I better read between the lines

 Sammie caught herself from saying his name. After all, she was certain no one wanted her thoughts on anything. She felt as if she'd ruined Valentine's day for her brother and who knows who else, and now to break away from the offer at the grocery store to work just Friday and Saturday evenings at Mel's Pizza. She knew this was no time to bring up the fact, all she really wanted was to meet someone as sweet and funny as Deano. 

Why was she like this? Wishing she could meet someone like that. It wasn't that she'd ever take Deano away from Caitlin. But, she'd offered to free her Sunday afternoons to watch Hannah so Deano and Caitlin could get away from the house for a little while.

"So, I have this schedule, you see?" She shrugged, hoping that was OK with Cyrus who seemed to hide in the kitchen.

"Gotcha," he nodded as he was turning off the Pizza mixer. "You're in school anyway, we don't want to be slave drivers." He was so easygoing that he made her smile too. "But you, young lady." She knew he forgot her name. "Sammie." He looked at her as to assure her that he didn't. "Need to get out there and take some orders."

She sighed, a bit dizzy. Yes, Nonnie showed her all the important keys on the cash register. Of course, she'd also noticed how everyone seemed to be paired up. That girl Ali, her boyfriend was a delivery driver and Cyrus' wife always came down to see what was going on. Even Nonnie had someone picking her up. 

Sammie suddenly felt determined. Like, it would be winning the lottery to meet that special someone. Perhaps, she would just have to make it happen. Like falling in love with the next guy who came through the door. Of course, he was ancient and probably needed a walker but he slowly came to the counter with the help of his cane to put in his order. She promised she'd bring it to him when it was ready. She would even bring him his drink. It was the least she could do.

Maybe not tonight, she thought as she hurried about to get the old man situated with his iced tea and plenty of napkins. If only she could offer him a salad, but they didn't make salads anymore because it was too expensive and would be just a waste.

She kept her head down. A part of her felt as if she was in the doldrum of her teens. Always the babysitter never the dancing queen. She knew what they thought of her, a little weird, and should have been diagnosed with something strange. But she wasn't even that. Just ordinary. Plain ordinary. And of course, a wallflower who better keep her mouth closed.

And then someone said, "Hey."

She looked up from the counter. Had she met her Deano in the flesh? Apparently, they looked nothing alike. Yet, she could not speak.

"Is Diago here?" He asked.

"Uh, his girlfriend's here." Sammie found herself saying.

"His girlfriend? Seriously?" He wrinkled his nose and she thought it kind of funny. She couldn't help but grin. She nodded.

"Wow," he practically laughed. "Who would have thunk it." He then ordered a slice of cheese pizza and a drink.

"Do you want me to get her?" Sammie asked.

He shook his head, no. "I'm just his cousin Gabe. His mom wanted me to tell him I'd be sharing his room with him. She didn't want him surprised when he got home." He said he was from Rapids City.

Suddenly, there were so many things she wanted to tell him, like she was new too. She liked that he just got here. But she didn't. After all, no one had really ever been that interested in what she had to say.