All Too Well ⏤ Tim Shepard | ✓

CHAPTER ONE

"Look who's here again."

Becca looks up from where she's scrubbing the counter. Coffee had spilled from the jug when she'd been pouring a cup for Marjorie Green ten minutes ago and if Becca doesn't get the stain out, she'll be in big trouble.

Tim Shepard has walked into the diner, taking his regular seat at the booth by the window. His hands are clasped together on the table and from the counter, Becca can see his knuckles are scraped like he's just been in a fight.

Tim looks away from the window, staring at Becca. Becca holds her gaze, not caring that she's been caught staring. Tim Shepard has always been a point of fascination for her; he walked with an air of disregard for everyone and everything. But beneath the surface there was a wild beast ready to be unleashed. The scars that mark his body are proof of that.

The scar that runs down the side of his face catches Becca's eye. It never healed properly so the scar tissue ripples as Tim moves, almost like the claws of a wild animal.

Tim holds his gaze. Becca holds her's. Tim doesn't blink. Becca doesn't either. Until Annie nudges her in the arm. "You gonna serve him or what?" she whispers in Becca's ear, snatching the cloth out of Becca's hand.

Tim's been visiting the diner frequently in the last few weeks and every time he does, Annie makes Becca serve him. She says Tim freaks him out with the cat-like eyes of his; unblinking like he's staring into her soul. Becca tells Annie she's being dramatic.

"Idiot," Becca mutters under her breath but grabs the coffee jug and a clean cup to take over to Tim. Without fail, Tim always orders a single cup of coffee. He takes his time drinking it, pays and tips the minimum amount and then walks out only saying a few words.

Annie finds it weird. Becca finds it interesting.

"Just a coffee again?" She asks when she reaches Tim's booth.

Tim nods his head, looking up at Becca. His mouth is drawn in a thin line and nothing in his blue eyes gives anything away. He's aloof, just like he always is. In the years Becca's known Tim, she's never seen anything but cool disinterest from him.

She pours the coffee into the cup, careful to not spill it. Tim's eyes are on the scar tissue between her thumb and forefinger of her left hand. The scar burns with his gaze and her hand shakes slightly before adjusting.

"Thanks," Tim says when she's done. He wraps his hands around the cup but doesn't move to drink it. Steam rises from the cup and Becca wonders how he can stand the heat searing through his hands. She gets a better view of his knuckles which are scraped raw like he's recently been in a fight. They're an angry red and don't look like they've been tended to.

Becca gestures to Tim's knuckles. "You need that looked after? We got a kit somewhere at the back I think."

Tim looks down at his knuckles, almost surprised that somebody cared enough to ask. He shakes his head. "No, I'm good."

"Well when you're done playin' hero, come find me." Becca grabs the coffee mug and heads back to the counter, walking past Annie who is serving one of their regular's ⏤ Joe, who comes in for a bite after his shift at the factory every second day ⏤ and is pretending not to be eavesdropping on Becca and Tim.

Becca busies herself with getting rid of the coffee stain on the counter when Annie reappears after shouting Joe's order to the cook. Becca finally gets the stain out and throws down the cloth in success, happy to be avoiding an earful from her boss.

"You were with Tim for a while," Annie whispers pointedly, leaning on the counter with her back to the diner.

Becca smacks Annie with the cloth. "Stop that. You know Reggie hates when we're not lookin' at the customers."