Something Old, Something New by Beverly Jenkins

sit awhile unless you have someplace to go.”
    â€œNope. I’m waiting for Genevieve to get back so we can head over to the rec and set up for tonight’s movie. You heard about her and Riley?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œCliff is so mad at her, he can’t see straight.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œTold Genevieve she’s supposed to be a lady, not Muhammad Ali.”
    â€œRiley can bring out the Ali in a girl.”
    â€œAmen.”
    â€œHow’s her hand?”
    â€œBroken in three places, but she’s displaying the cast so proudly, you’d think she was Ali.”
    Lily smiled at that. “Where is she?”
    â€œWith Cliff. He said they needed to talk.”
    â€œI never knew he was so rigid.”
    â€œHe used to be as big a knucklehead as Mal, but when he came back from ’Nam, he’d changed. Not sure why, but he loves the ground Gen walks on, so they’ll work it out.”
    They spent a few more minutes chatting, and then Lily had to go. “Today’s laundry day. I suppose I should get to it.”
    Marie walked her out. Before they parted, Lily gave her a strong hug. The visit had been a good one. “You should come over and have dinner with me and Trent and the boys.”
    â€œI’d like that. Leo invited, too?”
    â€œOf course.” It was a lie, but for Marie’s sake she’d be nice to Leo even if it killed her.
    They set the date, and Lily drove home.
    With the laundry done and the house clean, she was wondering if she really wanted to tackle the windows, too. But before she could decide, her stomach protested, not having been fed since the quick breakfast in Miami at the crack of dawn, so she called Trent to see what he might be doing, and if they could meet for lunch.
    â€œJust sitting down at the Dog,” he said on the phone.
    She loved the sound of his velvety voice against her ear. “Alone, I hope.”
    â€œNope. Gary’s with me so, if you’re coming, behave.”
    â€œAww, that’s no fun.”
    â€œCrazy woman,” he muttered affectionately.
    â€œSee you in a minute.”
    T he hip-shaking sound of Wilson’s Pickett’s “Engine Number Nine” was rocking the house when Lily entered the diner. The music competed with the noise of what sounded like a hundred different conversations. The place was packed like it always was between eleven and two, and the mouthwatering smells of the food coming out of Rocky and Siz’s kitchen filled the air.
    Behind the counter Malachi was moving to the beat and counting a stack of paper money over the opened cash drawer. Looking up, he shot her a smile. “Hey, girl. My lady with you?”
    â€œNope. She still has herself chained to her desk. Me, I have the day off.”
    â€œGood for you, but your boss has to be the hardest-working person on the planet.”
    â€œAmen.”
    â€œTrent’s over there on the left,” he informed Lily just as she spotted him, so she left Mal bopping and counting, and threaded her way over to Trent.
    She greeted him with a quick kiss on the lips. Slipping into the booth, she gave Gary a grin. The waitress arrived and set down the men’s loaded-up plates.
    â€œYou all didn’t wait for me?” Lily asked with mock offense.
    Trent gave the waitress a nod of thanks and began covering his fries with ketchup. “Seven times out of ten, when you say you’re on your way, you get distracted by the job and arrive a week later. I want lunch today.”
    She punched him playfully in the shoulder. “I have the day off, but at least I do work, unlike you.”
    He peered at her over the giant burger filling his hands and countered, “I work, too. As mayor, I officially welcomed my boy Gary back to town by helping him move today.”
    â€œWhere to?”
    â€œThe empty trailer out on Tamar’s land.”
    â€œGood. Welcome home, Gary.”
    He toasted her with