her conscience a swift kick into the corner of her crowded mind, Lily hoped her mother wouldn’t be too disappointed. It’s only one meal. Surely Mom wouldn’t want her to eat alone on Thanksgiving.
She fought the urge squeal in delight and released a half-hearted sigh instead. “Yeah. Sure. Why not?”
“Really? I don’t wanna twist your arm or anything.”
Guilt tweaked her heart as his wounded eyes touched her soul. “You’re not. It’s just…” She shook her head, debating if this was a bad idea or not. She hated how easily he ruined her confidence with his heartbreaking smile. “Nothing. Never mind.”
“It’s not like a date or anything, if that’s what you’re worried about.” He sounded cautious. Oddly, the more insecure he seemed, the less self-conscious she felt. “You can write it off as two friends bumping into each other at the diner, okay?”
Although she should be glad he was still working the friends-angle, Lily’s heart plummeted.
“Yes, of course…friends. I’m just surprised to see you, that’s all.”
“Well, I hope it’s a good surprise.”
Every fiber of her being screamed, Great surprise! But she refrained from admitting it. Instead, she continued to stumble over her mixed emotions, hoping nothing idiotic poured from her mouth.
He held the door wide for her. “After you.”
Sorry, Mom . Lily prayed to the darkening sky before stepping over the threshold.
Once inside, her stomach clenched from hunger as an aromatic wave of everything delicious hit her; she could almost taste the fragrant feast in the air.
Overheating under the bulky clothes, she pulled off her gloves and shoved them in her pockets. She kept her hat on and head down, hoping to go unnoticed, especially when Britney beelined in their direction.
“Well, well, well. Looky here. If it isn’t Captain Knight. Remember me, from CPR class. I haven’t seen you in here once, the whole time you’ve been in town.”
Nick shrugged. “I usually call for delivery.”
“Would you like to see the Thanksgiving Specials?” Britney cocked her hip. “I can have ’em wrap it to go.”
“We’ll just take a booth in the back.”
“ We ?” Britney’s eyes bounced from Nick, down to Lily hiding in his shadow. “Oh. My. Gawd . Don’t tell me you two are together? Follow me.” She sauntered in tight orange pants that made her big ass look like a pumpkin. “Your waitress will be right over.” She handed Nick a menu with a whisper, “Let me know when you’re tired of playing with children, I have a fire you can put out.” Then she tossed a paper menu wrapped around a pack of crayons and sneered at Lily. “What’s the matter—can’t find any brats your own age to play with?”
Lily refused to respond. It wasn’t worth losing her cool over Britney. At least not in front of Nick. She held her breath, waiting for her rival’s heels to fade away.
“Didja steal her boyfriend or something?”
“Seriously—you think I could steal a guy away from her?” Lily hitched a thumb over her shoulder.
“Sure, why not? She’s hot, but…I like my girls sweet. What’s her problem with you anyway?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Come on...You can tell me.”
“No. I can’t. Just forget it. Okay?”
“Oo-kay. But if you change your mind, just let me know. I’m all ears.” He flipped open the menu. “So, what’ll it be?”
“You know what? I’m not so hungry.” Confronting Britney was an instant appetite suppressant.
“Seriously?” He blinked and closed the book. “What’s wrong? Maybe I can help.”
“Nothing’s wrong. It’s ancient history and doesn’t stop repeating itself. I’ll tell you some other time—like in a hundred years.”
“Do you wanna get outta here?” Nick poised to slide out of the booth.
It would be worse to leave and let Britney think she won, than to stay and just suck it up. Lily didn’t want anyone accusing her of being a spoiled
She fought the urge squeal in delight and released a half-hearted sigh instead. “Yeah. Sure. Why not?”
“Really? I don’t wanna twist your arm or anything.”
Guilt tweaked her heart as his wounded eyes touched her soul. “You’re not. It’s just…” She shook her head, debating if this was a bad idea or not. She hated how easily he ruined her confidence with his heartbreaking smile. “Nothing. Never mind.”
“It’s not like a date or anything, if that’s what you’re worried about.” He sounded cautious. Oddly, the more insecure he seemed, the less self-conscious she felt. “You can write it off as two friends bumping into each other at the diner, okay?”
Although she should be glad he was still working the friends-angle, Lily’s heart plummeted.
“Yes, of course…friends. I’m just surprised to see you, that’s all.”
“Well, I hope it’s a good surprise.”
Every fiber of her being screamed, Great surprise! But she refrained from admitting it. Instead, she continued to stumble over her mixed emotions, hoping nothing idiotic poured from her mouth.
He held the door wide for her. “After you.”
Sorry, Mom . Lily prayed to the darkening sky before stepping over the threshold.
Once inside, her stomach clenched from hunger as an aromatic wave of everything delicious hit her; she could almost taste the fragrant feast in the air.
Overheating under the bulky clothes, she pulled off her gloves and shoved them in her pockets. She kept her hat on and head down, hoping to go unnoticed, especially when Britney beelined in their direction.
“Well, well, well. Looky here. If it isn’t Captain Knight. Remember me, from CPR class. I haven’t seen you in here once, the whole time you’ve been in town.”
Nick shrugged. “I usually call for delivery.”
“Would you like to see the Thanksgiving Specials?” Britney cocked her hip. “I can have ’em wrap it to go.”
“We’ll just take a booth in the back.”
“ We ?” Britney’s eyes bounced from Nick, down to Lily hiding in his shadow. “Oh. My. Gawd . Don’t tell me you two are together? Follow me.” She sauntered in tight orange pants that made her big ass look like a pumpkin. “Your waitress will be right over.” She handed Nick a menu with a whisper, “Let me know when you’re tired of playing with children, I have a fire you can put out.” Then she tossed a paper menu wrapped around a pack of crayons and sneered at Lily. “What’s the matter—can’t find any brats your own age to play with?”
Lily refused to respond. It wasn’t worth losing her cool over Britney. At least not in front of Nick. She held her breath, waiting for her rival’s heels to fade away.
“Didja steal her boyfriend or something?”
“Seriously—you think I could steal a guy away from her?” Lily hitched a thumb over her shoulder.
“Sure, why not? She’s hot, but…I like my girls sweet. What’s her problem with you anyway?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Come on...You can tell me.”
“No. I can’t. Just forget it. Okay?”
“Oo-kay. But if you change your mind, just let me know. I’m all ears.” He flipped open the menu. “So, what’ll it be?”
“You know what? I’m not so hungry.” Confronting Britney was an instant appetite suppressant.
“Seriously?” He blinked and closed the book. “What’s wrong? Maybe I can help.”
“Nothing’s wrong. It’s ancient history and doesn’t stop repeating itself. I’ll tell you some other time—like in a hundred years.”
“Do you wanna get outta here?” Nick poised to slide out of the booth.
It would be worse to leave and let Britney think she won, than to stay and just suck it up. Lily didn’t want anyone accusing her of being a spoiled
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