One Thursday Morning: Inspirational Christian Romance (Diamond Lake Series Book 1) by T.K. Chapin

sweetest person I’ve ever met,” I said as tears trickled down my cheeks. It warmed my heart that she cared so much about me. Turning toward the lake that was visible through the trees, I said, “It’s a beautiful view of the lake for Hope.”
    “It is. She deserves to have a memorial, Serenah. She changed your life for the better.”
    I smiled and wiped the tears from my eyes as I nodded. “I can’t thank you enough.” We continued to visit for a while longer before I headed back over to start in on more yard work.
    As I weeded near one of the tall standing pine trees in the front yard near the driveway, a black Lexus RC pulled into the driveway of the inn. That looks just like John’s, I thought to myself. My heart began pounding, and I moved to the shrubs out of view. Watching as it pulled up, I hid further into the shrubs, pushing against sharp twigs and branches. The car pulled further ahead, and my sights fell onto Washington state plates, settling my nerves. When am I ever going to shake this fear? The car rolled to a stop, and a woman got out. Turning, I went back to weeding near the pine trees in the front.
     

     
    Biting on her nails, Miley looked a bit nervous when I showed up at the diner at nine. She didn’t take her eyes off the front door the entire time I clocked in. “You’re acting strange,” I commented as I wrapped my apron around my waist.
    Dropping her hand from her mouth, she turned to me. Lowering her voice as she leaned in, she said, “Wendy drilled into me the other day about some stupid customer who got a lemonade instead of an iced tea.”
    “Ginger ale.”
    Miley paused and pulled her head back. “Wait. You knew?”
    “Knew what? I knew there was a problem with someone’s order.”
    “And you threw me under the bus?” Miley retorted.
    “Um . . . No. She asked if it was me, and I said no .” Placing a pencil behind my ear, I said, “Why does she act like she’s just waiting to fire us all?”
    “Right?” Miley replied, shaking her head. “Why does Emma let her treat us like that?”
    I shrugged. “I’m sure it has to do with the fact that Emma co-owns the diner with Debbie, and Debbie’s her aunt.”
    “Ahh . . . yeah. Nepotism at its finest.”
    “Order up,” Diego said from the server window a few steps away.
    Miley flashed Diego a nod and headed that way, but not without saying on the way, “Lover boy should be here soon.”
    My heart dipped at Charlie’s mention. Glancing at the computer screen, I saw he was due to come in any moment. Pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear, I smiled and took a deep breath.
    The door chimed, and in walked Charlie. Turning around, our eyes connected, and though we both smiled, I felt something in the air that he brought in with him. It wasn’t good. The feeling reminded me of the mysterious no-named man I had seen come in on Thursdays for months—but different. He looked grieved, and his shoulders sagged as he went to a table and sat down. Walking across the diner, I decided to play it easy, see if he’d divulge what was going on.
    “Hey, Charlie.”
    He looked up from his paper and tipped his chin, forced half-smile and all. “Amy.”
    “Usual?” I asked, wanting to know more about this little thing he did. Today wasn’t the day to push it, though. I could tell that much.
    He let out a sigh and said, “Yes. The usual.” As I wrote it down and turned to walk away, he called my name.
    “Amy.”
    Turning around, I looked at him.
    He hesitated for a moment and shook his head. “Never mind.”
    Not able to stand it another moment, I shoved the order pad in my apron and went over to him. Resting my hands on the table, I asked, “What’s going on in that head of yours, Charlie?”
    He appeared to mull something over in his mind, and then he looked at me in a way that cut through all my layers and walls and into my soul. He asked, “You ever just have some days that are just a little bit harder than the