‘Can you do a whites-only omelette?’
Shawny gives a derisive snort at Jewel’s selection. I give her a wink. ‘For sure.’
‘I’ll have the same,’ Leona says sweetly and hands me the menu. ‘With the tea. Will you eat with us, Ren?’
I look around. The diner is quiet. ‘I’ll see if I can get away with it.’
When their food is ready, I take a seat at the table. My back is to the door but there’s another waitress on duty. I’ve made myself a latte at the machine and I rip open a sugar sachet, pouring it into the cup. Kathleen never has to know.
‘Can youpleasegive us the update now?’ Jewel says in Shawny’s direction.
Shawny’s brow gives a devil-may-care double bounce. She lowers her voice. ‘So, I heard this from Angel, who heard it from Reeta, one of the ground staff, who heard it from one of the security guys at the Danube.’
She sucks her chocolate milkshake through a paper straw. ‘Yesterday, big face off takes place between Lemon Conway and her momma, right in Momma Conway’s office. Jake Walsh? Turns out, not having a thing with Lemon, at least not anymore. Lemon’snotfound herself a new fuckboy, but a fuckgirl. Started as friends with bens but now very much athang. Turns out Lemon is gay. And Momma Conway is sonotpleased.’
‘Oh my lord, who?’ Jewel asks, her eyes sparkling and hungry for gossip.
‘Only Carlie Kessler.’
All our eyes go wide. ‘The DJ?’ I ask.
‘Get outta here!’ Jewel blurts simultaneously.
‘Get this. Lemon’s screaming at her mother that they’re in love, that she and Carlie wanna be together, that it’s been going on for a while, etcetera, but Samantha Conway is like,no, no way, the brand cannot handle you bein’ a lesbian,she’s so disappointed, yada yada…’
‘That’s so mean,’ I comment, though a part of me is relieved. ‘Poor Lemon.’
‘Hold up, isn’t Lemon, like, twenty-three?’ Jewel asks. ‘Surely, you’d tell your mom where to get off?’
‘Not if your mom is Sam Conway, and you’re one of the heirs to the holy Mutineers empire,’ Shawny says, crossing herself. ‘I mean, it’s fine for your daughter to be fucking your star player, but anothergirl?’
‘She is a snob and a half,’ Jewel says.
‘Good news for you, though, right?’ Leona comments toward Jewel. ‘Means Jake Walsh is now a free agent.’
‘So long, CMC,’ Jewel laughs with a little wave of her fingers, and I laugh along with her, because I have no idea what else I can do, the same knot in my stomach forming whenever his name comes up.
‘You know, I can picture Lemon and Carlie Kessler together,’ Jewel then says. ‘I think they make a cute couple.’
‘Not as cute as you and Jake Walsh,’ Leona adds.
‘Duh,’ Jewel says but she finishes it with another laugh.
‘Sam Conway must be pretty pissed though,’ Shawny says. ‘Turns out her daughter ain’t so keen on her team’s star running back.’
‘Don’t you mean Jewel’s future husband?’ Leona laughs.
‘Jake ’n’ Jewel has a certain ring to it, don’t you think?’ Jewel giggles.
I keep a smile on my face, but inside it’s starting to hurt. Not just because I want to be open about Jake and me, but because I hate lying to my friends about the first serious relationship I’ve had in years.
On the other side of the table, I see Jewel’s eyes go wide. She lowers her voice. ‘Oh my god, what ishedoing here?’
A tingle goes down my spine. I turn my head toward the door. My world narrows as Brody Conway saunters into the diner wearing a suit.
‘No fucking way,’ Shawny whispers. ‘What are the chances?’
‘Why would he even come to a place like this?’ Leona questions.
