AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He had a good point. I’d gone entire days without a single customer. If someone desperately needed an old book or antique, they could knock.
“Close it down. Let’s grab dinner,” Ben said authoritatively.
My stomach growled. “Good idea.”
I locked the doors while Ben warmed up the truck. The diner was just on the other side of Main Street, but the bone-chilling wind made his truck a better way to get there.
“Quiet night,” Ben said as we waited for Gloria to seat us.
“They’re calling for a foot of snow in the morning.” Ben groaned. “Guess I need to head back to my place tonight, then.”
He tilted his head, eyes searching mine, asking me to come with him without asking. And I had no reason not to go. If the weather got bad enough, I’d cancel my plans, anyway. Other than a houseplant, I didn’t really have a reason to go home.
Ben, on the other hand, had a full zoo at his place. Even if the city cleared the main roads, he’d have to plow the road to let one of the keepers in. If the city didn’t clear the roads, he’d be feeding the animals.
“Come on, you two,” Gloria growled, grabbing two menus and stomping towards an empty table without looking back.
“Bad night, Glor?” Ben asked, his voice light and cheery.
“The Jenkins girl called in. Says she’s got the flu, but Buddy said she was out late with his boy last night, so I’m running this place solo.”
A scan of the empty restaurant showed two other employees, but I knew better than to argue with Gloria.
“Sorry to hear that,” Ben said sympathetically.
“And besides that, I had to hear from Warren Kang that Thea is closing up Mildred’s shop.” Gloria glowered in my direction.
“I’m sorry about that, Gloria,” I said placatingly. “With Mrs. Evans leaving, I thought it’d be best to open up the space for something else. The buyer is opening a candy store, if that helps.”
Judging by the disappointed glare on her face, it did not. I would be in the doghouse with Gloria for a while. No more special lunch salads for me anymore.
“I just think when a person decides to dismantle an institution in this town, they should have the decency to announce it properly. Not let busybody realtors gossip about it while the owner boxes the place up in the night.”
Ben gave me a pained smile, one that assured me I’d screwed up and screwed up badly. Gloria huffed, setting down our menus and not even bothering to take our drink order.
“Oh, you’re in trouble,” Ben said, his voice teasing.
I smacked his arm with my menu.
“I didn’t know I had to go on an apology tour before I sold the shop,” I hissed.
“Maybe if you offer to let Gloria stop by the shop and pick out something she likes, she’ll forgive you.”
Not his worst plan. “Do you think that would work?”
Gloria tromped back with sparkling water for Ben. She plunked a water in front of me. “Out of iced tea,” she said as she turned back toward the kitchen without giving me a chance to make amends.
“She’s not out of iced tea, is she?” I asked with a frown.
“Debra’s pouring a glass right now,” Ben said, his eyes on the drink stand behind us.
I tipped my head back, closing my eyes with a groan. “I’ll be right back.”
CHAPTER25
Ben
I convincedThea to stay the night, then another, and another. On Thursday she left, claiming Len would never forgive her if she saw him playing dorky games.
