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“But I didn’t realize you were June’s daughter! I can totally see it now,” she says. “Your mom was always so pretty. How is she?”
“Thank you. She’s doing well. Doing the RV life right now.” I smile back at her, feeling somewhat awkward.
“Well, tell her hello from me. I’m quite a few years older than her…actually babysat her and this one a time or two.” She smirks at Uncle Pierre.
Someone yells from the kitchen and she looks back.
“That didn’t sound good. What can I get for you?”
“I haven’t looked at the menu yet,” I say apologetically. “What do you recommend?”
“The pancakes are great anytime,” she says. “Or the burgers.”
“Love the burgers,” Sofie says from the other table.
“The omelets are great too,” Sutton adds. “And the French dip.”
“I feel like the French toast never gets enough credit,” Uncle Pierre says. “Or the tomato basil soup.”
“Everything sounds so good,” I say. “I’ve had a lot of sweets today, so maybe I’ll try your grilled cheese and tomato basil soup?”
“Solid choice,” Callum says.
Jo nods, grinning, and looks at Callum. “You switching it up today or do you want your usual?”
“Usual, please.”
“Coming right up. What about you, Pierre?”
“Hmm, I need to get here more often. It’s so hard to choose,” he groans.
“Want me to surprise you?” she asks.
He points his menu at her and beams. “You know me so well.”
She grins back and takes our menus before walking away.
“She’s nice,” I say. “Everyone I’ve met so far has been.”
“I love Jo,” Uncle Pierre says. “She and Mark opened this place when I was in high school and I came almost every dayfor those four years. Did my homework and had lots and lots of talks with both of them. They were, oh, I don’t know, eight or nine years older than me, and I thought they were some of the coolest people ever. Still do,” he says, grinning. “Jo was the first person I came out to. It wasn’tthatlong ago, but we didn’t personally know another soul around here who was gay. Tourists, on the other hand, were an education.” He lifts his eyebrows. “Jo stood by me, even offered to be there when I told my parents. Held me up when it didn’t go so great.”
The flicker of pain that crosses his face makes my heart hurt. From conversations I’ve picked up over the years, I know that my grandma never accepted Uncle Pierre after he told them, and it’s what finally came between my grandparents.
“Jo’s good people, she and Mark both are.” Uncle Pierre clears his throat and makes a face. “Sorry to get heavy on you guys.”
“I like hearing the real shit,” Callum says.
Uncle Pierre points at him. “One of my favorite things about you. No small talk for you.”
Callum tilts his head in acknowledgment.
“Since we got right into it and aren’t small talking, anything I should know about you?” Uncle Pierre asks Callum, back to sounding playful.
Callum looks around and leans in, his elbows on the table. Uncle Pierre and I both lean in too, the curiosity growing by the second.
“I think I’m one of the few people who saw Ruby in her wedding dress,” Callum says softly, his gaze searing into me.
I gasp and clutch the closest thing on the table, a napkin.
