“I can see from your expression that’s not an option.” He took her empty cup from her hands and carried both to the nearest trash can. “She must be as bullheaded as my dad.”
“You got that right.” Vicky stood up. “I should be getting back in there.”
“I’ll go with you, but I’ll only stay a few minutes. It’s getting late.” He picked up her hand and looped it into his arm. “So the thing with Shane and Jancy? I thought they’d been together for ages.”
“They knew each other years ago. She lived in Pick for a spell when she was a teenager, but she only came back a little bit ago. Her car caught on fire in the diner parking lot. If you believe in fate, you can call it that. She was stranded with no family or place to live and we needed a waitress. She’s been a lifesaver in more ways than just by working for us.”
“I believe in fate,” he said. “How else does anything make sense?”
They weren’t so lucky as to have the elevator to themselves that time. It was packed so full that they had to wedge into the thing. Her back met his chest so tightly that she could feel his heartbeat. Sure and steady. She wondered if that was an indication of his whole outlook on life. The doors opened at their floor, and she felt as if the elevator spat them out.
“Whew! Good thing neither of us is claustrophobic,” he said.
“Who says I’m not?” she joked.
“You did pretty good if you are. I don’t mind snug spaces.” He guided her down the hall with his arm slung loosely around her shoulders.
“Well, look what Vicky drug up.” Nettie grinned. “Did she tell you that I’m breakin’ out of this joint on Friday evening? Thanks for the cookies you sent up here this morning.”
“She did tell me, and you are very welcome. I just wanted to pop in for a minute. Since you’ve got a roomful, I’ll be going. Good luck with the surgery. It doesn’t take long and you’ll sure feel better,” Andy said.
He disappeared with a wave, and Vicky settled back into the recliner. “So, Shane, how’d you like being a waiter today?”
“W-we did just fine. Got us a free lunch for an hour’s w-work and even got to eat with the ladies.” Shane wiggled his thick eyebrows. “I’d do the w-work every day for that.”
“Only one more day,” Nettie said. “Then it’ll be back to normal.”
Ryder winked at Vicky. “We were thinkin’ maybe you’d take a week off and get all rested up.”
“Well, you were thinkin’ wrong.” Nettie raised her voice.
Sparks danced around the room, but Vicky couldn’t tell who or how many people were producing them. Vicky wouldn’t try to figure out all that right then. She had a cranky old Nettie who needed every bit of her attention for the next few days.
“We’d better get out of here before she gets all worked up and they don’t let her get her machinery tomorrow,” Emily said.
“W-we’re goin’ to go get us an ice cream cone. You w-want a milk shake or a malt, Vicky?” Shane asked. “I’ll be glad to bring one back up to you. Just say the w-word.”
“Look at that window ledge. Folks have been bringin’ in cookies, fruit, and all kinds of food all day. I appreciate the offer, but no, thanks, Shane.”
“We’ll wait for you by the elevator, Emily,” Ryder said. “Take your time.”
“Be there soon as I kiss these two tired girls good night.” She smiled up at Ryder.
“Good night, Nettie.” Emily bent down and planted half a dozen kisses on her forehead when the women were alone. “I miss you. Get well, and we’ll fight about when you go back to the diner when you get home.”
“There won’t be any fights. My word is the law,” Nettie protested.
Emily rounded the end of the bed and hugged Vicky. “Jancy and I are doing a good job, but we’ll sure be glad to have you back in the diner. The guys do what they can, but they aren’t you.”
“Thanks.” Vicky smiled. “Send a text when you get home so I know y’all are safe.”
“Will do, and call me soon as you know what time the surgery is going to happen. We’ll drop everything and get down here if you need us. Good night, Mama.”
“’Night,” Vicky said.
“Did you feel something strange goin’ on?” Nettie asked as soon as the room was cleared.
“I don’t know for sure.”
“What are we goin’ to do if she’s got a thing for Ryder Jensen?”
“If she does, it’s just happenin’ now. She always had a good head on her shoulders. When we get home we’ll ask her outright, but I don’t think we have anything to worry about. Maybe the sparks were from Shane and Jancy. We could be imagining things.”
“Maybe.” Nettie sighed. “I’m so tired of this bed. I just want to go home. Promise me when it’s my time to die, you’ll let me do it at home.”
“I don’t want to talk about that.”
“Promise or I won’t even get the pacemaker. I’m already at the three score and ten and I’ve had a good life, but I do not want to step off into eternity in a place like this. I want you and Emily, and maybe even Jancy if we get to keep her, standing with me to support me when I breathe my last,” Nettie said.
Vicky’s voice cracked as she spoke. “I promise.”
“Good. Now let’s get some sleep.”
The good-luck/bad-luck thing wasn’t supposed to start until the first day of summer, not three weeks before. Vicky shut her eyes and pulled the hospital blanket up to her chin, but it didn’t do a thing to warm the chill in her heart.
Shane and Jancy sat in the back seat of Ryder’s truck. The ice cream had done nothing to cool her off. Her hand felt small in his big paw. She’d never known a guy like Shane. Most of the ones she’d dated wouldn’t have been happy just to sit beside her and hold her hand.
Ryder turned on the radio to a classic country station, and every song seemed to reach right into her heart and deliver the message that she should stay in Pick, Texas, for a while.
“W-words to all the songs are talkin’ right at us, aren’t they?” Shane whispered just before his lips found hers in a steamy kiss.
“Shane, you deserve better.”
“You let me be the judge of that.” He pulled her close enough that she could lay her head on his shoulder.
“I Want to Be Loved Like That” by Shenandoah started, and Ryder sang along with the lyrics that said he was the high school rebel and she was the teenage queen. Emily touched his face and leaned over the console to kiss him.
When the song ended, he took Emily’s hand in his. “I can’t believe you are really goin’ to marry this old sinner and we are going to have a beautiful baby together.”
“I’m so glad she told you,” Shane whispered to Jancy. “I thought it would be great to talk to someone about it, but wh-when I’m with you all I w-want to do is talk about us.”
“Vicky is going to stroke out,” Jancy whispered.
“Naw, she’ll throw a fit, but she’ll be all right when sees how much Ryder loves Emily. It’s Nettie that I worry about,” Shane said.
“I think Nettie has already figured out part of it,” Jancy said.
“Good,” Shane said.
Ryder pulled up in the driveway. “Home. It’s late. We’ll see y’all at noon tomorrow.”
“I’ll walk you to the door,” Shane said.
“And I’ll make out with Ryder on the tailgate until you get back, Shane.” Emily giggled.