Chapter 13
MAISIE
“Table ten’s order is ready!” Kevin calls from the kitchen.
“Thank you!” I grab both plates and make my way to Gladis and Charles’ table. They’ve been coming here for as long as I can remember and always wait for the booth by the entry way.
The smile on my face has been permanent since the other day with Henry. From the nervous butterflies, to the spinning in the rain, to the drive home. It was perfect, and carefree.
I felt free.
“I’ve got the usual for you two, pancakes for Gladis, and waffles for Charles. Bacon on the side to share.” I wink at Charles as I set down the plate knowing that Gladis won’t be sharing any. “Anything else I can grab for you two?”
“No, thank you, darling.”
“How’s your mom doing? I don’t see her much anymore!” Charles takes a sip of his coffee.
“She’s doing great! Since she took over most of what Grandma Judith used to do, she spends more time in the back now.”
“I do miss her smiling face,” Gladis chimes in.
“I know she misses yours too.” I smile. “I’ll let her know you guys miss her, okay?
” With that, I make my way to the backroom where Wren is tying her apron around her waist. I haven’t seen her since our girls day and it’s taken everything in me to wait until I see her in person to tell her about my day with Henry.
“Hey bestie—”
“You need to tell me everything!” She cuts me off with a screech.
“What are you talking about?” I play innocent.
“Oh, come on, I didn’t lock myself in the bathroom and text Hottie Henry for nothing.” She sighs. “Plus, I might have spent my day at Lakeside Grounds by the window watching you two dance in the rain like some lovesick fools.”
“Wren!” I smack my hand over her mouth and in a whisper, I say, “My mom might hear you! And how did you know where I’d be?”
“So that was you! I knew it!” She snickers. “I was totally lying about my stalker tendencies. Greyson, the new barista I’ve been befriending, told me he saw you two and was wondering if you were taken.” She winks and nudges me. “I told him you were.”
“Wren!” I screech again. “There goes my chance at finding love in Ruby Lake.”
“If you could see the way Henry looks at you the way I do, you wouldn’t be looking for love anymore. It’s right in front of you.”
“He barely knows me.”
“I barely know any of the people I bone,” she says in a teasing tone as she crosses her arms across her chest.
“I seriously need to duck tape your mouth shut.” I roll my eyes. “Go check on your tables, there’s people waiting for you.”
After both Wren and I are off work, we go to the general store to get party supplies for my mom’s birthday party. She just wanted to have a small get together but Wren insisted we have a huge celebration and mom can never say no to Wren.
No one can ever say no to Wren, she’s always been persistent.
We decide to go with a pink theme since that’s her favorite color and I’d be surprised if there was anything pink left in the store after everything we purchased—streamers, balloons, banners, we bought it all.
“I can’t wait for the party next weekend, it’s going to be so fun.” Wren hops out of my car as I put it in park in front of my house. “She deserves a day dedicated to her. We can call it National Elaine Day!”
“I’m sure she would love that.” While I hate having attention on me, my mom loves to be the spotlight.
“I know it’s a week away, but do you want to spend the night afterward so you don’t have to drive home?” I ask as I grab some bags out of the trunk. She shuts it behind me as she grabs the last few.
“You don’t want to invite Henry to your bedroom?” I just know Wren thinks the situation she put me in is hilarious. I ignore her and keep walking. “I’ll spend the night but if he gets in the way, I am so here for it. I’ll sleep on the couch at your mom’s.”
“Henry is not sleeping over, I don’t even know if he’s actually coming.” I don’t tell her that I desperately want him to.
“So you did invite him!” Wren gasps as she slams the car trunk shut.
“Well technically my mom did, but he’s probably busy with Miles.”
“If you’re here, then I promise you that he will be, too.”
“And how do you know this?” I give her a skeptical look.
“Look at me,” Wren says. I turn and do as she says. We’re both standing in the middle of my driveway with bags of party supplies. “I have two eyes and can see that man is fully obsessed with you. You just choose not to see it.”
I hate that she’s right so I do what I do best and ignore that statement.
“I love Elaine for that, for inviting him. That woman isn’t afraid of anything, utilizing her use of free will.”
“I don’t when it has to do with me and my love life.” I mess around in my bag trying to find my keys. “Speaking of Henry, we’re going to the fair Saturday.”
“Are you now?”
“Item number one on my list was to go on the ferris wheel and get over my fear of heights. He mentioned he saw the fair was happening this weekend, so…”
“I can’t believe that one, you’re actually doing your Fuck It List and two, Henry Bellwood is joining you.”
“This is all your doing.”
“And sober me is so happy of drunk me’s choices, which isn’t a common occurrence.”
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy with drunk Wren’s choices, but I’ll never admit to that. She has an ego that I don’t want to inflate even more.
“Let’s work on putting together party decorations while you tell me all about this date you have with Hottie Henry on Saturday!”
“It’s not a date.”
“And grass isn’t green.” She winks and then heads through the front door.