Chapter Text
Toni knew she should calm down. The whole diner was watching. But seeing that arsehole man handle that waitress, set her off.
Her day couldn’t get any worse.
Her car had broken down so she had to use her rust bucket bike to work, which she managed to stall over five times throughout the day. She just wanted to have her favourite meal and some of the best coffee in town at the end of the day with no hassle.
But no. Her day had to end with her standing in front of a bulky six foot tall guy who looks like he could rip her leather jacket apart. “I said, get the fuck off her”.
The guy stared her down and said “say that again I dare you”
“Does your idiot brain not understand?? Get. The Fuck” she stepped closer “off her”. The two stared for what seemed like eternity. The blonde waitress that Toni had been defending, had been watching the interaction the entire time. Too stunned to intervene. But seeing that they might get physical, she finally decided to say something.
“Hey hey hey y’all! let’s think things through maybe calm down a little” she said as she stepped between the two, hoping that she could diffuse the situation before her manager walked in. Toni snapped her head towards towards the blonde.
“I’ll calm down once this asshole learns some manners and apologises for treating you like shit”. The blonde turned fully towards Toni now, holding her arms out lightly touching Toni’s, locking eyes with her. “Hey” The blonde says in a calm voice “I’m good”. She turns around to face the guy, still standing close to Toni.
“Sir you need to leave, Becca will show you out”. A girl with short curly brown hair, stepped out from behind the counter and walked towards the group. She went to touch the confrontational guys arm to guide him out but he swiped it away quickly before she could.
“Fine I won’t be coming here again with these crappy waitresses” The blonde waitress rolled her eyes as everyone in the diner watched him leave through the front door. Toni let out a breathe she didn’t know she was holding in and turned to face the waitress.
“I’m really sorry for assholes like him, are you okay?” Toni said while noting the shock in the blondes face at her concern.
“I’m okay thank you for helping out…”
“Toni”
“Nice to meet you Toni, I’m Shelby” the waitress said as she held out her hand. “I’ll make sure you’re meal’s on the house”
“Oh you don’t-“
“It’s the least I can do” Shelby smiled at Toni with kindest smile she has seen for a long time.
Now looking at her, Toni realised that the girl was breath-taking, she almost stared for an embarrassing amount of time before she remembered to reply. “Well after that mess I could do with another black coffee if it’s on the house”
“Of course take a seat and I’ll get it right now Toni”. Toni nodded in reply and headed back to her seat with a blush on her cheeks from hearing the way the blonde said her name with a slight southern lilt to it. Toni tried to pull herself together to actually move her legs but it took her a minute to recover.