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Nash stood back slightly from where Luna sat. Mr. Goldhirsh was to her left, and Luke left a seat for him to her right.
“Sit, Nash. Eat and converse like normal people; it may help with the weird if you understand how that kind of thing works,” Luke said.
He heard someone giggle and looked at Luna. She was facing Piper, so he couldn’t tell if it was her.
“Oh Lordy, brace yourself,” Mr. Goldhirsh muttered.
“Luna McKinley!”
Nash watched Mrs. Howard, who he had never spoken to and didn’t plan on changing that any time soon, stomp to where Luna sat.
“Hello, Mrs. Howard.” Luna got off her stool to greet the woman.
Large and round, she wore exercise clothes like Luna, but there the similarities stopped.
“Nice to see you again.” Luna held out her hand, and it was shaken hard. “Is Charlotte not with you?”
“She’ll be right along,” the woman snapped out like a drill sergeant.
“Hello, Mary,” Mr. Goldhirsh said. “You remember my wife and your daughter-in-law, I’m sure.”
“Of course I do! Good morning to you all.”
“Hi, Mom,” Piper said with a wicked look on her face. She then went around the counter and smacked a kiss on Mary Howard’s cheek. The woman stiffened but accepted it with a pat on Piper’s back.
“Now, Luna, I want you to compete in the events we have planned. It will be good for the town image. I also have several photoshoots lined up and—”
“Mom!”
Nash watched Charlotte Howard arrive. She was built like Luna but had darker hair and eyes. He didn’t get that little zap of excitement with her, however.
“I told you Luna is on vacation. She’s not doing this stuff for you, so drop it.”
Nash didn’t like drama. Clearly what was unfolding between the Howard women was going to get heated.
“How’s that order going, Piper?” Nash asked.
“I only just placed it, Nash. Here’s your coffee. You need to take a load off now.” Piper gave him a look he had no idea how to interpret. “Now,” she mouthed. He sat.
“I don’t mind, Charlie,” Luna was saying, playing the peacemaker.
Nash just bet she didn’t mind. This was something a woman like her would love. Notoriety.
“I do, and it’s not happening. You’re not exploiting my friend, Mom.” Charlotte Howard had her hands on her hips now and was standing toe-to-toe with her mother. Not a place most people would ever brave, Nash was sure.
He heard Luna’s heavy sigh as she sat again and left Charlotte and her mother arguing. Mr. Goldhirsh slipped behind the counter with his wife and started making coffee. Luke disappeared through the door his cousin had just run through.
“I have a lump on the back of my head from your shoe.”
“You deserved it for being an asshole.” She looked at him with those cool blue eyes.
“Are those real?” He pointed to her eyelashes.
“My eyes? Yup, they always have been, and to the best of my knowledge they don’t transplant eyeballs.”
“Whatever.” He drank a mouthful of coffee. Nash wasn’t sure why he was talking to her; likely because he felt guilty for being so nasty to her, especially as she hadn’t done anything yet to deserve it.
“My eyelashes are fake,” she said.
