a corner booth.
A woman with big blonde hair, bright red lipstick and a pink and white striped uniform welcomed them with a “Howdy y’all.” And then she realized who’d walked in the diner. With a loud yelp, she ran over to them, grabbed Riley’s arm and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Riley Sorenson, you devil.”
Riley laughed and kissed the waitress right back. “Glenda, you are a sight for sore eyes. This is Callah Crenshaw. She’s old time, but she’s been gone a while. We’re going to pick up a bite to eat.”
“Sure, I remember Callah. Seems like you were both teenagers just the other day.”
A million questions shot across Glenda’s face. Thankfully, she decided not to ask them.
Callah scooted into the red vinyl booth and expected Riley to sit across from her. Instead he scooted in next to her, and she tried to ignore the way his jeans clad knee brushed against her leg, but it was no use.
She’d just scooted as far away from him as she could when Glenda showed up to take their drink orders. Riley ordered water and she ordered her hot chocolate, then Glenda left and finally they were alone.
Just them, Clint Black on the jukebox, a man with silver hair and a handlebar mustache at the diner bar drinking coffee and minding his own business.
Good.
The last thing in the world she wanted was someone minding her business. Or worse, someone breaking the news that oh yeah, there’s one more thing you need to know.
She wanted to cry that none of this was fair, but then, she’d learned over the last year that a lot of life wasn’t fair. Life didn’t care much for that word.
A flash of light outside grabbed her attention and she wondered if the agents were out there now. Waiting. Watching. Or if it was some new batch of reporters, ready to plaster her face all over yet again.
She shuddered, held herself tight. She would not break down. “How many people do you figure are out there watching us now?”
Riley shrugged. “I’m sure the agents will keep you safe, Callah.”
She nodded as Glenda slid their drinks onto the table, then ordered a tatertots with cheese when Riley asked what she wanted to eat. Might as well go full blast fried food.
Riley ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and included a wink for Glenda. Everything seemed so normal. Everything except the fear coursing through her at every little noise.
“You want to talk?” Riley’s voice was low and soothing. But she had to think about his words. Did she want to talk? Good question.
“I don’t know, Riley. Are you asking because you want to know or because it’ll be good for your next story?”
He didn’t even try to defend himself. “I’m not going to lie to you, Callah. You know I’m a reporter and you know I’m going to write more stories about this situation. But I wasn’t asking as a reporter.”
Earlier today she’d said he was one of the most honest people she knew. That was still true, but while she definitely wanted to talk, she also wanted to forget all about it. To sit and drink her hot chocolate in peace and pretend this was a date like any other date. To pretend she wasn’t going to face the man she’d thought of as her father soon and ask questions she‘d never even dreamed of.
So she asked the questions only Riley could answer. The ones guaranteed to take her mind off the mess of the last twenty-four hours.
“Why’d you kick me out of your bed that first time twelve years ago and why’d you change your mind the next day?”
Riley choked on his water. Her laugh was soft and sweet as it rang across the nearly empty diner.
When he’d suggested talking, this wasn’t exactly what he had in mind. “You really want to go there?”
She nodded. “I wondered for a long time. Tried to figure out what it was about me that made you different. Do I have protect me written across my forehead or something?”
Not exactly. Riley wasn’t sure how to answer her question. He could tell her the truth. Or he
A woman with big blonde hair, bright red lipstick and a pink and white striped uniform welcomed them with a “Howdy y’all.” And then she realized who’d walked in the diner. With a loud yelp, she ran over to them, grabbed Riley’s arm and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Riley Sorenson, you devil.”
Riley laughed and kissed the waitress right back. “Glenda, you are a sight for sore eyes. This is Callah Crenshaw. She’s old time, but she’s been gone a while. We’re going to pick up a bite to eat.”
“Sure, I remember Callah. Seems like you were both teenagers just the other day.”
A million questions shot across Glenda’s face. Thankfully, she decided not to ask them.
Callah scooted into the red vinyl booth and expected Riley to sit across from her. Instead he scooted in next to her, and she tried to ignore the way his jeans clad knee brushed against her leg, but it was no use.
She’d just scooted as far away from him as she could when Glenda showed up to take their drink orders. Riley ordered water and she ordered her hot chocolate, then Glenda left and finally they were alone.
Just them, Clint Black on the jukebox, a man with silver hair and a handlebar mustache at the diner bar drinking coffee and minding his own business.
Good.
The last thing in the world she wanted was someone minding her business. Or worse, someone breaking the news that oh yeah, there’s one more thing you need to know.
She wanted to cry that none of this was fair, but then, she’d learned over the last year that a lot of life wasn’t fair. Life didn’t care much for that word.
A flash of light outside grabbed her attention and she wondered if the agents were out there now. Waiting. Watching. Or if it was some new batch of reporters, ready to plaster her face all over yet again.
She shuddered, held herself tight. She would not break down. “How many people do you figure are out there watching us now?”
Riley shrugged. “I’m sure the agents will keep you safe, Callah.”
She nodded as Glenda slid their drinks onto the table, then ordered a tatertots with cheese when Riley asked what she wanted to eat. Might as well go full blast fried food.
Riley ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and included a wink for Glenda. Everything seemed so normal. Everything except the fear coursing through her at every little noise.
“You want to talk?” Riley’s voice was low and soothing. But she had to think about his words. Did she want to talk? Good question.
“I don’t know, Riley. Are you asking because you want to know or because it’ll be good for your next story?”
He didn’t even try to defend himself. “I’m not going to lie to you, Callah. You know I’m a reporter and you know I’m going to write more stories about this situation. But I wasn’t asking as a reporter.”
Earlier today she’d said he was one of the most honest people she knew. That was still true, but while she definitely wanted to talk, she also wanted to forget all about it. To sit and drink her hot chocolate in peace and pretend this was a date like any other date. To pretend she wasn’t going to face the man she’d thought of as her father soon and ask questions she‘d never even dreamed of.
So she asked the questions only Riley could answer. The ones guaranteed to take her mind off the mess of the last twenty-four hours.
“Why’d you kick me out of your bed that first time twelve years ago and why’d you change your mind the next day?”
Riley choked on his water. Her laugh was soft and sweet as it rang across the nearly empty diner.
When he’d suggested talking, this wasn’t exactly what he had in mind. “You really want to go there?”
She nodded. “I wondered for a long time. Tried to figure out what it was about me that made you different. Do I have protect me written across my forehead or something?”
Not exactly. Riley wasn’t sure how to answer her question. He could tell her the truth. Or he
Similar Books
