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I shook my head and watched her float away, making it look like she didn’t have a care in the world. I surveyed the diner. Everything appeared to be under control, just the way I liked it.

“Ryan, think you’ll be right for ten?” I asked, hopefully.

“We got you, boss lady. Go, do what you need to.” He nodded.

I didn’t hesitate. I ducked out the back door and headed around the corner. The walk from the diner to my place took exactly two minutes. I hurried along the footpath, waving at Morgan who stood behind the counter of the Clever Cookie as I snuck past.

I hurried around the side of my little house, trying not to notice the peeling paint or overgrown garden beds, and tugged open the back screen door with a squeak. I raced into River’s bedroom, already knowing what I’d find. I scooped up the pile of dirty clothes on the floor before collecting the wet towels from the bathroom.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I groaned as I stepped into the bathroom.

How an eight-year-old boy could make so much mess while showering was beyond me. There were actual puddles on the floor, the bathmat dripped, the bathroom sink had one sock on the side, and the mirror was splattered with something I didn’t even want to know about. But I didn’t have time to fix it. Not right now anyway. Cleaning the bathroom would just have to get added to my to-do list this afternoon.

I grabbed the dripping towels and hurried into the laundry room. After tossing a load into the machine, I took a breath. I didn’t have time to worry about the toast crumbs on the kitchen counters or the empty toilet roll still on the holder. Life with a boy was never boring, but I wouldn’t change a thing. River was all I had left of Sean.

With the washing machine working its magic, I went back to work.

I was retying my apron around my waist when the bells over the door jingled. In strode Bailey and her new boyfriend. They were disgustingly smitten with each other. The way they looked at each other was like the rest of the world didn’t exist. I reached up and rubbed that spot in my chest that ached. I’d had that once but lost it. Now my focus was on my son and making sure he had the best life I could give him.

“Morning,” I greeted, shaking off my heavy thoughts and focusing on what I needed to do. “You guys eating this morning?”

“Yes, please, Rosie,” Austin replied politely. For someone with as much money as Austin had, he never once looked down on those who didn’t.

I ushered them over to a corner booth, handed them a menu, and left them to get coffee.

“Where’d you run off to?” Emmy questioned as she punched an order into the computer.

“Home.”

“Oooh. For something exciting I hope?”

“If you call laundry exciting, then yeah. Sure.” I shrugged.

Some days I felt restless about the lack of excitement in my life, but then on other days, like today, I just accepted it for what it was. I didn’t have the energy for anything more than what I had, and that was okay.

“Boo! I was hoping you chased your mountain man down and begged him to show you how good that beard could feel,” Emmy teased, and I felt my cheeks burn.

“The last thing I need in my life is a guy. Besides, I have River. He’s enough,” I told her before going to take the next order.

It wasn’t until I walked away that I questioned how true that really was.

Pushing all thoughts aside, I got to work, and by the time two o’clock arrived, my feet ached, my back was sore, and all I could think about was how good a nap sounded.

“You out, boss lady?” Ryan asked as he grabbed his water bottle and chugged it down greedily.

“Yeah. I have to go pick up River,” I answered, wiping over the counter.

I finished early each day to make sure I was there when my son needed me. I’d set it up so it worked for me. Emmy was taking her break, sitting in the corner and doomscrolling on her phone.

“Em, I’m out.” I waved.

“See you tomorrow,” she replied. “Try not to spend all night thinking about your mountain man.”

The three people in the diner stared at me like there was a secret they needed to know. Shame there was nothing to tell. I didn't have a mountain man, and as attractive as he was, I didn’t want one.

I ignored her comment and hurried home.

After a quick shower and a half-hearted attempt to tidy up, I grabbed the keys to the beat-up old Ford parked in the driveway and went to get River.