He looked up at them and grinned. Turning to the nurse standing a few feet away jotting notes down on a clipboard, he said, “All right, Jennifer. This here is my ride.”
The middle-aged woman turned around and her face lit up when she saw Luna. “Oh, hey, Luna! How are you?”
“Great, Mrs. Andrews. And you?”
“Oh, just fantastic. I was so glad to hear that you were back in town. Is your grandmother at home?”
“She is. She’s putting the final touches on the convalescent area she set up in the downstairs study.”
“Oh, well, that’s so nice that you both came down to pick your grandfather up.” She turned to Serge. “Now, I’m just going to go make sure your paperwork’s all in order, and then you’re free to go.”
“And not a minute too soon,” he grunted, drawing a smile from Luna.
Connor reflected on how that was small-town life for you. Even if you’d been gone for years, you could count on running into former neighbors/teachers/classmates/church congregants/co-workers/you name it. Anyone you could imagine seeing, at the places you least expected—that was a surefire place for them to show up.
He looked over at Luna. She’d never liked that part of small-town living. He thought it felt cozy and homey. It made him feel like he belonged.
She thought it felt intrusive and stalker-y, and it made her feel exposed and irritated.
Looking at her face now, though, there was none of that. Just a pure smile, with nothing behind it.
Could she be changing her views on more than just asking for help?
The nurse came back in, already giving the room a double thumbs up. “You’re good to go!” she announced in a sing-song voice. “Let’s wheel you out front.”
She pushed the wheelchair to the front lobby, then through the automatic doors to the portico.
Connor jangled his keys. “I’m going to pull the car around.”
“We’ll be waiting,” Luna replied, and brushed her fingertips over his arm as he walked away.
Fuck. Even from that light touch, his brain went haywire. He had to tell himself how to walk to keep his feet moving in the right direction, repeating the words left right left right left right to himself in his head over and over as he moved each corresponding foot.
Yeah. There was no pushing his feelings to the back of his mind, or shoving them down to keep them from developing. They had already developed. They were here.
Now all he could do was his level best to keep a good head on his shoulders so he could avoid making an idiot of himself.
It shouldn’t have been hard. It should’ve been easy, when you thought about it—just don’t behave like a damn fool. Easy!
Still. He wished that he had just a little more confidence that he’d be able to do it.
Chapter 15
Luna
"Are you ready?”
Connor looked at Luna expectantly as she nervously fidgeted with the ring of keys in her hand.
The truth was, she didn’t know if she was ready. This was going to be her very first time opening up the diner on her own. It was only staffed by her, and by Connor. She hadn’t worked there in over a decade, and it was almost as long since he had too.
It wasn’t the best recipe—pun intended—for a great opening morning.
Not only that, but she imagined it was going to be busy. Not only with people who genuinely wanted to come in and eat, but also well-wishers, and people who wanted to satisfy their curiosity just as much—or more—as their appetite.
Normally, she wouldn’t have stressed this much about a day at “work” that she didn’t feel quite so prepared for.
This was different, though. This was her grandparents’ reputation on the line. Their legacy, for God’s sake!
She had to do well. She had to do them proud. Nothing less was good enough.
She swallowed hard.
Well, opening late would be a terrible start, that was for sure. And she had to face this at some point, so...no time like the present, she figured.
She palmed the keys she’d been nervously playing with and smiled up at Connor. “Yep. Let’s do this!”
He gave her an encouraging shoulder squeeze—which had the unintentional side effect of sending sparks she couldn’t deal with at the moment zooming through her lady parts—and walked out through the swinging doors that separated the kitchen from the main dining room.
What she saw stopped her in her tracks.
There were people lined up out on the sidewalk. Not just a few. Dozens!
She just stood there for a few long moments, then looked up at Connor. “Do you know anything about this?”
He shrugged, beaming a smile down at her. “I know these people are cold and hungry. What do you say we let them in and solve both of their problems?”
She grinned. “Sounds like a plan.”
Luna had to work to control her tears as the crowd filed in. Almost every single person was someone she knew. That was Valentine Bay. That was how it was. Everybody knew everybody, and when someone needed support, they showed up.
That used to make her feel claustrophobic. Having so many eyes on her felt constrictive, like a straitjacket. She wanted nothing more than to be anonymous.
Not anymore, though. Now, the attention of so many concerned neighbors made her feel like she was being enveloped in a comforting hug, and she craved that support and warmth.
As she hurried from booth to booth, she was glad—both for Connor’s sake and for her own—that people were keeping the orders pretty simple. Basic diner fare stuff...pancakes, eggs, bacon. And then once it got on toward lunch time, burgers and fries.
When both the breakfast and lunch rush had died down and only a few booths were filled, Gen came through the door, blowing in like a breath of fresh air.
Luna showed her to a booth and then collapsed onto the seat across from her. “Oh my God, I know this isn’t professional, but I don’t care, I’m doing it anyway. I’ve been on my feet since 6 a.m. and I need a break.”
“Cool. Cool cool cool,” Gen replied. “So I guess that means no coffee for me, or....?”
Luna’s eyes widened as she popped back up. “Oh, God! Sorry! I just assumed you were coming in here to talk to me, I didn’t even think you might be coming in here to eat. Sorry!”
Gen burst out laughing. “Oh my God, sit down, I’m just messing with you!”
Luna shook her head and scowled a little as she returned to the booth bench. “You’re cruel. Not to mention unusual. You know that, right?”
Gen grinned. “I’ve been told. And honestly, it doesn’t bother me. So how’s your first day been going?”
Luna rubbed her neck and turned her head from side to side to stretch it. “Exhausting, to be honest. I'm a marketing consultant. I don’t do this kind of physical labor very often.”
Gen grinned. “What, doesn’t jumping through hoops for clients count as exercise?”
“I wish! That would free up a lot more calories for eating every day. Now, I know you said you were just kidding, but are you sure I can’t get you some coffee? For real?”
Gen patted her hand. “I tell you what - you look dead on your feet. I know where the coffee is. I’ll get some for both of us.”