Page 16 of Her Property

When they arrived at Aubrey’s Diner, Jake saw for the first time how packed it was. Teenagers spilled out the front door, and music blared from the speakers inside.

“It’s not usually like this,” Jake said into Cat’s ear as they stepped inside. But when he pulled away, he saw her mouth was pinched shut and she was clutching her bandaged hand against her chest.

She was looking over at a boy in a letter jacket near the counter. He was a big all-American looking kid, with blonde hair and dimples, and he was even clapping a football between his palms.

Should he be jealous?

“You okay?” he asked.

Catherine startled and gave Jake a brief smile. It was nothing like the begrudging smiles he was getting out of her on the walk over. She seemed… uncomfortable. Nervous, even.

“I’m fine. But I think I’d like to take the food to go. If you’d don’t mind.”

“Of course,” he said. “Not exactly peaceful in here.” He waved at Aubrey over a handful of teen girls giggling at the counter.

“Jakey!” she exclaimed, pressing a hand to her ample bosom. She beckoned them toward the counter. Her bouffant of red hair hung about her head like a scarlet cloud, her painted on eyebrows matching the hair perfectly. When they reached the counter she leaned over and gave Jake a hearty hug. Whatever tension had come up at his concern for Catherine slipped away as Aubrey gave him a squeeze.

Aubrey, in a way, was like the mother Jake always wished he’d had. Not just because his own mom was gone now—his mom had left years before she’d passed. Where his mother had been absent and flighty, Aubrey was loving and doting. She always had open arms for Jake. And an open ear, too. Aubrey was the only one he could really talk to.

But not tonight. Not with Catherine here, and definitely not with the hoards of boisterous kids bouncing off the walls around them.

“What’s with the crowd?” he asked.

“They won their game,” Aubrey said, rolling her eyes as if exasperated. But her smile betrayed her. Aubrey loved the teenagers who frequented her shop—Jake remembered from when he used to be one.

Aubrey looked pointedly at Catherine then. “And who’s this?”

“Catherine Jones.” Catherine said, extending a hand, then remembering her injury, pulling it back once again.

Aubrey didn’t notice. “Jones!” Aubrey exclaimed. “You a relative of Alfred Jones?” she asked.

Just hearing his name again dampened Jake’s mood slightly. Even though he had the menu memorized, he picked up one of the laminated placards and began examining it intently.

“No relation,” Catherine said. “I work for him.”

Jake glanced up to see Aubrey’s eyebrows lifting. He knew that expression on Aubrey: she was restraining herself from asking a heap more questions.

“Surprised, Aubrey?”

“You and Alfred aren’t exactly chummy, Colson.” She turned back to Catherine. “You live in New York too?”

“Yes.”

“You two going to do the long distance thing then?”

“Oh no, I —we—“ Catherine looked over at Jake. “Jake was helping me with my hand. He caught me… as I hurt myself earlier. Needed a few stitches.”

“I caught you, alright,” Jake said, and was treated to a burning glare from Cat. His good humor began inching back. “Catherine’s staying at Alfred Jones’ place,” Jake said to Aubrey. “We only just met today.”

Aubrey’s brows lifted once more and Jake almost laughed at how much the older woman was keeping buttoned up.

“Well, you’re in excellent hands with our Jakey. As I hope you already know. There’s no sweeter boy in Barkley Falls. Besides my own boys, of course.”

Catherine smiled, and this time it looked genuine. Then one of the group of girls next to Jake took too big a step backward and bumped into him. When the girl looked up at him, her eyes went round. She and her girlfriends dissolved into giggles.

“Could we order please?” Catherine said, her voice clipped.

Jake looked back at her and the last of the coolness lifted as she snatched the menu from his hand.

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