“Oh my God, you aren’t on one of those ridiculous dating apps, are you?” I ask as I push off the counter. I grab a mug and fill it with coffee before setting it in front of him.
Charlie suppresses a grin. “Maybe,” he says.
I roll my eyes and laugh.
“Are you sure you’re okay with it?” he asks.
“Of course,” I say. “You don’t need to ask my permission to go on a date. You’re going, you told me, and we’re talking about it. Everything’s fine.”
“Have I ever told you what a good friend you are?” He smiles that boyish grin of his that makes me weak in the knees and I lean against the counter again for stability.
“You’ve mentioned it once or twice,” I say, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth.
Charlie visibly relaxes and I know I have him fooled.
Give me an Academy Award for my performance, I think to myself.
“Did you come here just for that or did you want breakfast, too?” I ask him.
“Little bit of both.”
“Okay,” I say, scooting the menus over. I call out to Brian in the kitchen and remind him that Charlie is here. I turn back to facehim, folding my arms against my chest and resting them on the countertop. “Tell me everything.”
“Her name is Sara,” he starts as he wraps his hands around the mug, “She’s a high school math teacher here in town.”
I don’t have time for a relationship,I remind myself. I have the diner and that’s enough for me.
But the diner doesn’t keep you warm at night,another voice whispers.
He tells me how they matched on Flyrt — a popular dating app that I’m surprised he even knows the name of. I wouldn’t peg Charlie for the dating app kind of guy. Sara sent him a message and they just started chatting — talking about any and everything under the sun, starting to find more in common than they realized.
Brian slides a plate through the kitchen window and rings the bell, getting my attention. I turn and reach for it before setting it down in front of Charlie. He continues to tell me that he plans to take Sara to Regiano’s, the Italian restaurant in town. I’ve been there a few times and have to admit, it’s a good atmosphere for a first date.
“Have you thought about what you’ll wear?” I ask him, knowing he hasn’t.
“Not in the slightest,” he laughs, choking on a forkful of eggs.
“This is important, you only get one first impression. Wear that gray button down of yours.”
It’s my favorite — it makes his dark blue eyes pop. It brings out the gray undertone in them, and reminds me of the sea at dusk — dark, ferocious, and all-consuming.
He nods. “Noted.” He stares at me intently as he eats. “Are you really sure you’re okay with this?”
I smile again, feeling like the Cheshire Cat. “Yes,” I say, lying through my teeth. Besides, saying no wouldn’t change the fact that he’s going on a date. All it would do is cause a rift between us and I couldn’t bear to lose my best friend.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he says. “It’s been a long time since I got back out there.”
I stare at him as he takes another bite of his breakfast. He’s right, it has been a while for him. He’s had a few sporadic dates off and on over the years, but nothing stuck.
I, on the other hand, swore off dating after my relationship with James went up in flames and that was twenty years ago.
Charlie finishes his food and we go about our daily routine. He pays and leaves shortly after. There’s an extra pep in his step, a swagger I hadn’t noticed before. I laugh as I watch him exit the diner before my smile fades and reality sets in. My heart feels heavy and I just want to go home, but I have a long afternoon in front of me.
No day is complete without a visit from Judith. I hear the bell above the door chime as she walks in, not long after Charlie left.
“Morning, dearie,” she calls, as she heads toward her usual booth.
“Morning, Judith!” I grab a glass from the counter and fill it with ice water before I meet her at her usual table. I pull a straw out of the pocket of my apron and set them both down.
