Maya got in around eight o'clock. If she was late, the short-order cook didn't say anything about it. Instead, Cody watched her smooth out her uniform before sliding into her apron. She was reaching around to tie the back when she looked up to find Cody watching her. Busted.
She shot him a mock disapproving look before turning away from him and holding out the apron straps. "Do you mind?" If he was going to stand and watch her, he might as well help.
Cody walked up behind her and tied her apron quietly. Maya thought he probably wasn't on the level right now. Despite being one of the best and easily most reliable short-order cook at the diner, everyone knew about his flask. To his credit, Cody managed himself well, never falling into drunken territory but never really rising to the height of sobriety either. Maya thought it might be whiskey tonight. Maybe if she played her cards right, he'd share.
When he finished, Maya turned to him and said, "thanks," in that haughty tone she reserved only for him. Cody didn't say anything, just gave her a lazy salute, and with that, their beginning shift routine was complete.
Thursday evenings weren't exactly the pinnacle of excitement at the diner, but Maya liked them because she got out of the house and around other people. She didn't want to admit that she was lonely. When she thought about how much time she spent alone watching Netflix or doom-scrolling on socials, it made her tired, as if all of her life were being zapped out of her.
Her family was only three counties over. Maya could drive to see them if she really wanted to, but with gas as high as it is, she reckoned it was best not to go too far. Plus, it was always the same thing: "How ya' doing? Do you have a boyfriend? When are you gonna get us some grandbabies?" The same blah-blah-blah she rather not hear.
Cody placed a steaming dish of eggs, bacon, and toast on the counter and rang the bell. "Order up!" Maya fetched the order, pausing to catch him smirking at her through the server window. She'd known about his crush on her, but for the life of her, Maya could figure out why. She wasn't a great beauty. She wasn't model thin, nor did she have the bust most guys drooled over. She was mostly dark hair and glasses, more akin to small-town Velma than the glam of big-city Daphne.
She liked him well enough but wasn't sure she like-liked him. But on the whole, Maya thought he was alright. Cody eye-fucked her, sure, but he kept his hands to himself, and when they did talk, He didn't try to steer the conversation in a dirty direction, although he had his moments. She enjoyed their back-and-forth banter, and he always made her bacon a little bit crispy, just the way she liked. Even though she couldn't understand why he liked her, She really liked the attention and companionship from him.
She brought the steaming plate of breakfast food to the woman sitting at the far booth writing in her notebook. She was a regular, but for the life of her, Maya couldn't remember her name. She thought it was something soft that started with a vowel. Alice or Ashley, maybe? Whatever. The woman looked up and smiled before mouthing 'thank you' and turning back to her notebook.
Maya returned to the server window, where Cody was leaning on the other side and looking out at their only patron.
"I Wonder what she's writing about?" Maya asked.
"Erotica," Cody answered, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Okay, you're in horny jail for the rest of the night."
He looked at her and laughed. "No, I'm serious. I was working with Marlene one night, and she chanced a peeked at her notebook while Amy was in the bathroom."
Amy, her name is Amy.
"Really?" She turned towards the window, leaned on one elbow, and looked at him, clearly interested.
"Yeah, she said it's pretty raw but decent stuff."
"Any what does Marlene know about erotica?"
Cody thought about this for a moment, then shrugged. "Dunno," he answered. "I guess more than she lets on." His smirk reemerged, and he gave Maya an amused look. "And what do you know about erotica?"
She felt a slight flicker of heat touch her cheeks and was mentally kicking herself in the butt for walking smack into this turnaround. "N-Nothing." She said, hoping it would sound like an awkward admission rather than the lily-white lie it was.
"Sure, sure, sure," Cody said. The ease of his dismissal made Maya blush harder. "You probably know all about smut."
"Smut and erotica aren't the same things. They're like..." But Maya's words dissolved her mouth as she saw the satisfied look on Cody's face.
"I Thought you didn't know anything about it?" And for the second time in nearly twenty seconds, Maya was mentally kicking herself in the butt for walking face-first into a question she should have seen coming.
She spent the next couple of minutes fighting her embarrassment. She should have just admitted that she read erotica from time to time, but instead, she left her big girl pants at home today. Had it been anyone else, she would have just come clean. It had to be Cody, didn't it?
She managed to distract herself by wondering what Amy was really writing about. Not that she didn't trust Marlene's word, but if it was erotica, why come to a Diner at night to write about it?
After She'd overcome her spat of embarrassment, Maya returned to the server window and asked Cody, "Why do you think she does it hear?"
He was scrapping one side of the grill clean with a spatula. "Maybe the thrill of it." He said, then added, "Some people like doing naughty stuff in public."
Maybe, but Maya doubted it. Writing in public wasn't the same as doing something naughty. However, she kept this opinion to herself. She didn't want Cody asking her any more questions. If he did, the dark-haired waitress was certain she'd be the one sent to horny jail.
"Yeah," she agreed. "I guess."
He looked over his shoulder at her and asked, "Have you ever done something like that?"
The question she was hoping to avoid. It seemed like no matter what, Maya was fated to reveal some sordid deed to Cody. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
"Maybe." She said, still fighting it. "What about you?"
He paused for a moment, thought about it, then tossed the spatula aside and turned to her. "You can't tell anyone." He said, lowering his voice. Maya stepped closer, eager to hear whatever mischief Cody would divulge. If it was juicy enough, maybe she could use it to get some booze out of him. Cody would probably give it to her anyway, but what was the harm in a flirty little exchange?
"Yeah, okay."
