“Nora,” I call out calmly, trying not to spook this suddenly wild little animal. “Nora,” I repeat when she doesn’t respond.
Finally, she looks up with eyes matching Karina’s. “What?”
“Let it go,” I say softly, nodding at the register. “I’ll take a look.”
Karina grabs her arm and pulls her to the side. “Let’s go get you some food while ogling the man doing manly stuff.”
With a chuckle, I walk up to the register.
“We have a toolbox over here,” Roman says from the kitchen, and Karina quickly brings it to me.
While I start opening up the register, Nora chats with Karina. They talk about waiting for some girl named Letty to come back from her boyfriend’s so they can have extra hands. I guess it’s another waitress. Even though Nora’s shift hasn’t officially started, she flies around the diner refilling coffees and picking up plates. I guess the work is never done when it’s your own business. I should know that.
A loose wire is an easy fix, and the register is up and running in no time.
“You’re a lifesaver!” Karina claps her hands and begins going through the stack of credit cards.
I slide onto one of the stools after washing my hands in the sink at the bar. Nora grabs a notepad and heads to the tables when Karina beelines toward her and grabs the book from her hands. “I’ll handle it. Go flirt with your Superman in tight leggings.”
“I don’t even own leggings,” I mutter.
“Shame,” Karina smirks. “That’d be hot.”
Nora slides onto the stool beside me. “I agree though. Those thighs would look good.” She clicks her tongue, glancing at my lap, and I’m suddenly grateful that I’m already sitting or she’d seea hammer, and I wouldn’t hear the end of it.
We’re sipping coffee when the front door opens again and in walks chaos.
Or rather—Moon. With Cheryl close behind her.
“This place is a mess without me,” Moon crows good-naturedly.
“It sure is.” Nora stands. “What are you doing here?”
Cheryl saunters in behind her in her civilian clothes, which looks a little unsettling. For all these months I’ve been living here, I’ve never seen her in anything other than her uniform, and now I’m faced with Nora’s sister and not the town cop.
“Apparently she wanted to leave the house empty for you in case you need it for some,” she glances in my direction, “action.”
“Wha—” Nora’s eyes widen. “Oh!”
“Yes, ‘oh.’ Well, look at you two,” Cheryl says, grabbing a menu she doesn’t need. “She must be right. I had to drag my ass out of bed before eight on my only morning off.” Turning to me with squinted eyes, she hisses, “You’d better make sure the action is worth my only day off.”
“It’s just coffee,” I grumble, feeling like a high schooler caught kissing under the bleachers. My neck is flaming hot; my cheeks are probably a good match as well.
“That’s what they all say,” Moon mutters, sliding onto the stool. “Let’s hope Steve can live up to expectations.”
“Grandma!” Nora cries out, covering her cheeks, which definitely match my neck, with her hands.
“What?” Moon laughs. “I’m old. Not blind.”
Nora covers her whole face, groaning into her palms, making Cheryl laugh. “This alone was worth my day off.”
She and Karina bump fists, which Nora doesn’t seem to appreciate as she’s staring daggers into them.
Thisdateis not going well.
I look around the room, feeling curious eyes on us. I’m positive the rumor mill will take off any moment now with some crazy story by tomorrow morning.
Nora starts talking to Cheryl while Karina’s showing something on her phone to Moon, and they both coo when the diner door opens, shifting the energy in the room. A tall blond man with aviator glasses and a worn-out leather jacket in this frigid cold waltzes in. My muscles tense on instinct because my body recognizes someone dangerous, and I nearly jump to my feet and move to Nora when I notice a toddler in his arm and a woman in tow.
