Ryder half listened and half drifted down memory lane to the summer nights they played volleyball or dodgeball on the Dorsey property, Pops Dorsey grilling out, hosting guitar pulls with Buck Mathews before he got super famous. It was the only time in Ryder’s life he felt loved. Accepted.
The Dorseys were very different from his family. Ryder spent far too many lonely nights at the Donovan house, eating frozen dinners and playing video games.
“Hey, man, tell her.” Jeff slapped Ryder’s shoulder. “Tell her family helps family.”
“Well, that’s the general idea,” Ryder said, his gaze crossing Elizabeth’s. She knew a little bit about his teenage home situation, where family didn’t always help family.
“Tina’s not family,” she said. “She’s a friend. A good friend, but still?—”
“Close enough,” Jeff said, then responded to a call on his shoulder radio just as Lucy brought out his order. As he headed for the door, he pointed to Ryder. “Beth, have him tell you about the time he saved my life.”
Ryder made a face. “He’s exaggerating. I did not save his life. Back to my chicken basket order, I think I’d like to add a dozen boxes.”
“Let me get Tina’s iPad.” Elizabeth disappeared through the kitchen doors, returning a few moments later with the tablet.
“When do you need this?” He told her Thursday around four o’clock. She tapped on the screen, then handed him an Apple Pencil to sign on the bottom line.
“You’re lucky, you know. To have a family who cares.”
“I know,” she said. “It’s just odd. My dad was the only Dorsey to move away. I sometimes feel like I don’t deserve all this familial affection. Then there were two years where I—” She smiled. “I should be more grateful. So, how are you?”
“Living the dream.”
“Nice cliché.”
He laughed. “I am. I always wanted to be a ranger.”
“I remember. I think of you every time I see Smokey Bear.”
“So, once, twice in the last seven years?”
“Actually, I went hiking six years ago in Colorado. I saw Smokey every day.”
“So, what made you decide to leave the big Yankee city for luxurious Hearts Bend?”
“Getting some experience before Wharton working in Dorsey’s financial office and moonlighting as a diner night manager. It’ll give me some good stuff for my pre-exercise work going into my first term.”
“Always the achiever.”
“Yep, that’s me.” But her voice was strangely low and unconvincing. “Dad suggested Dorsey Furniture. ‘It’s a Fortune 10,000 company,’ he said.” Elizabeth glanced toward the kitchen. “I should get back to work, but it was good to see you. I’ll make sure Tina has those chicken baskets ready for you tomorrow.”
Ryder reached for her hand. “It was good to see you too.”
As he exited the diner into Buck’s country sounds, the warmth of her hand lingering in his, he tightened the strings around his heart. Beth’s presence had loosened them. Still. After all these years. He’d have to be careful this summer, or he’d do something stupid and fall in love. As he made his way across the street toward the music-filled Gardenia Park, he couldn’t help but glance back at the diner and, for one inhale and one exhale, imagine a future with the lovely curly-headed brunette.
Of all her plans for the summer, running into Ryder Donovan was not one of them. His presence lingered with her the rest of the night.
Around nine thirty, as business began to wane, Elizabeth set aside thoughts of the handsome WMA agent and plopped down at Tina’s desk with a large, icy tea, a plate of piping-hot fries, and a burger with no bun. In between bites, she worked through the receipts and tallied the tips. She counted the cash and punched the evening numbers into QuickBooks.
Her eyes burned from lack of sleep combined with the greasy kitchen air. Tina ran the best vent system in the business, but on nights like tonight, some of the hiss and sizzle lingered. She relished the idea of sleeping in tomorrow, but Tuesday morning was the all-hands meeting at Dorsey and a big day for the accounting department. In spare moments, she worked with the small marketing team Will had recently put together. She’d gain all the experience she could before grad school.
At ten, she locked the diner’s front door, rolled up her sleeves, and broke down the kitchen with the rest of the crew, volunteering to finish mopping so Cade could clock out.
“Elizabeth, we’re going over to the park. You should join us.” Lucy paused by the fry vat, waiting for her boyfriend, D’Angelo, to finish cleaning up. He was the strong, silent type and a bull in the kitchen. “Buck’s set is over, but some other folks play until midnight.”
“I wish I could, but I have an early day tomorrow,” Elizabeth said. “Good job tonight.”
At her locker, she pulled out her backpack, checking her phone for messages. Granny had texted “Don’t work too hard!” three hours ago.
