AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Instead, I motioned to the items in the pickup bed. “Well, we’d better get the cold stuff in the fridge.”
Shaking it off, he forced a smile. “Yes.” He unlatched the tailgate and gathered a load in his arms. “Lead the way.”
ChapterFour
SeeingMilton again after so many years had been great, but Seth wasn’t thrilled that Milton was pursuing Kayla. Of course, he had no say in what either of them did, and he realized this. Still, it was a bitter sensation.
Standing with Kayla in front of her parents’ house near the old swing had caused a rush of sentimentality. Most days, he tried not to dwell on how things might have been if Kayla had gone to college with him as planned. But he was unable to block out the what-ifs today. Maybe coming back here had been a mistake. He’d genuinely believed that seeing Kayla again would give him the closure he needed to move forward. Unfortunately, it had done the opposite.
His funk continued throughout the day, and his patience wore thin. An early snowstorm out West had delayed some of the building materials. Being the coordinator of a renovation project, whether large or small, required a composed temperament—which he usually managed. He was feeling off and a bit down today, which wasn't like him.
After snapping at his foreman again that afternoon, Seth pulled off his hard hat and returned to the inn to reset his attitude. His line of work involved a lot of paperwork, and it constantly needed updating. Today was a good one for that. It was almost quitting time anyway.
As he parked his truck outside the inn, he gazed across the town square toward the Cordial Diner, where he would most likely find the source of his restlessness.
It was almost time for an early dinner, right?Itwasthe best place to grab a blue plate special on the fly. He was still negotiating with himself as he pulled open the diner’s glass door, its bells jingling loudly. All eyes turned in his direction, and he realized there was no backing down now.
He sat at the bar since no booths were available and grabbed a laminated menu that still boasted breakfast all day, along with patty melts, pot roast, and fried chicken. He did notice there were a few healthy options and gluten-free offerings. Kayla’s cooking school background was evident in a few less “diner-ish” foods. There was an Asian stir-fry plate and a vegetarian special.
A young waiter plopped down a glass of water in front of Seth. “Hi there, what’ll you have?”
“I’ll take a double patty melt with grilled onions on wheat toast. Fries on the side. Oh, and a Diet Coke. Thanks.” The aroma of sizzling beef on the griddle prompted a mixture of nostalgia and a deep growl from his belly since he’d skipped lunch today, despite buying sandwiches for his crew.
The young man nodded and went to key in the order.
Seth looked around then, having a moment to take in his surroundings. He spotted Kayla at the other end of the diner, speaking with an elderly lady. The woman had Kayla’s arm in a claw-like grip, but Kayla was smiling and giving off no signs of impatience. She just nodded and listened.
She’d always loved working here and dealing with the customers. He’d admired that—still did. She suddenly turned, and their eyes met. She smiled, but he noticed a touch of sadness in her eyes for a split second.
As she moved behind the counter, she asked, “Has someone helped you?”
Seth nodded. “Yep. I ordered a patty melt and fries, just like in the old days.”
She laughed a little. “You did love your patty melts back then.”
He had a thought then. “Does my coming in here bother you?”
She appeared a little confused by his drastic switch of subjects. “Um, no. It’s nice to have you here. It’s—nostalgic.”
“Yes, almost like stepping back in time, huh?” Seth grinned at the former love of his life.
“Almost.” Kayla turned to fill a glass with sweetened iced tea, adding a lemon wedge.
Seth wanted to say more—use any excuse to spend time with her—but he could see she was busy, so he didn’t comment further. But he watched her move around the diner with a natural grace he remembered so well.
As he ate, he immersed himself in the comfort of clattering dishes, the milkshake machine roar, and the aroma of all things diner. They were the sounds and smells of his happiest days.
When Kayla came around again, he put a hand on her arm. “Can we get dinner tomorrow night?”
She appeared a little shaken by his request. “I-How about you come to the house on Thursday for Thanksgiving dinner? Two-o’clock.”
A thrill shot through him. “Sounds perfect. What can I bring?”
“Nothing. Just yourself.” She grinned, turned on her heel, and headed to the next table with a plate of fries and a ketchup bottle.
* * *
After closing the diner, I walked the two blocks home, showered, and made tomato soup from a can and a grilled cheese sandwich. I could’ve brought home something from the diner, but I rarely did. I needed a clean slate after being around that much food all day.
