“Emma, we should go,” Penny said. “Your grandmother and great-uncle will be wondering where we are and if I crashed his car.”
“Really?” Emma said, looking disappointed, and she turned toward Sophia. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
“Me too,” Sophia told her.
“Lila, thank you.” Penny paid for the order, picked up the box, and the bread bag. “I’m sure we’ll be back soon.”
“Good, we look forward to seeing you again,” Lila told her.
“Linda, Tom, it was lovely to meet you, and I hope we run into each other again soon.” Penny turned to Tom and Linda, whose smiles seemed a little more frozen.
“I’m sure we will,” Linda said.
Penny and Emma left with the bell jingling behind them. Linda watched them go all the way out the door, and her smile onlyfully turned normal once the door had closed. When she turned back, the warmth was firmly back in place.
“Lila,” Linda said, crossing to the counter. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me, I didn’t even say a proper hello. How are you?” She slipped around the corner and hugged her.
“Don’t apologize, Linda,” Lila answered. “I’m well, thank you. You look like you’ve had quite a morning.”
“I have. Tom thought a sugar break might do us all some good.” Linda laughed. “Right now, I think I could use a good sugar rush from one of your delicious cupcakes.”
“Good choice,” Lila said, glancing atTom. “Are you going to be joining them?”
Tom nodded. “Yes, I promised them cupcakes and some hot chocolate.”
Lila felt her cheeks warm as their eyes met and held for a few moments before Jake’s voice broke the spell.
“I’d like a chocolate cupcake, please, Lila,” Jake told her.
The others placed their order while Tom pushed two tables together, and the family took their seats.
“Cupcakes and hot chocolate for the kids?” Lila asked. “And tea for you, Tom, and Linda?”
“I think I’m going to have some hot chocolate,” Linda told her, and Lila could see that Penny was still bothering her. But she didn’t say anything. She glanced at Tom, waiting for his order.
“I’ll have some tea,” Tom told her. “But I’ll get this for everyone.”
“No, no,” Lila shook her head. “You sit, and I’ll get this.”
Tom started arguing, but Lila waved him off. But as she worked, Lila watched Tom out of the corner of her eye, trying desperately to make herself stop gawking at him like he was some movie star and she was a love-struck fan. She had her days of romance and love. She was too old to go through all that again. She shook away her fanciful thoughts and concentrated on the task at hand.
Lila brought the tray of mugs and plates over and set them down. In the middle of the tray was a plate with an array of cupcakes.
They all thanked her, and Lila returned to the counter, letting the family eat in peace.
Tom, who was sitting beside Linda, his big hands wrapped around his mug of tea, was listening intently as his grandkids and Toby discussed various topics. But this time her focus was on Linda, who listened and nodded at all the right places, but Lila noticed the small distracted softness around her eyes, as if part of Linda’s mind was still on the woman who had just left. Lila wondered about that, but her attention was drawn away from Linda when the bell over the door chimed.
Mrs. Devereaux came in for a loaf of freshly baked brown bread. She greeted Linda warmly, asked after George, fussed over the children, and bought her bread with the unhurried pleasure of a woman who had been a regular for thirty years. Two more customers came in shortly after. The Petersens’ eldest, picking up the family’s standing rye on his way home from work. A young mother with a small boy on her hip wanting two slices of carrot cake for an afternoon picnic.
Lila served them all. Tom rose at one point, came around the counter beside her without a word, and rang up the next two customers while she worked the back. They had done this samedance a hundred times over the past six months. But today it felt different.
Eventually, the small rush eased.
Linda finished her drink and stood. The kids had eaten every crumb and were ready to go home.
“We should go and let you two work,” Linda said. “Lila, thank you. The hot chocolate was perfect.”
“Anytime,” Lila told her.
