Bailey walked over to their table. “Do you two need anything else?”
Sunny shook her head and slid out of the booth. “I’m fine, thank you.” She looked at Kingston. “Let me know what you decide. I’ll see you on Monday.” She gave him a smile and a wave and walked away.
He fished in his pocket for his wallet. Bailey shook her head. “Tanner’s buying.”
“I know.” He opened his wallet and handed her a twenty. “Thanks for the great service.”
She grinned as she took the money. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
He got up and headed for the door. Time to tell Olivia about his mother’s machinations. He wasn’t looking forward to that conversation, but he was anticipating seeing her. As a friend. Nothing more. He had to keep telling himself that.
As he headed for the door, he bumped into an older lady with square glasses and large red earrings seated at the table near the door. “Sorry,” he said. He really did need to start paying more attention today.
“That’s all right,” she said. Her dinner companion—another senior citizen with a cloud of white hair—nodded. “It’s nice to see you in town again.”
Hoo-boy. He didn’t recognize them, but they knew who he was, so he faked it. “Thanks. I’ve missed being here too.” That was true, he realized. Maple Falls had a charm of its own.
“Don’t be a stranger,” the cloud lady said in a singsong tone.
He nodded, then zipped out of the diner and went to his car. Their names would probably come to him later, like at 2:00 a.m. or something. He got in the Audi, blasted the AC, and headed to the library to warn Olivia about his mother’s nonsensical plan.
Chapter12
The bell above the door at Knots and Tangles clanged as Viola and Peg bustled inside. “Erma Jean!” Viola said, hurrying toward her. Peg, who’d had a hip replacement last year, moved at a slower pace.
“What’s wrong?” she asked as her friend came to a breathless halt at the counter. She’d been sitting by the cash register thumbing through baby crochet patterns—a mimi could dream—and enjoying a little peace and quiet. Riley was at Price’s Hardware having lunch with Hayden. “What happened?”
“We’ve got a problem.” Peg finally sidled up to Viola, who was nodding. Both women were perspiring.
“Have you two been running?”
“Yes, and I’m never doing it again.” Peg leaned against the counter and pushed up her glasses. “But desperate times call for speed. Or at least a little more pep in the step.”
Erma closed the pattern book. “All right, spill. What’s got you two in a tizzy?”
“After this morning’s meeting, we went to lunch at Sunshine,” Viola said.
“Tanner makes the best chicken salad,” Peg added.
“And who did we see eating lunch together?” Viola looked at Peg, and they both said, “Kingston and Sunny!”
“So?” Erma relaxed.
“How can you be so blasé about this? He’s supposed to be with Olivia.”
“He’s helping Sunny teach ballroom dancing lessons. By the way, you two should come. You’ll enjoy it.”
“Really? Who did you dance with?” Viola asked as Peg found a tissue in her purse.
Uh-oh. She’d walked into that one. “Jasper. Now, before you jump to conclusions—”
“You and Jasper, huh.” Peg grinned as she dabbed her forehead.
“The only other people to dance with were Bubba, Senior, and Pastor Jared.”
“But you chose Jasper.” Viola’s eyes shone.
Good gravy on a biscuit, everyone had the romance bug. “We’ve danced before, dozens of times over the years.”
