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When we walk inside, I wave at Sunny, who has worked here as a waitress for more than thirty years, and then find a booth for me and Grandma. As we’re taking our seats, Cullen walks through the door, and I flag him down.
“Are you telling me that I get to have lunch with two of my favorite people today?” Grandma says with an excited smile.
“That’s right,” Cullen replies and kisses her cheek before sliding into the booth next to her.
I sit across from them and wiggle out of my jacket as Cullen helps Grandma out of hers.
“She was being a tyrant this morning, so I sprung us both from Halloween duty and decided we needed sustenance,” I inform my brother.
“The work has to get done,” Grandma says defensively. “Everyone in Huckleberry Bay expects something special from my parties, and I’ll be damned if we don’t give it to them.”
“We have a week,” Cullen reminds her, but Grandma shakes her head.
“Every second of this week will be busy, but it’s always worth it in the end.”
“Well, Miss Annabelle,” Sunny says with a smile as she comes to a stop by our booth. “You look fantastic today.”
“Oh, I’ve been working and didn’t have a chance to freshen up.” She fusses over her hair but looks pleased by the compliment. “My grandkids are treating me to lunch.”
“Isn’t that fun?” Sunny asks, still beaming as she turns to me. “Do you know what you’re having?”
“I’ll have my usual—cheeseburger with onion rings and a chocolate shake.” I grin over at Grandma. “I’ll work off the calories on this party.”
“Make that two,” Cullen says.
“Three,” Grandma echoes, and Sunny laughs.
“Well, you guys are easy. Coming right up.”
She hurries away, and I catch Grandma looking around the diner.
“Who are you looking for?”
“No one in particular. I just like to see who’s out and about. Did you know that Indigo Lovejoy is seeing a woman he sold a house to earlier this year?”
“I hadn’t heard,” I reply with a laugh.
“I always hoped you’d end up with Indigo,” Grandma admits, and Cullen smiles.
“Why is that?” I ask.
“Because then your name would be Juniper Lovejoy. Isn’t that just lovely? And he comes from a wonderful family.”
“Sounds like he’s taken,” I reply. Cullen chuckles, but the joke’s on him. “Now, who should Cullen end up with? Indigo has two sisters, doesn’t he?”
“Montana Jericho, the owner of Huckleberry Delight.”
Cullen stares at Grandma and then frowns. “Why Montana?”
“Because then she’d be Montana Snow. How fitting is that?”
“I love how Grandma just pairs people up based on their names,” I say to Cullen, who’s shaking his head. “Maybe you should ask out Montana. She’s single.”
“I’m single, too, and happy that way,” Cullen shoots back. “Let’s not ruin this awesome lunch with talk about who we’re dating, okay?”
“I’m just saying that Montana is smart as a whip, runs that ice cream shop, and she’s pretty.”
“Sheispretty,” I agree, loving how uncomfortable my brother is. “You’d make gorgeous babies.”
