“Just a party with a few classmates, friends, and family at the shop after hours. You’re welcome, of course…so are your parents and Connor.” I met his gaze, feeling a little shy and uncertain. “Dare and Evan, too. If they’re around…”
“That would be great! I’m sure they wouldn’t miss it.” Cal’s eyes lit up, and he grinned, tugging me closer. His hand slipped around the small of my back, and he brought his lips to mine in a quick, appreciative kiss—sliding in just a touch of tongue before he broke away and gazed ardently at me.
“What?” I laughed, fighting a grin.
He tugged me closer and lowered his lips to my ear. “Oh…I’m just thinking about how we’re going to spend the next two days.” His words coiled around my heart and my core simultaneously. He grinned wider, like he knewexactlyhow he was affecting me, and released me to open the door to the diner. He held it open for me.
Unwinding my scarf, I glanced around the east coast decorations and turquoise booths. Like everything in this town, the diner was colourful and bright, cashing in on that same east coast vibrancy.
Raina was behind the counter, filling a drink order. Despite the bags under her bright blue eyes, she was efficient. Quick and fluid in her movements, she glided from table to table with the skill of a seasoned server, a large tray of drinks balanced in her hand. She chatted easily with the regulars, bringing forth laughs and grins with her dry wit and a slight smile as she dropped off the drinks at a table of five, near the one Asher and Nik had snagged.
She looked tired but otherwise okay. Once she’d dropped off the drinks, she stopped at their table, her smile wide and pure. She frowned a little, ruffling Nik’s hair with a questioning tilt to her head. He flushed and said something.
“I’ll call the landlord after work. Maybe the pipes froze again.” I overheard her uncertainly say as I approached. Nik’s shoulders slumped, and he nodded.
“Hi Raina,” I smiled, pausing beside the booth to take off my coat and hang it on the hook attached to the wooden panel backing.
“Hey, Harper,” She lifted her head, tired eyes focusing on me for a moment before she noticed Cal standing behind me. He shrugged out of his coat, hanging it beside mine. Her eyes widened, and she paled, almost like she’d seen a ghost.
“I’m Calum. Nice to meet you,” he said, holding his hand out to shake hers, his face holding no signs of recognition. He smiled politely and inclined his chin in greeting.
“Ya, I know who you are. You’re all anybody around here’s been talking about.” Raina clipped, ignoring his outstretched hand and reaching into her apron for her notepad and pen. Her eyes darted from Cal to me, then to Asher. “What can I get you?” She asked stiffly.
Calum didn’t seem bothered by her reaction to him. He slid into the booth, leaving the aisle seat for me, and looked pointedly at the boys, urging them wordlessly to go first with that half-smile I loved so much.
“A cheeseburger and a chocolate milk shake for me, please,” Asher told her, grinning. “Hold the onions, though.”
“Cheeseburger for you, too, bud? Strawberry shake?” Raina asked, glancing up at Nik, who nodded. She scribbled the order down on the pad and shifted her focus to Cal. “And for you?”
“I think cheeseburgers and milkshakes for all of us sounds good,” Cal said, looking to me for confirmation, and I nodded. “The works on mine, hold the tomato on hers, another chocolate shake, and one strawberry shake, please.”
I was surprised he’d remembered my little quirk; although I loved tomatoes, I didn’t like them on my burger or in my sandwiches. They always made it taste soggy. Raina nodded, jotting the rest of the order down.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks,” she said, eyes sweeping from me to Cal and the kids before she walked away. I slipped into the booth, my knee bumping against Cal’s as I adjusted. He shot me a smile, his eyes resting on my lips a moment before he looked back at the kids.
“So, Nik. When did you start drawing comics?” he asked, leaning back in the booth and watching Asher’s friend with interest.
“When I was six, I think.” Nik shrugged, making a tower out of the creamers.
“He’s really good,” Asher confirmed, nudging Nik’s elbow with his own, knocking over part of the tower. “You should show him your sketch book.”
“Nah.” Nik shook his head, uncomfortable with the attention.
“You don’t have to show me,” Calum assured him with an easy smile. “I don’t like to show off my drawings, either.”
“You draw?” Nik asked, looking up from the tower.
“Not as much as I write music and play it. But it’s a hobby of mine.” Calum’s hand found my thigh, sliding down to my knee. He gave it a gentle squeeze, leaving his hand there while he continued talking to the boys about drawing.
I let my mind wander while I observed the diner. More than half the patrons were watching, conversation buzzing lowly around us.
Raina was one of the watchers—she stood behind the counter, making the milkshakes with a miffed expression. When she realized I was watching her, she quickly looked away and finished the shakes, placing them all on the tray she balanced in her hand.
Once all four shakes were in place, she flitted around the counter and carried them over. By the time she reached us, she’d found a smile—although her shoulders were tense, and the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
She placed the shakes down in front of us—strawberry for Cal and Nik, chocolate for Asher and me. Raina stared at the strawberry milkshakes for a beat before drifting over to another table to take their order.
Throughout the meal, Raina watched from afar with a perplexed and guarded expression. She came back twice—once to bring our burgers, and once to check on us, but otherwise floated around the diner, taking orders and bringing food and drinks, weaving around the busboy and ignoring rude remarks from the owner and manager. He was quick to criticize but slow to help his employees out. Raina handled it all in stride.
