I am so sorry but you must have been in a rush and you left your credit card in the bill folder. Your waitress tried to catch you, but you had already left the area. Anyway, if this is your number, we are open until elev-en tonight, so feel free to come by anytime; we’ll hold here for you. My name is Allison; I’ll be working tonight, so you can ask for me.

CHAPTER 5

ALLISON

It was rare to be home during the afternoon. Sonia and I had switched shifts today, so that she could go out with Tom tonight. I offered to take her evening shift instead. Sonia was part-time at the diner and only worked a few nights a week. When the phone rang, I had just stepped out of a relaxing bath, wrapped in a towel and decided to let the answering machine pick up.

A loud British voice startled me.

“Al…Al…pick

up…you’re

never

gonna

believe—”

I picked up the phone once I realized Sonia sounded frantic.

“Sonia? What’s up…aren’t you at work?”

71/727

“Oh my God—yes. Your guy…he was here.

Al….Blue

Eyes…Blue

Eyes

was

here…except he has a name. It’s Cedric.

Cedric Callahan!”

“Wha…what? How do you know it was HIM?” I shouted into the phone.

“Delores recognized him immediately.

She pulled me aside and Oh my God, he was actually how you described him: piercing blue eyes…hair you want to run your fingers through…sexy as all hell. He was dressed down, too, Al…he looked so friggin’ hot. And get this: he ordered the salt bagel and coffee again so there was absolutely no doubt that it was him.”

“Wait…how did you get his name?” I was shaking. Words cannot describe how devastated I was that I was not working today. So. Utterly. Pissed.

“Ok, here’s the best part. Are you ready for this? He paid with a credit card.

That’s how I got his name. But when he went 72/727

to sign it, he rushed off so fast…he friggin’

left it here! I am standing here holding Cedric

Callahan’s

credit

card!”

Sonia

screamed into the phone. She better be out of Max’s earshot.

Cedric Callahan. Oh my. The name certainly suited him.

“Are you going to try and look his number up, call him…so we can let him know we have his card?” I asked.

“Well, I figured since you’d be in here in an hour, I’d wait…to give you time to get here, unless of course, he figures it out first.

Allison, you better get your ass up here in case he comes back.”

I didn’t know how I felt about this. I had been waiting hopelessly for this guy to come back to the diner for weeks. I was fairly certain that he was a one-time thing and that I would never see him again…ever. Now, he would definitely be coming back.

73/727

“Ok, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I hung up the phone without waiting to hear her response. I needed to get out of my house as fast as possible AND make myself look decent. I grabbed the blow dryer and shook it through my hair faster than ever before. I stopped to put on under eye concealer, eyeliner and mascara, which I never bother to do when I am working at the diner, but I had to look my best in case he came in tonight. I hated having to put on this ugly uniform, but threw on a short fitted navy cardigan to cover the top. I dabbed on a few spots of mauve colored lipstick, threw on my corduroy beige pea coat and slammed the door behind me.

It was a cold fall day outside and the chill of the air hit my still damp head hard. I grabbed my knit hat out of my tote. Waiting for the commuter rail train seemed to take forever as my heart pounded out of my chest in anticipation.

74/727

*** Seven stops later, I exited the train and walked (well, jogged) the two blocks to the Stardust. My heart was pounding as I entered the chaos of the diner lunch crowd.

“Al!” Sonia rushed over to me. “He hasn’t come back yet. I just searched the white pages on my phone and found this list-ing in Boston. It’s the only Cedric Callahan in Massachusetts. It’s gotta be him.”

“Did you call?” I asked.

Sonia grinned. “No, you silly bitch…I am going to let you do the honors.”

“Me? I don’t want to call him! You do it…please?” I begged. I was so nervous. I couldn’t imagine what I would do or say if he picked up.

“Nope…no way. Come on…this is your chance to talk to him and then when he comes in, it’ll make it easier to strike up a 75/727

conversation because you will have already spoken.”

“Sonia, we don’t know anything about this guy. You are assuming he is not married and that he is heterosexual. I am not getting my hopes up and I really don’t want to call him, nor do I expect that he would be thinking about anything more than getting his credit card back.” That was a lie. My hopes were totally up. I didn’t see a wedding ring that first time, so I was pretty sure married was out. Gay, though, that was certainly a possibility.

“He is not bloody gay.” Sonia laughed.

“You said he was staring at you. Any normal hetero single guy would be checking you out.

Come on, make the call…now! Just do it and get it over with.”

She handed me the cordless diner phone and I reluctantly grabbed the slip of paper from her hand that had his name and number written in pen. Without thinking it 76/727

over, I grabbed the phone and dialed the number…6-1-7…5-8-9…9-6-5-8.

Riiing...Riiing...(My heart is thumping hard.) Riiing…Riiing…Riiing… Hello you have reached the voicemail of Cedric Callahan. Please leave your name, number and the time you called and I will get back to you as soon as I can. BEEP. (Heart Thumping)

I don’t remember exactly what I said, because I was so nervous. But I don’t think I sounded like an idiot. The gist was that he left his card, that he could come get it until closing and that he should ask for me. Done.

That was over with. Phew. Ok. Now, the wait begins. How am I going to get through this shift?

Sonia was smiling at me. “See…that wasn’t so bad! Good luck, bitch…I am heading out. Sonia kissed me on the cheek, grabbed her purse and headed toward the door. I knew she was eager go shopping for a 77/727

new outfit for her date with Tom tonight, before heading to the apartment to get ready.

“I can’t believe you are leaving me.

Have fun,” I said smiling.

“You too…call me if you snog him later…cheerio!” Sonia winked and left.

*** The slower late afternoon turned into an unusually busy evening at the diner. All of the booths and tables were full and the orders were non-stop during the dinner hours.

I was so busy; I shouldn’t have had time to notice who wasn’t here. But of course it was all I could think about. Every time I would hear the bells chime at the door, my heart would stop for a second.

Maybe it wasn’t the right phone number.