We’re at the Nosh Diner, but it’s mid-morning and the place is empty.I’m sure that won’t last long.This place is always packed.It’s one of the only restaurants here in Wolf Valley, after all.
Ford actually owns this diner.The previous owner, old Mr.Riley, sold it to him right after high school.Well, sold it to us.Ford couldn’t have afforded it without my investment, and neither one of us could have afforded it without the money that our mom left us when she passed.
“What are we talking about then?”Ransom asks.
Ransom came to town a year ago and moved in next door to me.We became fast friends and try to grab breakfast or lunch together once a week.I had forgotten that today was when we were meeting for a late breakfast so I’m lucky that I had a lull at work and came over.
“Lilliana is coming home today,” Ford informs him.
“Ah, Foster’s long lost love.I can’t wait to meet her.”
I glare at him, and he grins, grabbing a menu and pretending to look it over.
“You’ll love her,” Ford tells him, and jealousy starts to eat at me.
Lilliana is finally coming back to town and I don’t want to even think about sharing her with anyone else.It’s been too long since we were last together, three years to be exact.We’ve stayed in touch, texting or talking on the phone every few days or so, but it’s not the same as seeing her face to face.
“I’m sure,” Ransom says, and I know that they’re both just messing with me.
“Are we eating or what?”I snap, and they share a look.
“She left for college, right?”Ransom asks, and Ford and I both nod.
“Yeah, she went to the Pratt Institute in New York,” I tell him.
“That’s a long way to go for school.Are you sure that she wasn’t trying to get away from you?”Ransom asks, and I know that he’s joking, but my stomach drops at his words, and my mind flashes back to high school, to one of the last times that I saw her in person.
Ford thinks that I’ve never tried to tell Lilliana how I’ve always felt about her, but that’s not true.There was a party towards the end of summer that we all went to.Lilliana and I had snuck outside for some fresh air and wound up sitting on this porch swing staring up at the stars.
I had brought up the idea of a marriage pact if both of us weren’t married by twenty-four, and she had agreed right away.I thought that was a good sign that maybe she liked me too.I mean, normally, marriage pacts are made for later in life, not like six years in the future.
Still, even with her agreeing to the pact, it had taken me almost an hour to work up the courage to turn to her and try to kiss her.I had almost done it, too, but then she had pulled back.
Thinking about her pulling away from me still makes me flinch, and I clear my throat and try to focus on happier things.
She’s coming back to town and I’m finally getting my friend back.
Plus, there’s the marriage pact…
“Are you two going to order or what?”Ford asks, and I blink.
“Of course.I’ll have the burger,” I order, deciding that it’s late enough in the morning for lunch food.
“Same,” Ransom says, and Ford nods and heads back around the counter.
“So, what’s the plan?”Ransom asks me as we wait for our food.
“Plan for what?”
“For winning over your girl.”
“I’m just going to welcome her back to town, help her move in and stuff.Then maybe ask her out to dinner or a movie or something.”
“No, that’s not going to work.You have to do some big gesture, really lay your heart out on the line for her,” he tells me and I stare at him like I’ve never met him before.
“Big gesture.You don’t know words like that.Who the hell are you?”
“Shut up,” he mumbles, and I laugh.
