Page 141 of Banter & Blushes

CAROLINE

The Holler & Fork was in a full Friday night swing. Every single booth was filled with local families laughing and talking. Tables had been pushed to the side and several couples, along with a few children, danced to the sound of silverware scraping to the beat of oldies from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Shouts and clinking dishes created a sense of tumbleweed noise rolling through the air, dusting every corner with nostalgia and caffeine jitters.

Caroline settled onto a stool at the counter, the torn cushion cutting into her leg.

“Are you wearing shorts tonight?” Sandy asked, sliding an empty mug in front of her. “Coffee’s brewing.”

“I am.” Caroline picked up the laminated menu and sighed, not even reading the specials. She knew them all. By heart. Every. Single. One.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you in shorts since you were a little girl.”

“You haven’t.” Caroline slapped the menu on the table. “I’ll do the Swedish meatballs, extra gravy, and mashed potatoes. Salad with ranch and piece of pie for dessert.”

“You never order the meatballs. You usually order the…”

“I want the meatballs tonight.” Caroline glared at her. “Extra gravy, please.”

Sandy scribbled on her pad and tore off a piece of paper, clipping it to a string for the kitchen. “What kind of pie?”

Caroline waved her hand. “I don’t care. I thought I told you to get these stools repaired. Torn vinyl looks tacky.”

Sandy leaned on the counter and tapped her fingers as she looked at Caroline. “What’s going on?” she finally asked. “Other than the new wardrobe?” She nodded at Caroline’s bright orange tank top.

“Nothing.”

“That shade of nothing looks suspiciously like Carter Beckett’s swim trunks.”

Caroline picked up the cup and examined it like she could make the coffee appear. “Fine. Banana cream.”

“Not the pie, sweetheart.”

Caroline squirmed a little on the stool, her mouth setting in a reluctant line. “I refuse to be the headline of Boomer’s next song.”

“Hmmm.” Sandy grabbed the coffeepot and filled Caroline’s cup. “Speaking of which, I haven’t seen Beckett here in the last few days. Gigi said he wasn’t home when she stopped by to deliver a casserole.”

“He got called out of town,” Caroline replied, keeping her voice light even though she felt anything but.

“Is that so?” Sandy put the pot back on the burner. “When is he coming back?”

Beckett was expected to return in the afternoon, but Caroline couldn’t recall whether he had promised for certain or merely suggested he might return. She craved certainty. Spontaneity was not really her thing.

It had been three days since she’d last seen him. He had spoken of an out-of-town commitment, but she hadn’t thought it meant he’d be out of town, out of touch, and completely unreachable. She missed him more than she thought possible, yet she wondered if she was overreacting, feeling torn between longing and frustration.

“Why would I know? I’m not in charge of his schedule.”

“Uh-huh. How long has he been gone?”

“Three days,” Caroline said. “I’m not counting or anything.” She shifted in her seat, pretending she wasn’t bothered by his absence, as Sandy shook her head in a way which said she was done buying Caroline’s denials.

“Who’s got the mayor and Beck having a falling-out?” Gigi’s voice boomed from the booth in the corner as she waved a bottle of ink in the air. Several hands went up as Caroline groaned and put her face in her hands.

“What about romance?” Mabel joined in, their words carrying across the room. Gigi pinned Caroline with a cheerful look as Mabel continued. “Oh look. We can black out the entire third row if you say you kissed him goodbye.”

“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” Caroline said, deflecting the question with a playful but slightly tart smile. “What if I told you we barely said, ‘see you later’?”

“What if we said we wouldn’t believe you?” Gigi countered, unfazed as she scanned the bingo sheet with glee.

The door jangled again, bringing in a gust of wind and Boomer, his guitar, slung over his shoulder like a troubadour on tour. He tipped his hat at Carolinewith a dramatic flair, attention immediately drawn to Gigi, Mabel and their cards laid out.

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