“But, oh, this poor Eva girl”—?Mom releases a wistful sigh—?“I have to meet her, baby. Plus, you need to set up your job schedule, don’t you?”
“Yeah, yeah. Fine.” I pull on a pair of shorts and a black T-shirt before twisting my hair into a messy topknot. “I need to find a piano somewhere to practice on anyway.” I shoot her a look, but she only nods and tells me what a “great idea!” that is.
Out in the kitchen, Jay sits at the table, slurping up cereal.
In nothing but his boxers.
I grit my teeth as I pour a glass of water, but I can feel his eyes trailing me. Mom chats him up, giggling and patting his shoulder like he’s not seventeen and half naked.
I gulp down the water so I don’t puke and head out the door. Mom can follow me if she wants, but there’s no way I’m going to stay in here and watch whatever the hell that is.
Mom joins me halfway down the driveway.
“You didn’t even say good morning to Julian,” she says, lighting up a cigarette.
“I don’t say good morning to slobbering cretins.”
“Oh, he’s not that bad. He’s been very polite to me.”
Yeah, well he nearly ripped my belt loop last night. That’s real polite.
The words almost slip out. Seems like a no-brainer: tell your mother about the ass-wipe who makes you feel nervous in your own house, but nope. Because I know what she’ll say.
You’re just being dramatic now, Grace. I know he wasn’t nice to you when you broke up, but try to be civil, will you?
I press my mouth closed and keep it that way the four blocks to LuMac’s.
The first thing I notice right away when we walk into LuMac’s is the decor. Two weeks ago, it was an all-retro-fifties diner. Now it’s a retro-fifties diner with an industrial flair. Luca’s creations are eve-rywhere. Copper and nickel napkin holders, a soldered iron cake stand, twisted metal frames around the art on the walls. He’s always had few pieces here and there, but now it’s like a junkyard got artistic and then threw up all over a sock hop.
Mom gasps and mutters, “Well, this is an interesting choice,” but I think it looks pretty freaking cool.
Buttery, fried-food smells fill the space as Mom and I settle into one of the only booths still available. With summer starting up, tourists are spilling onto the cape, and they flock to LuMac’s at all hours of the day.
My butt has barely hit the sparkly red pleather cushion when Emmy descends upon us.
“My two favorite ladies!” she exclaims, sliding in next to me. Her long, rust-colored hair is pulled into her usual sleek ponytail, and her soft arms wrap around my shoulders. I lean into her a little. She smells like sugar and warm toast and looks exhausted.
“Hey, Em,” I say, my eyes scanning the dining room for Eva. “How are you?”
“I’m all right. We’re getting there.” She pops a kiss to my cheek. “Are you ready to work for me?”
“Yep. Just say when.”
“How about tomorrow morning? Luca should be done training Eva by then. Of course, Macon could train you just as well, but he’s been busy building up our Internet delivery service.”
“Yeah, that sounds fine.” I smile at her, searching for signs that she knows Eva spent a good two hours at the top of the lighthouse last night, like that’s information she’d just wear on her face or something. I roll my eyes at myself.
“How’s the new place, Maggie?” Emmy asks.
Mom nods. “Wonderful. You know Pete, right?”
“Yep. His family moved here when he was around fourteen, so I’ve known him since high school. He’s a character, that one.”
“He swept me off my feet, I’ll say that.” Mom grins, like her fortieth romance of the year is the cutest damn thing either of us has ever seen.
“Well, good,” Emmy says. “Let me know if you girls need anything as you settle in, yes?”
Mom’s gaze narrows a bit, and she rolls her shoulders back. “Thanks, but I’m sure you have your hands full. I think all we really need right now is some breakfast.”
