Game Changer - Hell's Rejects MC Series Book 1

Chapter Five

Amelia

The place he took me was a cute little diner called 'Penny's Diner.' It sat way back off the road, seeming to almost be literally in the middle of the desert. With a rocky landscape on the horizon behind it, it was quite a picturesque setting.

We pulled up outside the silver coloured building which seemed to have a handful of customers already inside. Could they really attract enough customers to warrant being open twenty-four hours?

As Dion switched the engine off, I hopped out of the van and rushed around to the side door, eager to calm the dogs and make our separation as quick and painless as possible. As I instructed them to lay down, it suddenly struck me that actually, they probably weren't as bothered about being away from me as I was from them.

Shrugging the thoughts away, Dion closed the door, locked the van and led me inside. Soothing yellow lighting bathed the inside of the diner in a well lit but almost dusky setting. Booths lined the windows, all red velvet seats and high backs to give privacy. At the wooden counter, several lone men sat on stools, all at various stages of drinking black coffee and eating hot meals.

"Dion!"

I turned my head to see an older lady, in her fifties, coming towards us with her arms outstretched. Shorter than me, slightly plump, and skin as pale as my own, she reminded me somewhat of my maternal grandmother. Piles of grey curls sat on top of her head, firmly gripped into place with a large amount of hair grips.

"Hi, Penny," Dion said, embracing her briefly and giving her a peck on the cheek.

"How are you, darling? And who is your beautiful friend?"

She looked at me, arms still out, and before I knew it, gave me a hug too. To say I was somewhat shocked would be an understatement. The warm feel of her arms around me and the homely aroma of freshly baked food surrounded me, enveloping me in old memories and dissolving any feelings of personal space invasion.

"This is Amelia," Dion said.

"Lovely to meet you, Amelia," Penny said, releasing me.

I instantly wished to be embracing her again, encased by the delicious smell of cookies and bread. "You too," I replied, giving her a wide smile.

"Please," she said, motioning towards one of the window booths. "Take a seat. Look at the menu. If there's nothing that takes your fancy, please don't hesitate to ask."

We sat down, the seats surprisingly plump and comfortable. Dion took hold of two menus, sliding one across the wooden table top to me. I scanned down the various meals on offer, each one I read making my stomach grumble even more.

"Don't be shy," Dion said. "You can have whatever you want. My treat."

I shook my head. "I have some cash back at yours...in my bag...I will pay you back."

He held a hand up. "No, it's my treat."

"Honestly, it's fine. I'd rather pay my way."

He gave me a small smile and said, "We'll discuss it later? Let's focus on the food first."

I nodded and gazed over the menu again. Bacon. I really wanted some bacon. And scrambled eggs. And baked beans. As I thought about it, I decided I wanted a full English breakfast; the whole works.

It was as I decided this that memories of my father sprang to mind. He had told me countless times of the story of how he and my mom first fell in love and how it happened over an English breakfast. Not for the first time, I wished for some solid memories of my mother, of my parents laughing and joking, playing the happy couple with their two small daughters.

But, as was always the case, my mind offered up nothing but the tease of hazy images, leaving me uncertain whether they were happenings from a life long ago, or pictures from a dream of a life I wished I'd had.