Turn right in 600 feet.
Maxwell Tyrone, or Max as his friends and business partners called him, inhaled sharply as the screen lit up. He'd been driving for five hours without a pit stop or gas station and his car was starting to run on empty. On top of that, the engine gauge was running hot. Unfortunately, this turn didn't look like it held any gas stations or pit stops either. The road was even more uneven over the past hour which wasn't helping his now beat up car that was in desperate need of a car wash.
Turning up the road, he was immediately surrounded by trees. He had to slow down even more as the faint light left in the cloudy night was now blocked out and his headlights barely showed 40 feet in front of him. Wind kicked up, shaking the trees. Max looked up as something thudded on the top of his Camaro. "What the hell?" Max asked himself looking up. At that moment, an apple fell off one of the trees and smashed into the window causing a spiderweb crack to appear in the upper right hand of the window. "Shit!"
He picked up the speed as other apples fell around him. Lightning lit up the sky. He sighed as he saw a building illuminated a little way over the next ridge. His car started to sputter as he got to the top of the hill. "Oh, thank god!" He growled as more buildings came into view. The car sputtered again, the dashboard dinging, as he started downhill into town. As he passed under the first streetlight, his car dinged again before sputtering to a stop. His head fell back as the engine died and rain started pounding on the roof. Lightning flashed again revealing a diner sign only a little ways ahead. "Well, better make a run for it."
Grabbing his jacket and his briefcase, he jumped out of his car. Jacket over his head, he ran the short distant to the diner. The sign identified it as "The Apple Jack Diner and Grill". From the outside, it looked like a steakhouse or a bar of some sort, even if it did say "diner". Still, it was dry in there and he may be able to find someone to help him out.
The door chimed as he entered. A guy poked his head out from in back. "We're closing early on account of the storm... Oh. Sorry. Thought you were one of the townsfolk. Hey Marla! Don't stop the grill just yet! We have an out-of-towner!"
"What? You're lying Lyle! We never have... Oh!" A woman poked her head out of the kitchen and ducked back in just as quick. "What's he ordering?" She shouted out as the lights flickered back on behind her.
"Have a seat at the counter. I'll get you a menu." Lyle told him as he ran up to greet him at the podium and then back to the counter to put down the menu before Max had a chance to say anything.
Max wanted to protest but found it pointless as Lyle was already in back, yelling orders to Marla. Taking his seat at the counter, he looked over the menu. They had a surprising amount of options on the menu, ranging from sirloin steaks to hamburgers to chicken Alfredo. The desserts were just as plentiful, though he noticed that many had apples all the way from apple strudel to apple pie to caramelized apples as well as the surprising peach cobbler and coconut cream pie. He raised an eyebrow at the variety. As an up-and-coming restaurant flipper, already interviewed in both a business magazine and a cooking one, he'd seen a few restaurants with wide menus like this and it didn't bode well. At least the dishes almost all fit the theme of the restaurant, well, mostly anyways.
"Sorry about that. Had to make sure all the windows were latched. What would you like?" Lyle asked, coming back out from the kitchen.
"What are the specials?" Max asked, his deep voice a little deeper from his looming dread at how bad this was going to be.
"Well, normally, I'd recommend the tri-tip steak, but considering the time and the storm, the bacon steak burger is a fine substitute."
"I'll have that then."
"What would you like for the sides? We have steamed veggies, broccoli casserole, french fries, mashed potatoes and gravy, we're unfortunately out of our homemade macaroni and cheese for the night. Big Don loves the stuff and cleans us out of it if you don't get in before 7. You get two with any burger."
"I'll have the french fries and the steamed veggies."
"And for a drink?"
"What do you have?" Max asked again.
"Spiced apple cider is our specialty. But we also have tea and Coke products."
"The cider and a glass of water." Lyle repeated the order back and after confirming it, ran back to give it to Marla. While the order was being placed, Max took a look around the diner.
