Felix looks me dead in the eye. “A lot has changed, but he’s still the same Gray underneath. Give him a chance.”
“A chance for what? He doesn’t even want to be in the same room as me, Felix,” I retort, and it hurts.
“That’s not true. Not by a long shot. He’s just afraid of getting hurt again.” Felix exits the car after his words, and I’m left to absorb and process them. After a long second, I follow him and find all three guys waiting for me at the curb.
“Frances Louise, is that you?” My shoulders fall. How did I forget we were downtown? We are probably going to run into twenty people I haven’t seen in years. I turn to face the voice. “Well, as I live and breathe. It is you. I thought I was having an episode.” Old Ms. Wilkins lifts her brows high on her forehead and widens her eyes.
“Hello, Ms. Wilkins,” I greet, speaking loud and slowly. She’s got to be ninety-nine if she’s a day. She’s one of those people who has always been old, but you have no idea how old they really are.
“Are you here to solve the murder?” She leans forward. “Imagine a killer loose in our town!” I wasn’t expecting to be asked if I was involved in the case so directly. I should have known how fast news travels in this town.
“Do you know the gentleman who perished?” Might as well get some info from one of the many town gossips.
“Oh no, dear, can’t say as I did, but” —she leans in even closer, and I get a whiff of mothballs and brandy— “there’s been talk of abigman snooping around town.” She leans back and watches my face.
“Interesting.” I narrow my eyes to make her think I’m really invested in the information she has to offer. You have to feed the beast sometimes. “An observant woman such as yourself wouldn’t know where he’d been snooping around, would you?”
“The Pirelli family reported a prowler just a few nights back.” She gives me a smile and a wink. “Good to have you home, dear. I’ll expect to see you for tea since you’re back.” She pats my hand and walks away before I can tell her my stay in town is only temporary.
When I look away from her, I notice several other people staring in our direction. Some of them are trying to hide the fact that we are the topic of their conversations, while others don’t bother.
“Come on.” Grayson stalks down the sidewalk.
“You didn’t have to wait,” I mutter to his back. Remy and Felix keep pace with me as we follow in Grayson’s wake. He enters a shop several doors down, not bothering to wait for us. The bell chimes merrily when Felix grabs the door and holds it for Remy and me to enter. I mouth, “Thank you,” to him before focusing on the restaurant.
The familiar scent hits me first. The heavy aromas of bacon and eggs swirl around, and my stomach growls. The next thing I notice is the overwhelming female patronage. Nearly every table has a woman or two seated at it, and every head is turned in our direction.
I hum theTwilight Zonetheme song under my breath. This is not the kind of joint you would expect to see so many well coiffed women. A yoga studio or a smoothie bar, yes. A diner that specializes in clogged arteries and heartburn, not so much. “What the hell?” I look over at Remy, but he’s ignoring the situation completely. There are three empty seats at the bar and the guys head straight for them. I’m left to stand at the “Have a seat” sign near the front desk. I should have known they would still come here. The traitors. This is my restaurant.
Surprisingly, Grayson is the one to turn and look for me. When he realizes I caught him looking, he scowls and pretends he was staring at someone to the left of me and gives them a fake smile and a polite wave.
Remy places his hand on the back of the high-backed stool next to one of the open seats. He leans down and says something to the brunette seated there. I can’t hear his words, but I can see his smile. It’s a sin to look that devilish and have those dimples that make him look so sweet.
The woman’s mouth falls open a little as she gazes into his eyes. I move a little closer, needing to hear what he’s saying. Is this his girlfriend?
“…would be in your debt,” he finishes. She continues to stare up at him as if she can’t believe he’s actually speaking to her. Instead of waiting, I slide into the seat clearly meant for him and prop my chin on my hand, watching the two of them.
Remy looks over at me. “Apparently, she has other ideas. This works too.” Remy grabs me under my arms, lifts me, and then plops himself down in the seat I was just removed from before depositing me on his lap. My knees are touching the counter, and I’m completely uncomfortable, but it’s something the old us would have done.
I’m so struck by the moment, I’m probably sporting the same gape as the girl next to us—who I’ve decided is not Remy’s girlfriend. I can’t even manage to look at her now.
A round man with a limp hobbles over to the counter with a mug that only a mother could love. “Jimmy,” I coo softly.
“You know I appreciate the business, Remy, my lunch sales are” —Jimmy brings his hairy, meaty hand up to his lips and kisses his fingertips in a chef kiss— “but you’re going to bust my chair and leave this lovely creature on her butt.”
“Come on—” Remy starts, but his words get lost as I stare at the man who is more like an uncle to me than just a fry cook.
I reach out and place my hand over Jimmy’s on the scarred bar top. I’ve probably had more meals here than at home. For some reason, I feel like crying. Hell, I missed him. I didn’t even realize how much until this moment. We don’t share any more words, just looks that say so much. Eventually, he places his hand on top of mine and gives my fingers a long squeeze.
“You want the usual?” He doesn’t even wait for a reply. When he hits the swinging doors to the back, I swear I see him dab the corner of his eye with the stained towel on his shoulder.
Remy grabs my hips and adjusts me. It brings my position on top of him to the front of my mind. From the state of his hard-on, I’m thinking it was already in the front of his.
“Shush,” he whispers near my ear when I twist to look over my shoulder. I damn near groan, but then I find myself looking over at Grayson. I don’t want him to accuse me of forcing myself on Remy this time. He’s looking at me, but not with the same disdain that’s been present since we were at Mickey’s, however the softness in his gaze shatters when his lips curl and he looks away.
“Ignore him,” Felix whispers from the seat next to me. It’s not easy, but being in Remy’s lap helps keep my mind and other parts of my body occupied. I’m probably going to need a fresh pair of panties after this, or I’m going to have to get comfortable with the wet spot.
Lunch is, in fact, divine. Jimmy made me a burger the likes of which I haven’t had in years. I made sure to tell him that too. He made me promise to come back and see him, but didn’t pretend I wasn’t planning on leaving town again, which I was grateful for.
