Page 51 of Best Friends for Never

“I can’t breathe.”

“Oh!” She releases me with a laugh, and I suck in a breath of much-needed air. “Sorry. I just got so excited.”

“It’s okay. I’m really so happy you like it.”

“I do. So much. Even more so today, now that there are customers here. Oh, and— Greta! Greta!”

Gianna waves her wife over to us, and Greta passes their employees to join us.

“Parker.” Greta’s smile rivals Gianna’s as she wraps her arms around her wife’s waist and tugs her close. “This is incredible. We love it. Thank you. Truly.”

I wave off her words of praise. “It’s nothing, really.”

“Nothing? Are you kidding me? This is life changing. You’ve turned this dusty old café into something people will flock to see. It’s ...” She shakes her head. “I don’t have the words for what you do for this community, always fixing up the businesses and now the theater too. It’s ...” She sighs. “It’s truly awe inspiring.”

My face begins to heat for the second time since I’ve walked in here. Thankfully, it’s for something much less embarrassing this time.

“The waterfall was Noel’s idea,” I say, hoping to draw their attention to him.

It works, Gianna’s eyes lighting up like she’s just realized he’s here.

“Holy shit!” She smacks her hand over her mouth. “I mean, shit. No. Fuck.No.Crap! Holy crap!TheNoel Carter is inmyrestaurant.”

He chuckles. “I’ve known you since we were babies, Gi.”

“Yeah, but that was different. You were the dorky theater kid then. Now you’re ... well, you’reNoel Carter.”

Greta rolls her eyes. “You’ll have to excuse my wife. She’s a fan.” She sticks her hand out to Noel. “We haven’t officially met yet, but I’m Greta. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Nice to meet you,” Noel says, shaking her hand. “Anybody willing to shack up with Gianna and handle her awful singing voice is good in my book.”

“Hey!” Gianna complains. “I wasn’tthatbad.”

“Babe, I love you, but you can’t sing to save your life.” Greta presses a kiss to Gianna’s head. “Anyway, it was great to meet you, Noel, but I’dbetter get back to the front counter. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re a bit swamped.”

“Of course. No problem.” I wave her away.

“Can I get you guys anything? Our treat, of course,” Gianna offers.

“Yeah, we’d love to treat you to lunch. Both of you,” her wife agrees.

“I mean, I wouldn’t say no to a sub.”

“Yeah, of course. Anything special on it?”

“Double—”

“Everything and extra EVOO,” Gianna and I finish for Noel.

He laughs. “Yeah, that.”

He’s a creature of habit. I’ve heard him order the same thing his entire youth, and Gianna’s helped make the sandwich nearly just as long.

“One double meat, double cheese, extra EVOO Rossi Italian coming up,” Greta says. She looks at me. “Your usual?”

“Please.”

“You got it.”

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