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But I refuse to sulk.
Instead, I glance toward the kitchen doors and eye the twin diamond-shaped windows until I catch sight of Dad.
“He’s in the kitchen, looks like. Probably busy wishing this was a cribbage club.”
My grandfather chuckles. “Bertie will come around to the idea of checkers, just give him some time.” He sets the now open box on the table, peels back the lid, and slides it over toGran. Then he sips his coffee while looking at me, his bushy gray brows tented. “Your hairdoeslook longer, Maddie. Why hadn’t I noticed?”
“Because,” Roxie says smugly, “she usually wears it up in a bun, but tonight she’s trying a new hairstyle.”
My mother reaches up to touch the end of my ponytail. “It looks nice.”
Roxie grins. “Of course it does. So does the lipstick and the new top.”
My mother leans back and surveys my attire. “Youdolook extra pretty tonight, honey. Why so dressed up? It’s not like you.”
I yank my sweatshirt closed and zip it to the neck, so no one can see my new pink top. “Can’t a girl get a little gussied up around here without getting the third degree?”
My grandmother giggles. “If you ask me, it’s ’cause of that handsome fella sittin’ up at the counter.” She points.
And then every one of them follows her gesture.
I slouch down. “Would you guysnot? Please?”
“Aw, we’re embarrassing her,” my mother says.
My grandfather is still staring at the counter. “Doc?” he asks. His eyebrows dance with surprise. “Maddie… and Doc?”
“Yep,” Roxie says, clearly satisfied that she’s introduced the topic. “Maddison and Doctor Nicholas Landry havequitea history together. Maddie, you want to tell them, or should I?”
What I want to do right now is crawl under this table. Then, slither over to the door and escape this embarrassing conversation. It’s starting to feel like a Bradshaw family meeting about my confusing relationship with Nick, and that is totally mortifying.
“You guys… please. Can we drop it and play some checkers?” I beg.
“Iknewthere was something going on with you two,” my mother says, while nudging her shoulder into me. “I could tell by the way you two talk with each other. All smiles. All dreamy-eyed.”
“Oh, I remember that stage,” my grandmother says. The board before her is all set up, now. She slides a black piece forward. “When everything’s so new. The flirting. The uncertainty. The fun.”
“The uncertainty isnotfun,” I insist. “And also, you guys are making this sound like so much more than it is. Nick and I are friends and neighbors—temporarily—and that’s it.”
“That’ssonot it,” Roxie insists. She leans in and taps the table. “Which is why that should beyouover there playing checkers with him, not Hana. What’s going on?”
“Hana likes him,” I grumble.
My mother eyes me with pity. “Aw, honey. There’s bound to be some competition for a man as handsome and successful and smart as that Nicholas. But if you like him?—”
“You should fight for him,” Gran finishes.
Now, to make this impromptu family meeting even more delightful, my father stalks up to the booth.
Gran gets up to make room for him.
He’s carrying a coffee pot and mugs. He carefully sets out the cups and starts filling them. “What’s the buzz?” he asks.
“Where do you guys get these phrases?” I ask unhappily, as I accept the coffee. “No one says that.”
“We spend too much time in this diner,” Dad admits. “It’s an echo chamber in here.”
Roxie giggles. “I think we spend the perfect amount of time in this diner. And thebuzz, Dad, is that Maddie has a crush on Nick and he’s playing checkers with Hana.”
