She bats her blue eyes. “Really? What do you do?” She drops the menu in her hand and leans against my table.
“I coach the high school boys’ basketball team.”
“Oh?” That seems to impress her as much as if I told her I was an astronaut who had just returned from a trip to Mars. “I bet you’re good.”
While I usually enjoy flirting, I’m not feeling it at the moment. “I’m a decent coach,” I tell her. For kicks I add, “My good friend from high school owns the diner and I’m hankering for a cheeseburger.”
“Luke’s a sweetie,” she drawls.
“He’s dating my sister,” I tell her.
Her eyes open wide in surprise. “Oh.”
Looking at her name tag, I ask, “Luanne, would you mind bringing me a Coke?”
“I’d be happy to.” As she walks away, I realize it might not be as hard as I’d thought to meet single women in Elk Lake. Having said that, I’m not interested in Luanne. I start to wonder why when an image of Allie pops into my head.
I knew my sister’s friend had a mad crush on me growing up, but I never gave her the time of day. Probably because a three-year age difference back then was akin to a fifteen-year age difference now. But now that we’re adults, it doesn’t matter in the slightest. Of course, Allie’s made it clear she’s not interested in dating. And honestly, I don’t blame her. Recovering from a divorce must be way harder than a simple breakup. Not to mention, the marriage ended because her husband cheated on her. That has to really mess with her.
A waitress comes over and drops my soda on the table for me. I’m not surprised Luanne handed that task off after the way I acted.
“Here you go, hon,” she says.
“Tina?” I ask the middle-aged server. “Are you still working here?”
She squints her eyes and stares at me for a beat before declaring, “You can’t be Noah Riley!” I nod my head which prompts her to ask, “How in the world are you boys growing into men and I haven’t aged a bit?”
“It’s one of the mysteries of life,” I joke. “But seriously, you don’t look like you’ve aged, either.”
“Don’t you try to charm me, boy. My grey hair and wrinkles make you a liar.” With a smile on her face, she adds, “Ah heck, go ahead and charm me. A little flattery never hurt anyone.”
We enjoy an easy banter for a few minutes. I forget that living in a small-town means running into people you’ve known your whole life. I occasionally bumped into old acquaintances in Chicago, but it always felt like a surprise. Like how in the heck in a city that big can there be two people from Elk Lake dining at the same place at the same time?
I consider that phenomenon and more while I eat my supper. I no longer feel like a kid with his whole life ahead of him. I’m a grown man and thisismy life. I’m back home where I started. Now all I have to do is figure out how I feel about that. Can I be content here or is this just a stopping off point to whatever comes next?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ALLIE
I’ve somehow moved out of my parents’ house without telling them, which wasn’t the plan. But they’ve been busy, and our paths simply haven’t crossed. Not that they organically will now that I live across town …
Taking my phone out of my purse, I send a text to our group chat asking if they want to have supper tonight. My mom is the first to answer.
Mom
That sounds nice, honey, but Dad and I have plans. Can we make it tomorrow night?
Me
Let me check my schedule and get back to you.
I should just tell her that tomorrow night will be fine, but the girls might have basketball practice, and I still need to sit down with Noah and finalize the gym schedule with him.
Speaking of Noah, my thoughts about him are getting complicated. He makes me feel things I’m not prepared to deal with.Although, he might just be invoking some kind of cell memory that stems from years of unrequited love. I’m pretty sure that’s a thing.
While I used to pine for Noah like only a hormone filled teenager can, I’m no longer that same simple girl. I’ve grown into a moderately bitter, extremely trepidatious, full-grown adult with enough issues to fill a stadium. I clearly have a lot to work out, and that’s going to take time.
I release a sigh so loud and long I’m surprised I don’t pass out from oxygen deprivation. A quiet knock on the door brings me back from my musings. Speak of the devil. It’s Noah.
