“It was…good.” Memories flash in my mind of us before we’d gotten the call about Thea. To think about how the night could have ended…
“See? My little plan was all worth it.” She smiles over her coffee mug.
“What are you talking about? Your little plan?” I ask. My attention is piqued now. “What do you mean?”
She continues smirking as she sets her mug down.
“Mmm, wouldn’t you like to know, dearie?”
“Judith…” I warn.
“Isn’t it just…rather funny how right after we started talking about you and Charlie that he got a date?” she asks. “I mean, really, when is the last time you know of that the man went on a date?”
I narrow my eyes as I stare at her. Really, the timing is impeccable. “But—how—”
“Oh, really, dearie. I’m not stupid. I see how you two look at each other. You just needed a push to figure it out yourselves.” She chuckles. “I was just…the push.”
“Judith, you did not,” I say in disbelief.
“Oh, but I did. I found a nice young lady in town and it’s amazing what people will do for some quick cash.”
“You bribed her?” I yell. I glance around to make sure no one noticed my outburst and then look back at Judith. “Seriously?” I hiss.
“I don’t like that word. It was more so…paying for the truth to come out.”
I laugh at the thought of her paying someone to go on a date or two with Charlie, just to force us to admit our feelings for one another and get together.
But I guess that was her plan all along.
“But why?” I ask her. Why be so hell-bent on investing time and money into us?
“Because, dearie,” she says as she reaches for my hands. “This old heart wanted you two to realize how badly you both wanted each other before it was too late. You just needed a—” she pauses, thinking of the right phrase, “fairy godmother.”
And fairy godmother she was.
I hear the ding of the doorbell and we both see Charlie walking in, just as he does every morning.
“You’ve made your living,” she says as she motions around the diner. She looks pointedly at Charlie as she adds, “now go make your life.”
Chapter Fourteen
Aunt Beth lets me come back to the diner a week later, once I’ve been fully cleared by my doctors. I don’t remember seeing Jake at the bar that night but Raquel attests to the fact that he was there. The police department got the security footage from the restaurant that night and Aunt Beth told me that Jake was brought in for questioning not long after we got home from the hospital.
It’s nice to settle back into my routine of being at the diner and around my friends. Raquel and Penny checked up on me while I was off work, and Graham text me every single day to check in. He’s thoughtful that way.
I’m sitting in the break room with Raquel while Penny is out on the floor. It’s been a busy morning so far, but there’s a lull and we’re taking advantage of it.
Graham walks in, holding two plates of steaming breakfast. I catch a whiff and my stomach grumbles. He sets one in front of Raquel — a bagel sandwich, and then sets the other one down for me. My breath catches as I read the words he’s written around the plate and on my omelette in ketchup.
“So?” he asks, cocking an eyebrow. “Will you go to dinner with me tonight?”
Raquel is frozen, bagel in hand and her mouth open. They both stare at me, waiting for my answer.
“Absolutely,” I say and a smile spreads across Graham’s face.
“Told you it was a matter of when and not if,” he says, grinning.
I recall our conversation during the Fourth of July festival while eating our pickle pizza.