It was a quaint little dinner. All the furniture was made out of wood. Half the tables were bolted to the walls with benches covered in thick apple vine pictured pillows and the other half of the tables were circular with rough edges and chairs with matching pillows for padding. All the pillars were made of the same type wood as the chairs and tables. Two platforms surrounded the edges of the diner, separated by gap for the entrance to the diner and the counter bar surrounding the kitchen door.
"What brings you into town?" Lyle asked, snapping Max's attention away from the rest of the restaurant. He placed a mason jar full of steamy, foam covered cider in front of him.
"I was actually on my way to a restaurant convention in Illinois and to visit family but my car broke down just outside."
"A restaurant convention? You don't say." He leaned back through the wooden fence door into the kitchen. "Hey Marla, you'll never believe this but our guest here is in the restaurant business."
"Really?" She shouted back. "Be sure to let me know what he thinks of my cookin' then."
"She's mighty proud of her cookin'." Lyle chuckled. "Then again, everyone here is. All the ingredients are grown locally, so it's like everyone's hard work goes into each bit." Max nodded and smiled, but the smile didn't come close to his eyes. Lyle continued, "the apples especially are our specialty around these parts. You probably drove through the orchards coming into town." His eyes widened at the implications. "I hope the storm didn' knock any of and cause any damage to your car, did they?"
"Yeah. Unfortunately. One cracked my windshield."
"Doggone it. I'll be right back. I'll give Picasso a call to have him take a look at it in the morning. He's our mechanic. Not very bright, but he could turn a box of Lincoln Logs into a full-fledged Mustang without missing a beat. A real genius with automobiles. And he'll give you a fair price too. Probably to fair, but that's his business, not mine." Lyle rushed back into kitchen.
Max wasn't sure how to respond to all this, so he figured the best response was to hope for the best and give the place a chance. He was stuck here for now anyways. Carefully, he grabbed the handle on the jar of cider. Bringing it up to his nose, he smelled the steam. Cinnamon and what smelled like a pinch of nutmeg. Perhaps something else. It smelled delicious at least. Taking a sip, he almost gagged. It far exceeded his expectations. The subtle tartness of the apples perfectly merged with the sweetness of the spices and sugar. Before he knew it, the jar was completely drained.
"You must have been either parched or really liked the cider. You want another? First is on the house as an apology for the broken windshield. Same with a slice of apple pie for dessert. Oh, and I called Sally. She runs the inn and will have a room ready for you after you eat. Marla and I will give you a ride over since we're closing up once you're done. No need to rush. And apologies for cleaning while you eat. We normally don't until everyone has left, but with the storm and you, it's not a normal night. I hope this doesn't reflect bad on us, Mr..."
"Maxwell."
"Mr. Maxwell. What is it you do in the restaurant business?"
"Order up!" Marla shouted. Lyle held up a finger and rushed into the kitchen for a moment before returning with a plate with a massive burger smothered in bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and some dark red sauce and a second plate with a mountain of steamed veggies and an equally impressive mountain of fries.
"You were about to say?" Lyle asked as he placed them down in front of Max.
Max shook his head, surprised at the mountain of food. "Um, I'm in the business of buying and selling restaurants."
"Well, we really do hope you enjoy our food then. You could put us on the map. Well, if Pine Falls was on the map to begin with," he chuckled.
Max tasted the sauce. It tasted like steak sauce, but not exactly. There was a slight tartness to it, just a hint. "That would be our apple steak sauce. Hope you like it."
Max nodded. He grabbed a fry and examined it. Snapping it in half, he threw half in his mouth and chewed. Grabbing a fork, he tried a piece of the steamed broccoli and zucchini. Lyle watched all this with wide eyed anticipation. Marla's face appeared in the doorway as he took a bite of the burger.
"Well?" Marla's strained whisper came through the door. Lyle waved her off quickly but she ignored him.
Taking a few bites of everything, again, he wiped his mouth. "From the large menu," he started, "I was worried, but honestly, I've been to high end burger joints that weren't half as good. Fries are crisped and the veggies are all steamed perfectly despite their different types of veggies. Everything is perfect."
Marla squealed as she ran back in before reappearing. "Lyle, give him a ride to Sally's when he's done. I'll close up tonight."
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