Chapter 25 Kira
KIRA
The Burrow Bitches
Kira: Is everyone ready for tonight?
Britney: i am always ready for any event that i can wear a sexy dress to
Ariadne: My nephew threw up on my dress, but I’ll come up with a plan B.
Macey: I’ve got all the materials for live streaming! Noah’s hogging the bathroom, but I’ll get ready when he’s done.
Mason’s Diner buzzed with life.
I stood near the counter, watching as people from every corner of the neighborhood filed in.
Families, old friends, new customers, even the grumpy man who always walked his dog past the place without looking up.
Tonight, though, he came inside and accepted a cup of coffee from Landon’s mom like it was the most natural thing in the world.
A little kid leaned over the dessert case, nose pressed to the glass.
Someone in the back corner strummed a guitar softly—one of the regulars from the CCC who’d offered to play some live music.
Laughter bubbled up near the coffee pots where Landon’s cousins were already making themselves at home.
I spotted Macey talking animatedly with someone’s grandmother over the merits of banana cream pie versus cherry.
At the center of it all was Landon.
He moved through the crowd in that easy, quietly competent way of his, refilling drinks, checking on food, pausing to thank people for coming.
His sleeves were rolled to the elbows, hair a little messy from the back kitchen heat, but his eyes were bright.
He caught my gaze across the room and grinned, just for me.
A hand brushed my elbow. “You look so proud.”
I turned to see Britney sipping champagne, her deep red dress hugging her frame like it was made for this exact moment. The rich color made her fiery hair glow under the ballroom lights, the loose curls tumbling effortlessly down her back.
“I am,” I admitted, a smile tugging at my lips. “Landon worked hard on this.”
“It’s impressive,” she said while surveying the room. “I guess I’ve finally been convinced that he’s good enough for you.”
“That took a lot of convincing.”
Britney laughed, tilting her glass toward me. “I’m stubborn, okay? Just don’t forget about me when you’re a super famous artist with a successful boyfriend, while I’m still making coffee and barely surviving law school.”
I grabbed her hand. “Are you serious? I’d never forget you. I couldn’t if I tried.”
She held my gaze for a second before giving me a small smile.
“Who knows, you’ll probably be an even more famous lawyer with an even more successful lawyer boyfriend. Maybe he’s in this room right now.”
Although I was pretty sure the only lawyer in the room was Carter. I was surprised to see him trail in, though he stood solemnly near the back, but I supposed he put a lot of work into getting the diner up and running.
Britney scoffed. “I’m just focusing on the first part right now. Boyfriends take up way more time than I have.”
“That’s fair.” Most of her days were full of studying anyways.
“I’m sticking to a casual thing with good-looking people for now.” She paused. “Speaking of good-looking…too bad the only person Nathan has eyes for is Ariadne.” She craned her head over the sea of people in front of us. “There are at least a few other attractive men here, though.”
Nathan is here?
I didn’t think he cared about helping the local community. Or anyone, really. At least not without something in return.
After a few more glances, I spotted him sitting in a corner booth near the guitarist. Nathan watched patiently, glass in hand. We made eye contact for a moment, and I turned away quickly. Something about him intimidated me. I much preferred his cousin Noah.
Wait.
“Eyes for Ariadne?” I whispered, confused.
Britney shrugged. “I’m good at reading people. Their actions, words, things they do when they think no one else is looking.”
“Huh,” was all I said as the lights dimmed slightly.
“All right, all right,” Landon’s mom called from the counter, tapping a spoon against a glass.
“We wanted to thank all of you for attending the grand opening of Mason’s Diner tonight.
Now my boy Landon says he doesn’t want to make a speech, but I told him it’s a grand opening and that he needs to listen to his mother.
You don’t get to skip the sentimental stuff. ”
Everyone laughed and turned toward Landon, who groaned but stepped forward anyway, wiping his hands on a towel tucked into his waistband.
“Thanks, Mom,” he said, eyes twinkling. “Hi, everyone. I’ll keep it short.
I promise. This place has been a dream for a long time.
My dad used to say that a good diner feels like home, even if it’s your first visit.
That’s what we wanted this place to be. Not just a business, but a place where people show up, can catch up over coffee, and have their pick of pies. ”
A few chuckles came from the crowd.
He glanced over at me, and I could tell he was a little nervous, but then his shoulders dropped, and his voice softened.
