Page 56 of True North

I chuckle. That saying,while I’m still young, is her favorite.

I untie the apron string at my back with fumbling fingers. I round the counter and walk into the restaurant front room. Harry holds his hat between his hands at his waist. His face lights up with a smile when he meets my gaze. My heart flings against my ribs.

“Hey,” I breathe.

“Hi,” he rasps.

“What—what are you doing in town?”

“Bank. Just at the bank. Had some more things to sign.”

“Oh, good. How’s it coming?”

“Well,” he says, but his jaw ticks. “I mean, it’s on track. We move in next week.”

“Yay! Oh my goodness, that’s so exciting. Are you... excited?”

“You mean for all the long days and millions of things I have to fix? The barns, the fencin’...” His eyes drop.

“You want to go somewhere?”

“What you thinkin’?”

“Let me grab my purse and we go out to the lake?”

“Sure, Lou.”

“Great, I’ll only be a sec.” I bound up the stairs and pluck my bag off the small wooden kitchen table. I do a quick check in the mirror to make sure I don’t have red sauce on my face and grab some chewing gum. Unwrapping the gum, I sail down the stairs and pop it into my mouth as I halt before Harry.

“You hungry?” he asks.

“Sure, I could eat.”

“How does burgers and shakes by the lake sound?”

I chuckle and swing my bag over my shoulder. “Is this a date, Harry Rawlins?”

He smiles at me with his megawatt smile, deep blue eyes lighting up as he grabs the door and holds it open for me.

Be still, my heart.

With a bag full of burgers and fries between my legs, I hold two large paper cups with chocolate shakes. Harry drives us to the lake. Being midweek, it’s deserted. Perfect.

The last time I was here, the community function had this place buzzing. And Brad was hovering. I never heard from him after the dance. Probably for the best. I don’t need more complications in my life. Harry, the diner, the restaurant, and my own peace of mind is more than enough.

He shifts the truck to park and kills the engine. I hand him his shake, and we hop out of the vehicle. We’re on the far side, furthest from town. We could be naked and no one would know.

I scoff internally at the thought.

Harry puts the tailgate down and we sit on it. I put the bag in between us, opening it up, and hand him his food.

He bites into the burger without a word, his focus scanning the water.

“You’re quiet.” I glance at him before biting into my own burger.

He swallows, taking a sip of his shake.

“I’m filtering through all the things I have wanted to say to you over the last ten years. Tryin’ to find one that doesn’t sound ridiculous.”

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