“Mom duties never end,” she said, although the fond look on her face said that she didn’t mind being there for her son even the tiniest bit.
“Thanks for the tea, babe,” Diana said. “Kiss Benjamin for me.”
“Will do. Thanks for the treats.”
June blew a kiss as she walked down the street, heading back the way she’d come.
Diana tidied up her porch and headed inside. Macarons were delicious, but they weren’t exactly a balanced dinner, so she needed to cook something before her stomach rebelled against too much sugar and not enough of anything else.
She threw together a quick pot of soup that used up leftover vegetables from meals she’d made earlier in the week. She loved the versatility of a vegetable soup, but likely wouldn’t have many more opportunities to eat it before the heat of summer swept fully in and made such an idea appealing.
After her aromatics had cooked down in butter and she’d added her stock and the lighter vegetables to simmer, Diana found her eyes wandering once more to her phone. She’d been adamant when June had been here, but maybe her friend had a point…
Before she knew it, Diana had filled out the quick profile section on the app that June had downloaded for her. She chose as her profile picture a snap that one of her friends, perhaps Miriam, had taken the summer before when the group had gone out for a picnic on the beach. In it, Diana looked carefree and happy. It was the way she wanted to feel in a relationship, so she hoped choosing this photo would help manifest those kinds of connections.
As her timer went off, she tossed down her phone. Maybe this was a mistake and maybe not.
But either way, it was done. Now she just had to wait and see what happened next.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Eleanor stifled a moan of appreciation as she took a bite of the perfectly seasoned pan-seared grouper that she’d ordered for lunch. Apparently, she hadn’t been successful in fully silencing the noise, for Miriam, seated to her right, gave her an understanding look.
“You’re telling me,” she said. The older woman had ordered a Cuban sandwich made with pork belly, honey ham, house-made pickles, and mustard. Eleanor had no regrets about her own lunch choice, but she knew she’d have to return to Riverstone Kitchen again to try basically everything on the menu.
Eleanor had been pleased, not to mention ready for a distraction from trying to un-stick one of her windows, which had been painted shut about a hundred times, when Cadence had called her earlier in the day.
“Any chance you’re free?” her new friend had asked. “The stars have aligned, and June and I are both off work and kid-free. We thought we’d grab lunch and wanted to know if you’d come along. I’m going to ask Miriam and see if I can convince Diana to leave her store to her assistant for a little bit too.”
Eleanor had quickly agreed and had ended up offering to swing by to pick up Miriam, who only lived a few streets away.
“I haven’t been to Riverstone Kitchen yet,” the other woman said, eyes bright with excitement.
“Oh no?”
Riverstone Kitchen, Miriam explained, was a new establishment in Magnolia Shore, which meant it would be as new to the others as it was to Eleanor.
“It’s very much the hip new thing,” Miriam said. “The chef is supposed to be some hotshot who worked in all these top restaurants in New York. I’m not sure why he came out to Magnolia Shore to start his own place, but I’m sure glad he did. The dinner reservations are still booked out. I’m not sure how Cadence worked her magic and got us a spot.”
“I called and asked, no magic needed,” Cadence said, coming up behind them at just the right moment. “Hi, Miriam, Eleanor.” She gave each woman a quick peck on the cheek. “It’s not as busy at lunchtime as dinner, the hostess said.”
June arrived shortly thereafter, followed by Diana who had, indeed, been lured away from the store. They waited for just a few minutes before they were led to their table. From there, service was quick, and the group was drawn into their meals.
“There’s no greater compliment to a chef than a quiet table,” Miriam observed as everyone tucked in. “But as a dining companion, I want to hear what everyone’s been up to. You first, June,” she concluded imperiously.
June bit back a smile as she shot a sly glance in Diana’s direction.
“Well…” she said, letting the word trail off dramatically. “I have been busy… convincing Diana to join a dating app.”
Diana groaned, although it wasn’t really an angry sound, while everyone else perked up with interest.
“Ooh,” Miriam said, practically rubbing her hands together. Eleanor already knew that the older lady was someone with ahuge heart but wholovedromantic intrigue. “A dating app? Do tell, Diana.”
“I was very much against the idea at first,” Diana said, shooting a glare at June, who looked perfectly unconcerned as she popped a fry in her mouth. “But then I decided thatmaybeJune has a good point, so I finished the profile and posted it.”
Even June looked surprised at this revelation.
“You did?” June asked, sounding impressed.
