“Well?” Nettie asked.
“The wedding is going to happen, and good mornin’ to you, too. I don’t need coffee just yet, but I do need to change clothes. We’ll be leaving at five thirty, right?” Jancy said as she headed down the hallway.
“On the dot,” Nettie chuckled.
“Lord, I wish I was you.” Emily trailed along behind her. “You are fearless.”
“Sometimes that’s a good thing. Sometimes, not so much.” Jancy grinned. “I need a fast shower. How about you?”
“Oh, yeah!”
“I’ll be out in five minutes and you can have it. We’ll still be ready by the time to go to the diner.”
Nettie made an announcement as soon as they opened up the diner that morning. “Jancy will be working with me in the kitchen today. Emily and Vicky can run the front.”
“I don’t care if anyone sees my black eye,” Jancy said.
“It’s like this—everyone who was at church and saw the fight is going to want to talk about it. Those who only got the story through the gossip vine are going to want to know details. If you don’t stop and talk, they’ll get their feelings hurt. If you do, it’ll slow down the work. So you are cookin’ today and those two are running the front,” Nettie declared.
“I’m not lookin’ forward to all the questions I’ll get asked,” Emily said. “I need Jancy for support.”
“Too bad. Get out there and take up for yourself, your man, and your upcoming marriage. Let them folks know that you will fight for what is yours,” Nettie said. “Well, look at that—Andy Butler is our first customer. He even beat Woody this morning.”
Vicky tied an apron around her waist and pushed open the door separating the kitchen from the front of the diner at the same time Andy entered the place. “Good mornin’. What brings you out so early?”
“Have to check on some stuff in Frankston before the Palestine store opens,” he answered. “I’d like a tall stack of pancakes with sausage on the side and a cup of coffee. How’s the wedding plans coming along?”
Back in the kitchen, Nettie threw an arm around Emily. “I think he likes your mama—a lot. How do you feel about it?”
“To be honest, I’m jealous. I’m not so sure I want to share her with anyone,” Emily answered.
“Now you know how she feels,” Jancy said.
“Never thought of it like that. Looks like we’ve got a lot of jealousy going on here at the Strawberry Hearts Diner. We’re all a little green except Nettie.”
“Don’t think I’m not jealous of the whole lot of you. I’d love to be as young as you again and get to live in the world you do. Where folks don’t judge like they did in my day. Which means if and when you want to move in with Shane, that’s fine by me, Jancy.”
“And I can move in with Ryder?”
“Hell, no!” Nettie said. “It’s less than two weeks until your wedding. You can wait.”
“Then why can Jancy?” Emily crossed her arms over her chest.
“Because I’m already a bad girl and you aren’t,” Jancy said.
“Bullshit!” Nettie growled. “It’s because Emily needs to learn patience. Let me tell you something, girl, you’ve got to learn to love yourself or no one else can. Shane sees a fine young woman when he looks at you. Don’t destroy that picture with your own self-doubt.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jancy draped an arm around Nettie’s shoulders. “That’s the best advice I’ve had in years.”
“But . . . ,” Emily started.
Nettie shot a look her way. “It’s six months until she and Shane get married. You’ve had your six months with Ryder.”
“Six months?” Jancy stammered.
“Or less. Now let’s get to work,” Nettie said.
“Fine, then. Last night when the preacher was talkin’”—Emily stepped away and tied an apron around her waist—“I wasn’t listenin’ to a word he said. I was all up in thoughts of how perfect everything was. I got my wake-up call real fast when I saw that woman all wrapped around Ryder. I have to accept the fact that it could happen again and that I’ll have to deal with it like an adult when it does.”
“Not if Jancy is around,” Nettie laughed. “Put that pan of biscuits in the oven while I make Andy’s pancakes. I’m deliberately stalling so they’ll talk longer.”
“You are amazing, Nettie.” Emily picked up the pan. “And I love Jancy for what she did, but I’m going to step up to the plate the next time around.”
“Good for you.” Jancy opened the oven door for her.
Nettie was a prophet, plain and simple. By the end of that Monday, Jancy was sick of hearing anything about the fight. Emily was threatening to poison the food of the next person that even mentioned it. When they got home that evening, Nettie and Vicky sank down on the swing and Jancy and Emily sat on the steps.
“First rule of the night is no talk of fights or black eyes or Nicole. After I say this, the subject is closed for good. I will never name a daughter Nicole or Nicky or any form of that name,” Emily said.
“You better get Ryder to make you a list if that’s the rule. And you’d better make a list of your old boyfriends so he knows not to use those names,” Jancy said.
“You got a point. I hear a truck—Ryder and Shane are on their way. Why don’t we just let them sleep in our bedrooms tonight, Jancy? That way we won’t have to walk home tomorrow mornin’.”
“Short answer to that question is no,” Nettie said. “Long answer is hell, no.”
“Hi, darlin’,” Ryder said on his way from the truck to the porch. “We got busy today and didn’t get to come by the diner. Shane is pouting because he didn’t get a tart.”
“Yes, I am,” Shane agreed. “And since I didn’t, I thought w-we m-might walk down to Leonard’s place and get an ice cream. It won’t be as good as a tart, but it’ll have to do.”
Emily jumped up and looped her arm in Ryder’s. “Let’s go. I’m starving for a Fudgsicle. Let’s take our ice cream to the park and swing.”
“Us guys could push you girls on the m-merry-go-round,” Shane suggested.
“It’s been years since I’ve been on a merry-go-round. That sounds like fun,” Jancy agreed.
“You goin’ to be m-my girlfriend from now on?” Shane whispered as they fell in behind Ryder and Emily, who walked faster than they did.
“I thought I already had that title. After all, I’ve been spending nights in your bed,” she answered.
He stopped and kissed her right underneath a streetlamp. “You do, but I w-wanted to be sure that you knew that you had it.”
“I love being your girlfriend and yes, from now on.” She rolled up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek.
“And you’ll stay in Pick?” he asked.
“Until the baby is born at the very least.” A picture of her getting into a used car and leaving Pick with Shane waving good-bye flashed through her mind, and her chest tightened. If she had that kind of pain at the thought, she’d never be able to drive away from him—not ever.