ckwood ha

as inefficient,

t to his precision tuned world. Yet here he sat brown in a rusting diner on th

needed to repair it wouldn't arrive until morning, and the local mechanic Jimmy, or Johnny, or

didn't know what

of him. It wasn't good. It wasn't terrible either. It was hot, bitte

room, there she

's name. Her ponytail had come loose sometime in the last hour, and a str

s... m

ut her that took his attention and refused to let go. The fire in her eyes. The fearless and blunt wa

more than he w

dn't stop w

rowed her eyes like she was silently daring

s she rushed past, with two plate

n replied, straightening in hi

a grin, "you'll find the we

ir blew in along with a harried woman dragging two kids behind her. One child began to cry

se, the disorder. But May

mess, offering the mother a warm smile and the kids a free side of frie

s...

an was still seated in the same booth. Maya hung up her apron and reached for a denim jacke

ed over, " ha

urprised. "Ju

"You know, letting a billionaire starve in my

ide of his lips. "Are y

ee. I'm off

think. He

-

and closed gas stations. Rain still drizzled from the s

ked like it hadn't been updated since in the '70s. But the sm

ithout asking. "Two loaded fri

observed as they w

you don't seem like the type who eats out of tru

a cartoon cow smiled down from the side of the bar wall.. The wind was

said as he examined the greasy conten

ite. Then another. "O

lways

Ethan had spent most of his adult life surrounded by sycophants, re

t righ

g off cheese from her fi

at her.

ough to buy a

on't think plane

erything is, if y

ression dimming. "You think i

ad. "No. I think t

damp leaves across the sidewalk. She adjusted her jack

tion," she said after a minu

he repeated the question then

lowed the mom

how that sounds. But when you have everything, people

nned his face. "You speak lik

illionair

ladder, and everyo

y. "That's probab

not

Didn't like w

s drift across the moon. "So what ar

d. I was driving to the next city, and

longer this time. "I thi

dn't

aybe she

eak like I thought

illionair

ladder, and everyo

y. "That's probab

not

Maya said, staring at the clouds drifti

d. I was driving to the next city, and

longer this time. "I thi

dn't

aybe she