Page 78 of Silent Heart

Tying Lilac outside, I pushed inside the bustling restaurant.

“Harley! Big city girl, come back home,” Gemma called out from behind the counter.

I hurried over and hugged her tight. “Oh, I’ve missed you!”

Gemma laughed. “You’re back all weekend, right?”

“Right.” I cleared my throat. A lump had formed there at the sudden wave of homesickness. It might be a simple routine,but seeing the old haunts, being around familiar faces, and the bustle of the diner hit me harder than I could have expected. “Last time you called, you said you were having menus printed for your place? Did you get the proofs yet?”

“Sure did! You should stop by tonight, and we’ll look at them,” she offered. “If you’re not going out?”

“No,” I laughed. “I’m too old for that scene. I’ll come over; we can have girls’ night.”

“You’ve got it!” Her smile was infectious. “Can you believe I’m finally doing it?”

No, I really can’t.“I’m so proud of you, Gemma.”

After talking about it for years, Gemma made the decision this fall to spend her tidy savings and open her farm-to-table café next spring, just in time for tourism to fill her pockets. She would have limited hours in the winter, but figured she could make a killing in the summer. The secret would be catering desserts for rich people’s lake events.

“I owe it to you,” she beamed.

I jerked slightly. “Me? What did I do?”

Gemma shrugged and fidgeted with her apron. “You did it, Harley. You stayed strong and made your dream a reality, despite what folks around here said.”

Words failed me. I hadn’t done it yet. Hell, it would be years before I finallymadeit.

“If it wasn’t for you, I would never have had the courage to go for it.” Gemma gave me another squeeze, before moving behind the counter to grab her soda from under it. “Anyhow, enough of that sappiness. You just stopped in to surprise little old, emotional me?”

“That and order a sandwich.” I grinned. “I rode Lilac over, so I’ll have to wait out there with her.”

“Cold club coming right up! Want chips with that?”

“Harley! You’re here. Quit school already?” Sarah Jane cackled from the back section with a tray of dishes.

“Hi, Sarah,” I said, refusing to engage with her negativity, and to Gemma, I added, “Yes, please.”

“Did you come up to spend time with that weird family? Would have thought you washed your hands of them.” Sarah came back, tray tucked under her arm.

I blinked at her. “It’s fall break.”

“Oh, so you’renotgoing to the McTavish place tonight?” Sarah Jane laughed, wiping her hands on her apron. “Color me surprised.”

Gemma shushed the other waitress. “She’s coming over to my house.”

“Why would I go there?” I asked, heart rate suddenly doubling.

“That feller you were seeing earlier in the summer? His family is having some shindig there. Tami saw the mom and sisters buying groceries. Foreign folk, speaking Spanish or French or something in the Piggly Wiggly.” Sarah Jane picked gunk from under her acrylic nails, not bothering with the health code. “They rented jet skis and spent aninsaneamount at the liquor store. Should be quite the weekend bash over there.”

I looked between the two waitresses.

“I didn’t think you’d want to know,” Gemma said lamely. “That’s why I didn’t text you a heads up.”

I swallowed hard. “Thanks, Gemma. But I’m glad you told me.”

Gemma cocked her head. “You sure? That guy just disappeared, and you never talked about him.”

I nodded. “Positive.”

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