Martha releases me, passing me to Gus, who greets me the same way. The smell of bacon radiates from his clothes as I bury my face in his shoulder.
Gus lets me go but keeps his hands on my shoulders. “It’s good to see you, Squirt.”
His smile causes a warmth to spread through my chest.
“Get the girls some food. We need to feed her so well that she doesn’t leave again,” Martha directs to her husband.
A pang of guilt stabs at me. Once I figure things out, I’m gone. This town has too many ghosts for me to stick around.
“French toast?” he questions.
“French toast,” Martha confirms as she leads me back to my seat and sits across from me. “I should be cross with you. No calls, no letters. I thought I’d never see you again.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I just couldn’t…” My throat closes up as I try to explain. I’ve never been able to say out loud exactly what made me leave.
It’s too much. Too heavy.
Martha envelopes my hand in both of hers. “I understand. We all have things we’d rather stay buried. You don’t have to tell me why you left. You don’t even have to tell me why you came back. I’m just happy you’re here.”
“Thank you,” I return with a half-smile.
Martha and Gus have always been good to me. When I was little, before Daddy passed, Mama worked here. And when she chose to drown her sorrows instead of going to work, Martha had to let Mama go, but that didn’t stop Martha and Gus from making sure I was fed. If it weren’t for them, I’m not sure I would have survived.
Patting my hand, Martha rises to her feet. “I’m going to go check on your food. Anything else I can get you? A milkshake?”
“No, thank you.”
Before heading for the kitchen, Martha looks me over like she can’t believe I’m actually here.
That makes two of us.
Sighing, I rub my eyes and take a sip of my coffee. Scanning the diner, I pray that our reunion didn’t draw too much unwanted attention. Just because I’ve given up on being incognito doesn’t mean I want a parade of greetings.
My gaze meets a pair of steel-gray eyes, intent on mine. My heart practically skips a beat as I recognize another of Dad’s best friends.
Grant Calloway.
Another man I was never supposed to want.
He bought me a bike the Christmas after Daddy died because Mama sold mine. I always loved his military haircut and the dimples he gets when he flashes a genuine smile.
I lift my hand to wave and say hello, but he slides his chair back abruptly, causing me to flinch at the grating sound. His mouth thins to a firm line, and the veins in his neck pop out livid corrugations.
Grant tosses some cash on the table next to his half-eaten sandwich and glass of pop and storms out of the diner, the door shutting vehemently behind him.
Closing my mouth after I realize it’s open, I feel heat creep up the back of my neck and darken my ears. I try not to look around again, but I can’t help but want to make sure no one else noticed Grant’s reaction.
Still, too many people are eyeing me, but one stands out among the rest.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
She tosses her thick copper hair over one shoulder, snagging her designer purse and beelining straight for me. Her sharp eyes attempt to pierce me like she’s trying to wear me down before her words have a chance to punch me in the gut.
Fortunately, I built up a tolerance to her bullshit a long time ago.
Standing over me, she sports a cold smile. “Well, if it isn’t Evergreen Falls’ trashiest runaway. What brings you back here, Blake?”
I return her fake sentiments. “Victoria Wood. How are you?”
