Luke peppered her with questions the whole ride to school. Was Finn going to pick him up right at the bell? Did he know where to pick him up? Could he sit in the front seat? Would he take him for ice cream?
Lainey answered as best she could, but sitting in the front seat was a big no-no until he was older. She’d have to remind Finn about that and to make sure Luke had his safety belt on.
“Just remember,” she said softly as they pulled up to the drop-off lane. “You can tell me if you change your mind or anything feels weird. Okay?”
Luke nodded. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and then he was out the door, waving back with a grin on his face.
She sat in the car for a second too long lost in thought until one of the monitors waved her on. A quick glance at her watch told her she still had a little time before meeting the girls for lunch. Perfect timing. There was a kids’ clothing store near the diner. She could pick up some new clothes for Luke. This morning, she noticed his pants were a little too short and his shirt too tight. He was growing like a weed, eating her out of house and home.
She was late.Of course, she was late. Lainey parked her car and rushed into the diner. Inside, the cool air hit her and slowedher down. At a corner table, she spotted Dani, Autumn, Joy and Isabelle, laughing over something.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, trying to catch her breath as she slid into the booth. “I was buying clothes for Luke and then decided he had to have a new backpack. I saw one with a dragon breathing fire, and time just got away from me.”
Dani handed her a menu, smiling. “No worries, we just got here ourselves.”
“Oh good,” Lainey huffed. “I hate being late.”
A server came to take their drink orders.
“What’s good here?” asked Lainey, scanning the menu.
“Everything!” Joy grinned. “Margie and her husband, Walter, own the place and are terrific cooks. But the specials are … actually special.”
Lainey had a chance to glance around the diner. She’d driven by it a few times and loved the fifties vibe it gave off outside. But inside? It was even better than she imagined. Red leather booths were placed against the outside wall. On the opposite wall were vintage signs and knickknacks from what looked like other diners. Tiered pie stands sat on the counter showing off different pies.
Her stomach growled.
The server returned just then with their drinks. “What are you all having?”
“I’d like the chicken with waffles,” said Isabelle.
“Make that two,” piped up Joy.
Dani went with the meat loaf special; Autumn got the Cobb salad with extra bacon.
“Bacon makes everything better,” she said with a grin.
“Hmm.” Lainey looked at the menu again. “I’ll have the tomato basil soup and grilled cheese combo.”
The server wrote down their orders and promised to be back as soon as they were ready.
Lainey had just taken a sip of her iced tea when Dani tilted her head. “You look happy.”
“I am. It’s been a good week, considering.”
“Un-huh. A good week,” Joy echoed. “Mmmm, that’s not just backpack happy.”
“This doesn’t have anything to do with tall, dark and handsome who was eyeing you at the fundraiser, does it?” asked Autumn, raising her brow.
Lainey blinked. “What?”
“Don’t play innocent,” Autumn said, taking a sip of her iced tea. “You know who we mean. The guy who follows you around the site.”
“The one who kissed the bejesus out of you at Lucky’s,” said Joy.
“Ohhh. I remember that,” said Isabelle. She squinted her eyes at Lainey. “Shameless. Like watching kissing porn in public.”
The girls started giggling and then burst into laughter. Lainey just rolled her eyes, then started laughing with them. It was all in good fun. And all true.