“We couldn’t have done this without help. Family, of course. My friends. And especially Kira.” His eyes met mine again, and warmth bloomed in my chest. “You came in during the chaos and stayed. Believed in me even when I forgot how.”
I blinked fast, trying not to turn into a puddle in front of a crowd.
“So yeah,” Landon finished. “Thanks for being here. For making this place feel like home already. Eat everything, drink a lot of coffee, and please don’t judge me too hard on the new pie flavors.”
He got a round of cheers and claps and a few whoops from the back. The guitar picked up again, and the energy of the room buzzed back to life.
“You go get your man.” Britney pushed me forward. “I’m going to go peruse the free food.”
I wove through the crowd, past a table where Josh was enthusiastically digging into a chicken pot pie.
By the time I reached Landon, he was accepting a firm handshake from a stranger, nodding along to something I couldn’t hear.
Then his eyes found mine.
The second he was free, he exhaled and closed the distance between us, running a hand through his dark hair. “I’m glad that part’s over.”
I grinned. “You were incredible.”
His lips twitched like he wanted to argue, but then his face softened. “Yeah?”
I nodded. “You pulled all this together. Look at everyone having fun. It’s all because of you.”
He let out a slow breath like he was finally allowing himself to take it all in. His hand found my waist, the warmth of his palm grounding me. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”
“I waitressed for three days. You and your mom built an entire diner.”
A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne, and Landon grabbed two glasses, then handed one to me. He lifted his in a small toast. “To the upcoming year, full of love, art, and new beginnings.”
I tapped my glass against his. “To the people who made it possible. Us.”
We drank, the bubbles crisp on my tongue, and we observed the rest of the grand opening.
Landon didn’t just pull off the opening. He crushed it.
Judging by the way Macey skipped over here hand in hand with Noah, she thought so too.
“You guys!” She jumped in between us like a schoolgirl trying to hold in her excitement. “Amazing job with the diner. There are even a few local influencers here I recognize.”
I winked at Macey. “You’re the only influencer in my heart.”
She blew me a kiss in return. “You’re the only one I post content for.”
Noah rolled his eyes half-heartedly, but he smiled. “Don’t tell that to the ten thousand people who were just on our livestream.”
“Seriously?” Landon asked, shocked. “That many people watched you guys talking about this event?”
“Always the tone of surprise, Landon,” Macey teased.
“I don’t use social media much, but I’ve heard tales of your success.” He chuckled but turned genuine. “Really, though, thank you both for doing that.”
“It’s our pleasure,” Macey said determinedly.
Noah craned his head through the crowds, his expression shifting. “Where did Nathan go?”
Landon shrugged. “I haven’t seen him.”
“Looks like he’s at the table with the raffles,” Macey said as she watched Nathan unabashedly. “Don’t know why. He could probably buy everything there with a single paycheck.”
Before she could speculate further, Noah gently turned her head back toward us. “Let’s not stare.”
“Oh, I think I know why,” Britney’s voice chimed in from nowhere, making all of us jump.
“Jesus, Britney, you scared the shit out of us.” Macey groaned.
“Why?” Landon and Noah asked in unison.
Britney smirked, enjoying the attention. She glanced around, lowering her voice as if delivering gossip. I was ready for her to share her latest suspicion that Nathan had a thing for Ariadne, but instead she said, “He has to be in the know on everything.”
Everyone shrugged like that made perfect sense.
Hopefully, Britney changed her mind about her theory. There was no way Nathan and Ariadne would be compatible. Speaking of…where was she? I saw her at the very beginning of the event but hadn’t spotted her since.
“Anyways,” Britney addressed Landon, “great job tonight.”
“Thank you,” Landon responded slowly as if unsure how to take Britney’s acceptance.
The soft murmur of conversation blended with the gentle clinking of champagne glasses. Strings of warm Edison bulbs zigzagged across the diner’s ceiling, showcasing the gleaming booths polished to perfection, the mismatched vases of fresh flowers on each table, and the clinking glasses.
Macey pulled out her phone, manicured nails moving deftly across the screen. “Have you guys seen Ariadne recently? I’m about to call her to come join us.”
Everyone shook their heads.
She placed the phone to her ear as we all waited patiently. After a second, her jaw dropped, and she slipped the phone back in her pocket. “She sent me to voicemail!”
“Maybe her phone died?” Noah offered.
“Maybe she’s avoiding you?” Landon grinned.